he best unarmored war
vessels of other nations. A fourth vessel, the _Dolphin_, is to be
constructed of similar material, and is intended to serve as a fleet
dispatch boat.

The double-turreted monitors _Puritan, Amphitrite,_ and _Terror_
have been launched on the Delaware River and a contract has been made
for the supply of their machinery. A similar monitor, the _Monadnock_,
has been launched in California.

The Naval Advisory Board and the Secretary recommend the completion
of the monitors, the construction of four gunboats, and also of three
additional steel vessels like the _Chicago, Boston,_ and _Dolphin_.

As an important measure of national defense, the Secretary urges also
the immediate creation of an interior coast line of waterways across the
peninsula of Florida, along the coast from Florida to Hampton Roads,
between the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, and through Cape Cod.

I feel bound to impress upon the attention of Congress the necessity of
continued progress in, the reconstruction of the Navy. The condition of
the public Treasury, as I have already intimated, makes the present an
auspicious time for putting this branch of the service in a state of
efficiency.

It is no part of our policy to create and maintain a Navy able to cope
with that of the other great powers of the world.

We have no wish for foreign conquest, and the peace which we have long
enjoyed is in no seeming danger of interruption.

But that our naval strength should be made adequate for the defense
of our harbors, the protection of our commercial interests, and the
maintenance of our national honor is a proposition from which no
patriotic citizen can withhold his assent.

The report of the Postmaster-General contains a gratifying exhibit of
the condition and prospects of the interesting branch of the public
service committed to his care.

It appears that on June 30, 1883, the whole number of post-offices was
47,863, of which 1,632 were established during the previous fiscal year.
The number of offices operating under the system of free delivery was
154.

At these latter offices the postage on local matter amounted to
$4,195,230.52, a sum exceeding by $1,021,894.01 the entire cost of the
carrier service of the country.

The rate of postage on drop letters passing through these offices is now
fixed by law at 2 cents per half ounce or fraction thereof. In offices
where the carrier system has not been established the r