The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-07

attending the Inauguration oil tnese re-
forms W. Id actually be profitable In
vestmcnt.
1 especially recommend such a recast-
ing Of the appropriations by congress, for
the postoffice department as will permit
the postmaster general to proceed with
the work of consolidating postofiices. This
work has already been entered upon sufh-
ciently to fully demonstrate, by expert
ment and experience, that such consolida-
ton Is productive of better service, larger
revenues and less expenditures, 10 say
nothing OF the further advantage Of grad
ually Withdrawing postoffices from the
spoils system.
The universal postal union. which now
embraces all the civilized world. and
whose delegates will represent 1000 900 900
people. win hold it's fifth congress in the
city OF Washington In May. 1897. The
United States may be elid to have taken
the initiative which led to the first meet
Ing OF this congress at Berne in 1874 and
the formation OF the universal postal
union. which brings the postal service Of
AL countries to every mans neighborhood
ana mas wrought marvels In cheapening
/ postal rates and securing absolutely safe
mail communication throughout the world.
Previous congresses have met I'm Berne,
Paris. Lisbon and Vienna. and the respec-
tive countries In which they have assem-
bled have made generous provision for
their accommodation and for the recep-
ton ard entertainment OF the delegates.
In view Of the importance OF this as
semblage and of it's deliberations and
or the honors and hospitalites accorded
70 our representatives by other countries
on similar occasions / earnestly hope
that such an appropriation will be made
for the expenses necessarily attendant
upon the coming meeting In our capital
IF al
hospitality and indicative of our appre-
| ciation of the event.
THE NAVY.
The work of the navy department and
| its present condition, are fully exhibited
| In the report of the secretary. The con-
struction OF vessels for our new navy has
been energetically prosecuted by the
| present administration upon the general
lines previously adopted, the department
having seen no necessity for radical
changes In prior methods under which
| the work was found to be progressing in
manner highly satisfactory. 1t has
been decided. however to provide In
every ship-building contract that the
| builder should pay all trial expenses and
| 1t has also been determined to pay no
speed premiums I'm future contracts.
The premiums recently earned and some
| yet to be decided, are features Of the con-
I tracts made before this conclusion was
reached.
On March 4, 1893, there were in com
| mission but two armored vessels, the
| double-turreted monitors. Miantonomah
| and Monterey Since that date, OF ves-
| sells therefore authorized, there have been
| placed in their first commission three
| first-class and two second-class battle
| ships, two armored cruisers. one harbor
| defense ram, and five ouble-turreted
| monitors, including the Maine and the
| Puritan, just completed.
Eight new unarmored cruisers and two
| new gunboats have also been commits
| stoned. The Iowa. another battleship,
will be completed about March /. and at
least four more gunboats will be ready
| for sea i'm the early spring.
1t is gratifying to state that our ships
| and their outfits are believed to be equal
| to the best that can be manufactured
| elsewhere, and that such notable reduc-
! tions have been made In their cost as to
| justify the statement that quite num-
| ber of vessels are now being constructed
| at rates as low as those that prevail In
| European shipyards.
Our manufacturing facilities are at this
| time ample for all possible naval con-
| tingencies. Three Of our government
navy yards, those at Mare Island Cal,
| Norfolk and Brooklyn, are equipped for
shipbuildng; our ordnance plant in Wash
ington is equal to any in the world, and at
the torpedo station We are successfully
making the highest grade of smokeless
powder. Three first-class private ship
yards at Newport News, Philadelphia and
San Francisco are Building battleships;
IL contractors, situated in the states OF
Maine, Rhode Island Pennsylvania, New
Jersey Maryland, Virginia and the state
of Washington, are constructing gunboats
or torpedo boats; two plants are manu-
featuring large quantities of first-class
armor. and American factories are pro
ducing automobile torpedoes, power pro-
jectiles, rapid-fire guns and everything
else necessary for the complete outfit of
naval vessels.
There have been authorized by congress
since March. 1893. five battleships, six
light draft gunboats, 16 torpedo boats and
one submarine torpedo boat. Contracts
for the building of all of them have been
let. The secretary expresses the opinion
that we have for the present g sufficient
supply of cruisers and gunboats. and that
hereafter the construction of battleships
and torpedo boats will supply our needs.
Much attention has been given to the
methods OF carrying on departmental
business. Important notifications in the
regulations have been made tending to
unity the control of shipbuilding. as far
as may be, under the bureau of construc-
tion and repair, and also to improve the
mode of purchasing supplies for the navy
by the bureau of supplies and accounts.
The establishment, under recent acts of
congress, of a supply fund, with which to
purchase these supplies in large quanti-
ties, and other notifications OF methods,
have tended materially to their cheapen-
ing and better quality.
The war college has developed into an
institution which IL is believed will be OF
great value to the navy, i'm teaching the
science of war as well as in stimulating
professional zeal I'm the navy and 1t will!
be especially useful i'm the devising of
plans for the utilization, in case Of neces-
sity, of all the naval resources of the
United Sta.,s.
The secretary has persistently adhered
to the plan he found in operation for Sc
curing labor at navy yards, through
boards Of labor employment and has
done much to make 1t more complete
and the naval officers who are familiar
with this system and its operation express
the decided opinion that it's results have
been to vastly improve the character of
the work done at our yards and greatly
reduce its cost. Discipline among the Off
GERS and men OF the navy has been main
tained to high standard. and the per-
centage of American citizens enlisted
ho h..