OUR Slant! HAFLOAT The Total of the Navy, In Commis- sion and Building, Is 84 Ships. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. Herbert Recommends the Building of New Vessels and the Passage of a Law Placing Trade Vessels at the call of the‘Country. WASHINGTON, Dec. ?.—Secretary of the ! Navy Herbert submitted the annual report of his department. In his introduction Secretary Herbert dwells upon the necessi- ty of our having a navy strong enough to protect our extended seacoast and quotes President Cleveland’s views on the subject as expressed in the president‘s message of December, 1885. At that time the only modern war vessels in course of construc- tion were the Chicago, ~Boston, Atlanta and Dolphin. Many difliiultiesvwere met with in the construction of these vessels, many of the steel forgings having to be imported, and the making of improved steel plates was a new industry here. See- retary Herbert then follows the individual and legislative steps which pushed our navy so rapidly to the front. His views, as expressed in the repor,t conserve to de- tract somewhat from the importance of cruisers, of‘ commerce destroyers. ” Treat- ing the subject, he finds it necessary to make the same remarks as in his former report, and says: “The military value of a commerce de- stroying fleet ls easily overrated. Cruisers directed against an enemy’s wealth afloat are capable of doing great damage. They ~ create consternation among merchants and worry the people against whose property they are directed, but, unsupported by ships of the line, their operations are per- haps never decisive of a war.” Referring then to what had been done subsequently, Secretary Herbert continued: “Believing that our force of cruisers Was relatively far in advance, I have con tinuously advocated additional battleships, torpedo boats and light draft .gunboats for special service in our own and foreign wa- ters. Congress, after most careful consid- eration of the subject, became convinced of the necessity for development along the lines indicated in the reports of the de- partment, and, despite the diflicult finan- cial conditions prevailing during this pe- riod, has made apppropriations for many vessels. all of which,,in addition to the battleship Iowa, armored cruiser Brooklyn and gunboats Wilmington, Helena and Nashville, have been begun during this administration. ” The Navy's Strength. From tabulated statements which fol- low it appears that since March 4, 1893, 28 vessels have been authorized by con- gress. They consist of 5 battleships, 6 light draft cruisers, 16 torpedo boats and a submarine torpedo boat. Secretary Her- bert says of this inc?“ are: “Large as the abc: ‘ increase appears, it yet does not suiiice Lo plane the United States navy in a satisfactmy condition if we mean to be able at all times to defend our long line of sea coast, afford unques- tionable protection to our citizens in for— eign lands, lender cfi‘lcicnt aid to our di- plomac y and maint1in under all circum— stances our national hono1. “During your jresent administration there will have been placed in commission three first class and two second class bat- tleships, two armored cruisers, four double turreted monitors and one harbor defense ram, makinga total of 12 armored vessels, having an aggregate dispplaccment of 81,517 tons. “In addition to the above mentioned , armored ships eight cruisers and three gunboats will have received their first commission, making a grand total of 23 vessels, with an aggregate displacement of 118,184 tons, placed in commission during your present term of office, this being by far the largest amount of tonnage put in commission during any presidential ad- ministration since 1865. " The secretary says that since his last re- port the following vessels have been com- pleted and finally accepted and are now a part of the effective force of the navy: Monadnock, Terror, Indiana, Massachu- setts, Oregon, Katahdin, Ericsson and Brooklyn. A table following the report shows that the total number of vessels in the United States navy in commission and now in construction is 84. The Recommendations. In regard to our naval resources, after discussing the heavy vessels, the report; says: “We have many other naval re- sources—tugs, yachts and other vessels that could be fitted as torpedo boats, many vessels that could be adapted and used as gunboats, transports, coal ships and repair ships, and we have thousands of hardy and brave men accustomed to a seafaring life in our fishing fleets, coastwise trade and lake trade, but we have no law on the statute books that would enable us to util- ize in case of emergency a single one of any class of these vessels or to call into the service a single sailor for the defense of the country over and above the number al- lowed to our regular navy in case of threat- ened or actual war. “In the opinion of the department, such conditions should