The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-04


Since the close Of the no appropriations have
bsen required for The construction anu repair OF vessels
for steam machinery ordnance provisions and clothing,
fuel hemp &C. the balances under these several heads
having been more than ample for expenditures
IN my last annual report attention called to the ex
1stoucc or large balances under these heads and was
suggested that they could disposed by Congress In
order that future expenditures might BIO after spe-
elmo appropriation following the close scrutiny which
has been deemed essential to correct administratIon
A. no action was taken BY Congress-, the s0.h
the act approved May l. 1890 requested the Secretary
OF the Treasury TO carry 70 he surplus fund appropra-
lions % the amount Of leaving under these
several heads an mt only Sufficient for the cxpondi-
embraced the amour. receivsd from the
time Of peace; the amount rsiunded TO the gov.
eminent By tho builders OF the Dunderberg
priaticns under the heads for which nothing has
been asked for the last two years. not required for the
In accordance with the views herein expressed esti.
mates have boon submitted for the ontire expenses Of
course make larger sgpesae than for the past two
ysars when only parfiai estimates were EST.
mates have also been made for amounts sufficient to
complete the buildings and works which unfinished,
and 10 place the different navy yards in efficient
dition, amounting 10 over so,o0oo00. This expendi-
ture, should the appropriation be made, would
Through several years improvements beng OF
character req airing time fof their completion
Al the close OF the war IN the spring OF 1885, tho de-
partment had heavy the process OF FUN.
mont for vessels engines ordnance, &c Good faith
uired thar these should be peted and the expcndi
lures department for the past years have for
these reasons boon necessarily large for Ieace estab
yshnent Nearly ali the VAR labi les are nov closed
arrangements having been made with Of the
facuFers OF engines Tor whc no vessels ha been pro-
vded To take the engines and relieve them from further
responsibility. Tho expenditures of tho department
were over 600 Anrg the last ycar than for
the preceding rsca year.
To the treasury $1,000 000 besides meeting
che extraordinary expends1r OF the heaviest branches
OF the service for tnrec Years, must be regarded
conducted with economy, as we'll as that has been
taken by thos iarlslcd Win the disposition OF useless
public property TO realize the nearest approximation to
1ts value; aud lnaacn exhibit exceedingly grArfy-
tng TO the department
Tho reports OF the ches OF bureaus and of the COM
mandant Of the marine corps contain detailed state
ments OF the operations OF their several departments
during the year suggestions for the future. The
principal poinls touched pom are the foIIowing:-
The Chief of the Buresu OF Yards and Docks reports
the expenditures for improvements and repairs IN the
several navy yards during The las year. and explains In
detail the estimates for the ensuing fiscal for i'm
provsmentA The immense expenditures for construc-
che rebson has tue necessity for enarzing tho
yards and Increasing Tho facilities in the government
.estahishmenis where tue work Is reliably and
econ omicaly done Aotning appropriated for i'm.
prov during the current year. and the estimates
- Ktsry s7i7sss i asIsd lor the charIcssown yard
e2SS2 135 for The Brooklyn yard, S9l3 TIA for the
care sud preservation the properly In the Philadelphia
gard. SIS Ss3no ming osing asked tor permanent i'm
provomsns, In view OF the proposed removal Of the
yard 70 League Island; for the Washington gard tho
eol0 49, for The Pensacola yard ST. 2s6 $751; for the
yard nc Mare lsland California $3.50 433 for the sa-
lions u Key West, sackstrs HarDor Mound City, and
Cor the Naval Asylum, sl3s,coo
The Chief OF tue Bureau Of Equipment and Recruiting
se0 equipped 1o sss twenty Or ~ssS have
been wholly, and several others partially wire rgged
The government rcpewalk a chafiesown has here
eofors supplied th hemp rigging used IN the navy,
Stunning IN is manufacture four hundred and twenty
ave OF hemp. The tests OF the comparative strength
OF and hemp rope and tho reports Of commanders
Or wire rugged satisfactory tho bureau
recommends the erecsiou OF building the purchase
eine Attention ID called the suggestions Of the chief
81 che bureau offering greater 70
and ordinary seanen 10 enlist In the navy and
sIso 70 the necessity additional Legislation 10 prevent
fsserions BY provd ng more onectaa punishment for
The cnsf OK The Bureau Of Navigation reports that the
nautical books, charts. and other navgs-
soa supplies Issued 70 naval vessels are well cared Tor
that strict accountability u exacted OF officers In
chasSs The subject o. compass devistions has con.
snusd 70 receive the particular atenon Of the bureau.
and Il n believed that efforts will result In Furnishing
body VI reliable practical data upon when base
sasfsctsry Judgment upon tie quality Of the compass
and ~ use on board modern ships q war The
acsivs eoopsraton Of this government with European
Powers In developing ths dangers TO navigation In the
Pacific snd indian oceans is recommended The nAvi-
BE territory recently acquired from Russia,
visited q cons dsabs risk OF botn e property and
sarsful surveys Do made Tho photographs once has
prepared nurnber Of charts for publication some Of
rrsssng In the duties for which il Wa Originally do
signed The navm apprentice systsm continues 70 win
favor asd tbe resue are Satisfactory. The chapel
and the additional quarters for mdshipmsu Il the Naval
Academy nov undsr construction The sccompaoy-
ng reports Of The superintendent Of the Naval Obssrvn
cory and the Nautical Almanac show Ia detail their
labors during the year
The chief Of the Bureau Of Ordnance states that since
lhe date OF bic last report all existing contracts for naval
cannon been completed and that with the eHcsp-
kou Of The fifteen incn guns, the stock hand Will
meet the wants OF the service There II also super
abundant supply Of powder. proeces, &c, % supply
current demands The trials 81 the navy fifteen inch
gun N England have fully vrdicaed the wsd,m of he
of Introducing this cibre u cast iron o6anos
(Aso eur oovoA Wsought iron gun carriages ~ oAkiuG