The herald., 1894-12-04

tainment OF the best results more csr-
!aln. During the past focal year there
has been an unusual and pressing de-
mand In many quarters OF the world for
the presence OF vessels to guard Amsri-
can interests.
In January last during tho Brazilian
insurrectlou large feet wae concern
trated in the harbor of Rio de Janeiro.
The vigorous action OF Rear Admiral
Benham in protecting the personal and
commercial rights Of our citizens during
the disturbed conditions afforded re-
suits which will. it is believed. have q
fsr-Teaching and wholesome influence
whenever in like circumstances II may
become necessary for our naval com-
manders to interfere on behalf OF our
people iu foreign ports. The war now in
progress between China end japan has
rendered it necessary or expedient to
dispatch eight vessels to those waters.
Both the secretary OF the navy and
the secretary OF the treasury recommend
the transfer OF the work OF the COST
survey proper to the navy department..
heartily concur in this recommends.
ton.
Excluding Alaska and = very small
area besides, all the work OF mapping
and charting our coast has been COM
pletsd. The photographic work, which
must be done over and over again, by
reason OF the shifting and varying
depths Of wnter, consequent upon the
action of streams and tides, has hereto
fore been done under the direction OF
naval officers, in subordination to the
superintendent OF the coast survey.
There seems to be no good reason Why
- ~ hav oh
hereafter OF such work, especially as
the photographic Office of the navy de-
partment 10 now, and has been for many
years, engaged In making efficient maps,
entirely similar to those prepared by the
coast survey.
/ feel it my imperative duty to call at
tention to the recommendation OF the
secretary in regard to the personnel OF
tho line OF the navy. The stsgnation OF
promotion in this vital branch Of the
service 10 90 great % 10 seriously impair
it's efficiency. consider it Of the most
importance that the young and middle
aged officers should. before tha eve Of
retirement, be permitted to reach the
grade emitting them to active and i'm
portant duty.
The system adopted Q fcw years ago
regulating the employ oyment Of labor st
the navy yards 10 rigidly up
held and has fully demon
stated its usefulness and efficiency.
It is within the domain OF civil service
reform inssmuch 90 workmen are om-
ployed through board Of labor selected
1t each navy yard, and are given work
without reference to politics, and in the
order of their application. preference,
however, being given to army and navy
veterans and those having former navy
yard experience. Amendments aug-
gested by experience have been made to
the rules regulating the system. Through
it's operation the work OF our navy yards
has been improved in etfici ency, and
the opportunity 10 work has been hon.
estly and fairly afforded to willing and
competent applicants,
1t is hoped that If the system contin.
ues TO be strictly adhered to there will
soon be-. a. NATURAL consequence. such
an equalization OF party benefit a. will
remove all temptation to relax or aban-
don it.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
The report OF the secretary Of the in
terror exploits the situation OF the pu-
merous and interesting branches Of the
public service in connection with his
department. / commend this report
and the valuable recommendations OF
the secretary to the careful attention OF
the congress,
The public land disposed Of during
the year amounted to l0.4S8, 100
acres. including 2S. .s67 OF Indian lands.
1t is estimated that the public domain
ssill remaining amounts to littls more
than 500, 900 acree, excluding, however,
about $50. .0O0.0 acres in Alaska. as
well as military reservations and rail-
road and other sections Of lands yet I'M
adjudicsted.
The total cash receipts from sale OF
lands amounted to 81, ,674, ,2S5 70. includ-
ing SOL 9Sl.03 received from Indian
lands. Thirty.five thousand patents
were issued for agricultural land and
800 patents were issued to Indians on
allotments Of their lands in ssverslty,
the land 80 allotted being inalienabls bv
the Indian allottees for = period OF 25
years after patent. r.
There were certified and patented on
account OF railroad and wagon road
grants during the year SO. 355, ,645 acres
OF land, aud At the close OF the year 49,.
OO0,O acres were embraced in the lists
OF selections made by railroad and
wagon road companies and
awaited settlement. The selec-
tions OF swamp lands and that
taken as indemnity therefore since
the passage of the act providing for the
came in 1849. amount to nearly or quite
80,500, 600 acres Of which 5S, 600, 900 have
been patented to states. About l38, 900
acres were patented during the last year.
Nearly 500, 900 acres of school and edu-
cational grants we're approved during
the year, and at its close 1880, 1858. 81
acres remained unadjusted.
1t appears that the appropriation for
the current year on account of special
service for the protection OF the public
lands and timber thereon, is much less
than those for previeus years and insde.
Quate for an efficient performance OF
the work. Larger sums OF money than
have been appropriated: during number
OF years pest on this account have been
returned to the government az q result
OF the labors OF those employed in the
it will not be crippled BY an Insult fficient
spprop opriation.
fully endorse the recommen d stions
OF the secretary that adequte appropris-
tion be provided for our forest
reserves. and that a comprehen-
sive forestry system be inaugurated.
Such keepers and superint dents AZ
are necessary to protect the forests al
ready reserved should be provided.
am Of the opinion that there should be
an abandonment of the policy sanctioned
by the present laws under which the