not be allowed to con- tinue. Naval wars hereafter will be short, sharp and decisive. Whoever may be called upon to consider the possibility of a sud- den outbreak of war by the United States, any part of which is to be waged on the l igh seas. will be deeply impressed with the utter liability of any administration under present laws to utilize promptly and efficiently, as we should be able to do, our naval resources.” Considerable attention in the report is given to the naval militia, which is in a flourishing condition in 15 states. On the subject of ordnance the report treats exhaustively. In all, 21 large guns of various calibers have been manufactur- ed, and the old fashioned small arms have been superseded by improved repeating rifles. Everything pertaining to the navy is comprehensively treated, and the score- tary, at the close of his report, recommends the construction of three light draft bat- tleships for! river protection and also 12 torpedo boats, in which type of vessel he thinks we are deficient. His Head Blown 011‘. J AMESTOWN, N. Y., Dec. 7.——A 15-year- old son of Joseph Garfield went hunting for rabbits yesterday. The boy was climb- ‘ing over a fence when his gun was acci- dentally discharged, the load practically blowing 01f his head. Woolen Mills to Resume. COVENTRY CENTER, R. 1., Dee. 7.—Two woolen mills in this town, which have been idle for some time, will start Jan. 1, giv-. lug employment to 800 hands. N NflW WEE IS OVER. is HIM T To Subscribe for the 'ANCD Both Pacers Sent to one Address - for $l.’00 a. Year EVENING A w .. _ . _,____.- .M -——~ SMALL THINGS THAT COUNT. The Size of the Article Does Not Indicate the Magnitude of a. Business. Georg e Redmond brought a stranger home to dinner with him one night last week, and the family were quite delighted with his appearance. He was a young Eastern man. full of life and energy, and though he talked trade a good deal, he did it in such an easy way that it wasn’t at all offensive. Business was so dull in the East, he said, that he thought he would take a little run through the West and look up' some of his customers. He was quite shrewd enough, however, to avoid being drawn into any’financial . controversy with Papa Redmond, and seemed much better pleased to take part in a general conversation with the whole family, with a slight concession perhaps, in favor of George’s sister, Ju- lia. “This has been a gieat season for the flag business,” he casually r'ema1ked, as he dextrously steered Papa Red- mond fiom the crime of ’73. “My un- cle Joe writes me that there has been a wonderful demand for penny goods. Uncle sells flags, you know.” “W'hat, penny ones?" said Julia, in some astonishment. “011, all kinds. He’s President of the Cohasset Bunting Company.” There was silence for a moment or two, and Julia concealed a portion of her flushed face behind a teacup. ”There must have been a lively busi- ness in campaign buttons,” said George. ‘-‘Wonderful,”~ cried the young East- ener. “When I was in New York last Week brother Jim said they were still going like hot cakes. I’ve forgotten how many gross of street outfits he said he’d sold.” “Does—does your brother sell buttons on the street?” asked Julia. “Not exactly. Jim is manager of the Erie Novelty Company, up at Spiingville. ” “Oh!" Again Miss Julia was fo1ced to hide he1 blushes. “Unfortunately.” said the guest. “we are not all in buttons just now. Cousin Charley Stow was down from Maine before I left and said that toothpicks were a drug on the market.” “I shouldn’t think there was any. profit in toothpicks when you can get so many for a nickel,” commented Mrs. Redmond. “011, Charley’s factory at Plum Lake has paid handsome dividends up to the present year. He turns ’em out in billions, and makes spools, too, you know. But I’m afraid Cousin Joe Hooker is going to suffer more than any of the rest of us, poor chap.” “What does he sell?” inquired George. “Slate pencils.” “Slate pencils?” echoed Julia, and blushed again. “Yes, he’s got a mill of his own up in Goshen with all the improved machin- ery, but with so many public schools shutting down on slates, I’m afraid he’ll have to add something to the plant. He’s talking of making lamp chimney cleaners.” “Any money in that?" George. “Oh yes, indeed—and he may add mouse traps.” Miss Julia almost echoed the “mouse traps,” but she refrained just in time. “Are you also in a manufacturing business?” she sweetly inquired. “Yes.” he answered, “fly paper.” “Fly paper?” “Yes, and shoestrings.” Miss Julia leaned back from the ta- ble and breathed hard. “Shoestrings?” shé‘ softly repeated. “Yes. I have a quarter interest in Brother Tom’s fly paper factory over in Hoboken, and a year ago father set me up with a shoestring plant in As« toria.” “And do shoestrings pay—and—fly paper?” quoth Miss Julia. “Why, yes, certainly,” inquired replied the dividend last year, and I have eighty men at work in Astoria. I