National Republican., 1873-12-02

HolH, B,J03O00 4
Steam machinery, tools, &c....:.., 9,9oo.ooo :
Repairs Of hospitals and nd iiibois. $3.50
Surgeons necesssiics. ............, 10000
departments and bureaus. 80. 4ss,eoo .
Naval Academy. my............,....... 12o,TOT I
support OF Marine Corps. .......... l,ioo,sii Z
Naval Asylum, Philadelphia, No.. 69,30T 0
Maintenance OF yards and docks. 100000 0
| l9,252, ,2s5 9
And to these Is added tho sum Of s8G4,
SD ~ for current repairs Of buildings, dock
and incidental expenses In navy yards, &c.
These estimates arc less than those Of las
| year by rather more than e., ,00O, 900, but the,
do not include any extraordinary cxpendl
ture for the permanent Improvement Of th,
navy, nor the amounts necessary either fo
the repair Of our lron-clad fleet, nor for th,
continued prosecution of some OF the grea
works necessary to the proper condition O.
our naval establishment.
The foregoing Is q general report of tn,
| condition, situation and movements of th,
United States navy for tho past year, and
until the commencement OF the present
month. Since that time, however, event,
have taken place which make II proper thai
the navy should be put ut once upon foot
Ing for active service. II Is by no means tn,
province Of this Department, as SUCH to tax,
part In the conduct or discussion OF any dip
lomatic question, nor should its attitude, at
time when serious International difficulties
arc possible, be held to Indicate anything
more than determination on the part Of I
military department of tho Government to
bc prepared for action should the necessity
for action arise. This Is the present condf.
tion OF public affairs, and such Is the attl-
| tude Of the Navy Department.
have felt II TO he my duty, under existing
circumstance, to take promptly every means
In my power to put our available force In the
best possible condition for Immediate and &C.
two service. All the power and means d
the Department arc now devoted to this cid.
greatly aided at every point by the enthusi.
astlc activity OF officers Of every grade Of the
service.
Difficult of accomplishment as our purpose
at first seemed, difficulties and even apparent
lmpossibiiltles are found TO fade away before
determination and organized activity, and the
navy Is already In such condition that those
to whom our interests and honor are now In
trusted may be relieved from the cmbarrass-
mcnts OF q situation where Just determine
tion might be disrcgarded, because thought
| to be powerless, or decent consideration be
mistaken for fear.
1t ls neither necessary nor proper that I
should enter here Into the details of our pre-
parations; suffice Il TO say, that a respectable
force of war vessels and monitors Is already
on the sea, and concentrating at the station
nearest the scene of our possible difficulties;
that our whole available ircn-clad fleet Is In
hand, and every wooden war vessel that will
iloat, In active preparation at the various
naval stations. These will be ready for sea,
fully fitted, as fast as proper crews can be
provided for them; and II the necessity for
action should come before the time for Ii
arrives, all that there Is of the American
navy, which can be put ailoat on the Atlantic
ocean, will be In condition and position to
take Its proper part.
Inadequate as this force may reasonably
be deemed to the responsibilities and preten-
sions OF Government like ours, aud greatly
at disadvantage as we certainly will be, In
respect of number and character of vessels In
contest, with tho fleets Of any respectable
naynl power, i believe that the activity,
skill, science, aud experience Of our navy
will be found equal TO any difficulty which
courage darcs to meet or energy will avail to
tue spirit, educated In the details and expe-
rlenced In the warllke duties Of their profess
sion, skilled In the use Of all the terrible
weapons which science has provided for mod
ern warfare, and Of mood 10 meet any crisis
without shrinking from danger. Thus pre-
pared aud In this spirit they are prepared to
meet any OF their country's adversaries with
the means with which their country provides
them.
In taking the action above referred to the
Navy Department has already incurred con-
siderable expense, and has been forced TO as
sumo some responsibilities unusual In time Of
peace, but convinced Of the wisdom of prompt
and decided action have not shrunk from
these responsibilities, nor hcsitatcd, with
your approval, to make warlike prepara-
tions, In the interests of peace aud of
humanity. ! confidently rely for sup
port In this attitude upon tho patriot
Ism and good sense OF the American
people and their representatives, who cannot
fall to remember that our naval condition Is
tho result Of causes which have been con-
stantly pressed upon their consideration, but
which have failed TO receive full attention,
doubtless on account Of more pressing pres
ont requirements and obligations and who
will also clearly realize that duties constantly
postponed are certain to be more dltilcult and
much more expensive when performed In
haste under tue pressure Of impcrious neces-
sity.
The Department has had no necessity to
ovorstep Its appropriations, even II It were
lawful to do SO, but the pressing demands OF
the present Will consume now what was pro-
yldcd for the service Of the year In several of
the working bureaus. These must be promptly
relieved II their work Is TO 60 on.
The occasion has shown clearly, think,
that our navy, as II exists, should ut least be
put In condition for active service, and In
any event moderate appropriation for this
purpose ought at once TO be made. And II
war should by any possibility come we must
be li6erally provided to utilize the means we
have and to provide Others to meet the
emergency. GEO. NJ. RoBEsoN,
Secretary Of the Navy.