New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-06

n.odty nronortions and handsome appear
ance upon the very advantageous STE ane" n,
secured for that purpose, Including the EIuuni
| counted bv the present structure and adJon-
ing vacant lot comprising In all frontase ~ ~
POI feet on Pennsylvania ana oep'" u
! 1876 feet .. ,ho
In this connection may likewise REFER 10 me
inadequate accommodations provided for me
Supreme Court in the Capitol ana susss .9 w ~,
,,iedon, Of making provision for the erection ol
! n separate building for the court ana us OF
| ncers and library upon available ground near
the Capitol
GROWTH OF THE POSTAL SERVICE
The nostal service Of the country advances
with extraordinary growth. within twenty
wears both the revenues and the expenditure
OF the Postonlce Department have mui''p''e"
threefold In the last ten years they nave near
| " doubled. our postal business grows fhuch
more rapidly than our population. IL no" III
wolves an expenditure Of $1O0OOOOOO a year
numbers 10000 postofflces and enroiis -oo'ooo
employees. This remarkable extension OF SER
,,,ca which "a an accurate index OF the public
conditions presents gratifying evidences OF the
advancement of education. OF the Increase or
communication and business activity, and OF
the improvement OF mail facilities, Ieadhs 10
their constantly augmentnB use
The war with Spain laid new ana eAceP'iv nc,
labors on the Postofiice Department. ne y,
| mastering out the military and naval FORCES VI
tho limited States required special mail ar
rangements for every camp ana every an
paign. The communication between NONE anu
camp was naturally eager and eXpectahr IN
Some Of the larger places OF rendezvous as many
as Atty thousand letters day required hahuliils
This necessity was net ny the piollP' up'ati
and dispatch Of experienced men from the es-
tablIshed forces by directing all the lnstru-
mentalities OF the railway-man ana postoince
service so far necessary 10 TINS ne" neeu'
Congress passed an act empowering the foSt-
master General to establish Offices or branches
at every military camp or station, ana undsr
this authority the postal machinery was speed
fly put into effective operation.
Under the same authority, when our FORCES
moved upon Cuba Porto Rico and the fhllip-
pines they were attended and followed by the
postal service. Though the act OF Congress au-
thorized the appointment OF postmasters Whero
necessary. 1t turly determined that the
public interests would best be subserved, not
bv new designations but by the detail or eN-
perienced men, familiar with every branch or
the service. and this policy was steadily iol-
lowed. When the territory which was the
theatre of conflict came into our possession, IL
became necessary to re-establish mail facilities
for the resident population. as well as 10 pro-
vide them for our forces or occupation ana the
former requirement was met through the eN-
tension and application OF the latter obligation.
I gave the requisite authority. and the same
general principle was applied TO this as 10 other
branches OF civil administration under military
occupation. The details are more particularly
given in the report Of the Postmaster-o'ene
and. while the work is only just begun 1t IS
pleaslng to he able TO say that the service
which has come under our control Is already
materially improved.
INCREASE OF THE NAVY.
The following recommendations Of the Score
tary Of the Navy relative to the increase OF the
Navy have my earnest approval:
First-Three sea-going sheathed and coppered
batte-ships Of about 13. 800 tons trial displace-
ment, carrying the heaviest armor and most
powerful ordnance for vessels Of their class. and
to have the highest practicable speed and great
radius Of action. Estimated cost. exclusive OF
armor and armament, So 600 900 each.
second-Three sheathed and coppered armored
cruisers Of about ZOO tons trial displacement.
carrying the heaviest armor and most power
full ordnance for vessels OF their class. and to
have the highest practicable speed and great
radius OF action Estimated cost. exclusive or
arrnor and armament 81 OOOOOO each.
Thlrd-Three sheathed and coppered protected
cruisers OF about G.00O tons trial displacement,
to have the highest possible speed and great
radius of action and 10 carry the most power
full ordnance suitable for vessels of their class.
Estimated cost. exclusive OF armor and arma-
ment SO, 10000 each.
Fourth-Sx sheathed and coppered cruisers Of
about $500 tons trial displacement; to have the
hghes. speed compatible with good cruising
qualities. great radius of action and to carry
the most powerful ordnance suited to vessels Of
their class. Estimated cost, exclusive OF arma-
ment 81. 141 800 each
/ join with the Secretary OF the Navy In
recommending that tho grades or Admiral and
Vice-Admlral be temporarily revived. TO be filed
by officers who have specially distinguished
themselves in the war with Spain.
THE TWELFTH CENSUS
earnestly urge upon Congress the i'm
portance OF early legislation providing for the
taking Of the Twelfth Census This is neces-
sary in view OF the large amount Of work which
must be performed in the preparation Of the
schedules preparatory TO the enumeration Of the
population.
THE PENSION ROLLS.
There were on the pension rolls on June 80
1898. 993 IA names an increase Of nearly $4,000
over the number on the rolls on the same day
OF the preceding year. The amount approprl-
ated by the act OF December 22, 1896. for the
payment of pensions for the fiscal year of 1898
was S140,000000. Eight million seventy thou
sand eight hundred and seventy-two dollars
and forty-six cents was appropriated by the act
Of March 81 1885, to cover deficiencies in Army
pensions. and rcpayments in the sum Of ST.
O20 SO, making a total of $14S, OS2 500 20 avail
able for the payment of pensions during the
fiscal year 1905 The amount disbursed from
that sum was Sl44G51S79 80. leaving balance
OF S3,431 OH 90 unexpended on the 3oth Of june
1895 which was covered into the Treasury. There
were 3S9 names added to the rolls during the
year by special acts passed at the second scs-
sion OF the LVth Congress. making a total OF
6.4S6 pensioners by Congressional enactments
since 1861.
The total receipts OF the Patent Office during
the past year were 81 .2J3.9 iS A. The
penditures were 81 OS1 633 20. leaving a surplus
OF $1723l4 80.
The public lands disposed Of by the Govern
mcnt during the year reached s 4i3 S9692 acres,
an increase OF Ga. 90 acres over the previous
year. The total receipts from public lands dur
ing the fiscal year amounted TO $2.211 800 IS.
increase Of Sl3O.v6} 30 over the preceding year.
The lands embraced in the eleven forest rcscrva-
hiP dad f I..rt
4. 1897. again became subject to the operations
Of the procamatiOns OF February - 1891 Great
ing them. which added an estimated amount Of
10 oJ1 800 acres to the area embraced I'm the
reserves previously created. In addition there
to. two new reserves were created during the
year, the Pine Mountain and Zaca Lake Re-