The herald., 1898-12-06

passed an act empowering the Postmaster
General to establish an office or branch at
every military camp or station, and under
this authority the postal machinery was
speedily put into effective operation.
Under the same authority, when our
forces moved upon Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines, they were attended and
followed by the postal service. Though the
act OF Congress authorized the appointment
Of postmasters where necessary, it was early
determined that the public interests would
be best subserved not by new designations,
lar with every branch Of the service, and
this policy was steadily followed When
the territory, which was the theater Of CON
flict came into our possession, it became
necessary to re-establsh mail facilities for
the resident population as well as to pro-
vide them for our forces of occupation and
the former requirement. was met through
the extension and application of the latter
obligation. | gave the requisite authority
and the same general principle was applied
to this as to other branches of civil admin
istration under military subjection. The
details are more particularly given in the
report OF the Postmaster-G General and
while the work is only just begun, it is pleas
ing to be able to say that the service in the
| troll is already materially improved.
NEEDS OF THE NAVY
| The following recommendations of the
Secretary of the Navy relative to increase
of the navy have my earnest approval.
l. Three sea-going sheathed and coppered
battleships of about 1880 tons trial dis
placement, 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,
! $3,600,000 each.
| g Three sheathed and coppered armored
cruisers of about 10000 tons trial dsplace-
nent, 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,
50, 900, 600 each.
g. Three sheathed and coppered pro-
tected cruisers of about 5000 tons trial dis
placement, to have the highest practicable
speed and great radius Of action, and to
carry the most powerful ordnance suitable
for vessels of their class. Estimated cost,
exclusive of armor and armement, 50, l50,-
900 each.
4. Six sheathed and coppered cruisers of
about $500 tons displacement, to have the
highest speed compatible with good cruising
qualities, great radius o.. action and. to carry
the most powerful ordnance suited to YES.
sells of their class. Estimated cost, ex
elusive of armament, sl,14l, 800 each.
l join with the Secretary of the Navy in
recommending that the grades of Admiral
and ce-Admiral be temporarily revived
to be filed by officers who have specially
distinguished themselves in the war with
Spain.
THE TWELFTH CENSUS
l earnestly urge upon Congress the i'm
portance of early legislation providing for
the taking of the twelfth census This is
necessary in view of the large amount of
work which must be performed in the prep
aration of the schedules preparatory to the
THE PENSION ROLL
There were on the pension rolls June
30, 1893, 1873, ia names, an increase of near
ly $4,000 over the number on the rolls on the
same day of the preceding year The amount
appropriated by the act of December %.
1890, for the payment of the pensions for
the fiscal year 1898, was $l4O, 900. Eight
million, seventy thousand, eight hundred
and seventy-two dollars and fogty-six cents
was appropriated by the aot OF March 81,
1898, to cover deficiencies in army pensions
and repayments in the sum Of Si2 020. .33,
making a total of $l48,0s2, ,S927e available
for the payment of pensions during the fiscal
year 1888 The amount disbursed from that
sum was Sl44,65l ,S79.SO. Leaving balance
of S3,43l ,0l2.99 unexpended on the 3Oth of
June, 1oSO, WHICH was. covered into the
treasury. There were 3S9 names added to
the rolls during the year by special acts
passed at the second session OF the 55th
Congress, making a total of 6486 pensioners
by Congressional enactments since 1861.
The total receipts of the Patent Office dur
ing the year past were 81 53,94S.44. The
expenditures were $i,oSl ,033.T9, leaving a
surplus of Sl72.3l4.85
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
The D,,bl;o 1,,Js d;s1asoJ &C Nv, tha 49,,
ernment during the year reached S,453, $685.
90 acres, an increase of GA, ,7S0.26 acres over
the previous year. The total receipts from
public lands during the fiscal year amount
ed to $2,277 995.l9, an increase of $3.50 ,063. 90
over the preceding year. The lands en-
braced in the eleven forest reservations
which were suspended by the act of June
4, 1897, again became subject to the opera
tions of proclamation OF February %, 1897,
creating them which added an estimated
amount of l9,95l, 800 acres to the area en-
braced in the reserves previously created.
In addition thereto Two new reserves were
created during the year-the Pine Mountain
and Zaca Lake reservation in California,
embracing l,644,594 acres, and the Prescott
reservation in Arizona, embracing lO,24O
acres, while the Peoos river in New Mex
leo has been changed and enlarged to in
clude 100000 additional acres.
At the close of the year thirty forestry
reservations, not including those of the
Afognac forest and the fish culture reserve
in Alaska had been created by executive
proclamation under section "a of the act
of March 3, 1891, embracing an estimated
area OF 4,7l9,454 acres.
The Department Of the Interior has inaug
urated forest system, made possible by the
Act of July, 1898, for graded force OF Of
icers in control of the reserves. This sys
TEN has only been in full operation since
August, but good results have already been
secured in many sections. The reports re-
ceived indicate that the system of the patrol
has not only prevented destructive fires from
gaining headWay, but has diminished the
number of fires.
THE INDIAN QUESTION
The special attention of the Congress is
called to that part of the report OF the Sec
retary of the Interior in relation to the five
civilized tribes. 1t is noteworthy that the
general condition of the Indians shows
marked progress. But one outbreak Of a
serious character occurred during the year,
and that among the Chippewa Indians of
Minnesota, which, happily, has been sup
pressed.
enforce all the provisions of the Act of June
2S, 1893, .'for the protection of the people
of the Indian Territory and for other pur-
poses" it is having salutary effect upon
the nations composing the five tribes. The
Dawes commission reports that the most
gratifying results and greater advance to.
ward the attainment Of the objects of the
government have been secured in the past
year than in any previous year. cannot too
stronly lndorse the recommendation of the
commission and the Secretary of the In
terror of the necessity for providing for the
education of the 10000 white children resi
dent in the Indian Territory.