guess our sheestring output will reach pretty close to a couple of hundred thousand by December.” Miss Julia looked at him with di- lated eye. Then they all went back to the drawing room—Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Jury System in Justices’ Courts. There are men who are nearly al- ways in trouble 'with their neighbors and to whom a lawsuit is a perpetual delight. There are likewise justices, not a few, who are not above granting warrants and civil summonses in cases scarcely worthy of notice, that the ac- cruing fees may flow into their pock- ets. Either plaintiff or defendant may demand a jury trial, in which case “twelve good men and true,” the ma- jority of whom have ever ‘tried their host to avoid litigation, are summoned mean much to them, and spend the day in listening to :1 dreary action brought by one man against another. in many cases merely to satisfy a per- sonal spite. If the case in hand he a civil suit, the juryman “drawn on" gets the magnificent compensation of 25 cents. of not drawn. he gets noth- ing and pays his own expenses. Should the action be brought “in behalf of the people,” no compensation is allowed in either event. no matter what his time is worth were the juryman left to his own devices. ' If a law could be passed making the pay of a juryman summoned to the trial before a justice 'at least $2, the same to be paid (in civil suits) by the would be far'less actions brought to sat- isfy petty spite and hatred, and peace: able law-abiding citizens would far more seldom be,called from their usual avocaticus to participate in proceed- _ ings both injurious and distasreful. guest. “Fly paper gave up a 12 per cent. . to leave their own interests, which may“ litigant asking for a jury trial, there p re. The new torpedo—boat destroyer re- Cently built at Birkenhead, England, for the Chilian Government is credited with being the “fastest-vessel afloat.” On her trial trip about two weeks ago she made an average speed of 31.8 knots, which is equal to 36.65 miles. Th1s is coming very near the “forty miles an hour,” about the impossibility of which so much was written only a few years ago. Ruling Passion. “Yes,” said the charitable lady visi- tor. fussily, as she was being shown over the orphan asylum. “I should like to adopt a little boy. if you have one to spare. I suppose you have. you have so many of them. Now, there is a very pretty one, over there in the corner. How about him?” “Oh, he is not a good little boy at all,”'replied the superintendent, dis- cpuragingly. “He is always getting nto trouble. Why, he’s been marked down twice to-day!” “Marked down, did you say?” said the charitable lady 'visitor. “I’ll take him." quickly. 1 A 11111111 maer Awhéfe'l. Thomas '1‘. Hayden, Brooklyn’s blind actor. can do many things that men who (1111 see ficc-nsider impossible, and who isn't afraid to undertake that which any other man can do. Ilaydcn has ridden , a wheel—not alene, but on a tandem or a duplex— fc-r several months. \‘a'hen he was learning, Mr. Hayden list-1:1 a duplex. hinders. but the pleasure is not so 'erent as when there are but two wheels on the ground. A few weeks: ago he ventured on a. tandem and can do his part on one as well as any oth— er man can do. Although he is deprived of one of the greatest pleasures of wheeling, the , view of the changing scenery, Hayden loves the sport more than most people who can see. It is one of the few d1— versions for him, and, besides, he takes pride in accomplishing consider remarkable. what . others He—“Can I bringyou anything, Miss Clara?” She—“Oh, yes; bring me somebody nice to talk to!” 1 Furnace.” Foundries—Providence, R. 1. Boston Office—56 Union Street I l Gas T1ght 3% é joints are what you find on a “Bay State The fewest joints possible inside the casings and these carefully fitted and sub- Those in ash-pit and. :3 ‘ ject to equal expansion. fuel-door necks are entirely outside the casing, preventing the escape of gas into the hot air , chamber when coaling—a point of vital impor- I :3 tance where drafts are poor. Barstow Stove Co. 228 Water St., New York It was safer than a, For the last 20 years we have kept Piso’ s Cure. for C011- sumption in stock, and would sooner think a groceryman could get along without sugar in his store than we could without 150’ s Cure. It is a sure seller.-—RAVEN & CO., Druggists, Ceresco, Michigan, September 2,1896. V. A combination of leavening agents that are pure, strong and pre-eminently . satisfactory in their action, has resulted in .. wih ch is “ The kind Boss makes his biscuits with " and has for 32 years. 0v 1‘ 3 000, 000 pounds sold in the past vear testify to t/Iez'r popularity. E MANUFACTURERS C. D. BOSS & SON, NEW LONDON, CONN. o OFFICE. 481 DRIGGSAVENUE. BROOKLYN. N. Y. Brooklyn Vault Light Company, MANUFACTURERS. A nuns. 3111mm: AND PATENT LIGHT DESIGNS. .r
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