Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-11-08
Government ENpenses.

IN the examination OF the expenses uf
the Government, says the Washingtos !
correspondent Of the Cincinnati Gaz,tie, !
with view Of asccrtuiuing where q sAv-
i'm can be made, attention is very naiur-
ally directed toward the sums required by
the army and navy. The military estah
lshmcnts proper, aside from the eleven
aud a half millions Appropriated under
the title " War Department, received an
appropriation for the present fiscal wear
Of s3s, G3l 900. The figures for the Navy
D paItmenl were S2,12S,OuO, and for the
naval establishment So ,4JSi 600. Under
the head War Department Is Il sun Of
S9,0UO,UOJ for public works, which are
not properly chargeahlr under that lille.
But speaking ia round numbers il Is
fair to say that our military establish
meLt costs US AZ 900 900 annually. aud
the naval establishment ~, OOO,O
There are the regular appropriations
made by Congress, aud not igircs which
are caused by extravaganza ON the part
Of the Srcretirits. Each establishment
10 what Congress prcscrilcs It shall he, or.
knowing its organization allows Ito be.
Array, forty millions year
Navy, twenly-i0ur millions a year
These are figures which in time Of
peace may well excite attention.
For the army they are based upon
force Of all grades and arms OF $4,000.
For the navy this fum serves to keep
about iorty-iiyo vessels, Of ali grades, In.
Guiding nine stureships, in cOmuiissiU ion
with total Of four hundred and sixty
two guns.
OF course, the money is not all eX-
pended on these ships, but the elective
result that the Government attain, Is to
keep that number of SHIPS in commission.
The last appropriation for the English
army aid navy proper, independent OF
that portion supported By the colonies,
rs set forth in the British Almanac, are.
in round nuEbcrs, as follows;
Army establishment, seventy-eighl
/ millions.
Naval establishment, foriy-lyo mil
/ lions.
These figures furnish the basis for
most significant comparisons.
Surely the United States, with it,
! thirty regiments of all arms, and liz
fOity-ilSe vessels OF all rates in commits
sion for sea service ought not TO cxpcnd
half as much as Great Britain with ill.,
enormous army and Its navy that reaches
around the globe.
Secretary Robeson has twice rccOm-
mcndcd a reduction Of the officers of tho
navy. lie thinks the grades OF Admiral
and Vice Admiral might cease with the
death Of the officers now holding them,
that the grade Of Commodore can be dis
pensed with, and that the tcrn at the
Naval Academy should be Incl cased from
four years to six, which would have the
, elect 10 reduce the number OF officers an.
T nually entering the navy One-thrd
/ This, with the reductions made by tn,
act Of July, 1870, he thinks would in d
lew years save the government half q
+ million of dollars. Perhaps this is yer,
we'll, though il will require long tint
to reduce twenty-iour millions of annual
, expense much by couilning the attempts
at retrenchmeut too closely to the pal
/ rolls of II few grades of officers,
f There is one way in which he might
! have saved considerable, however.
{ Each year the appropriations for re
g pairs of ships are very gieat. II i
J doubtful, however, whether Congress, il
: authorizing "repairs,n ever suppose,
I that Mr.. Robson would under that al
D thority proceed 10 build costly ships
= And yet he has been about axactly tina
c thing In several Of the navy yards 70
f two years. For instance, In the yard a
=, Portsmouth the slOop Of war Marion ha
/. been In process of ''repair" Tor the tim
e mentioned. 1t is now about ready Il
c launch. 1t is larger than the new sloops
/, of-war authorized by the last Congress
Il But the only piece Of the old Marion il
o this 'repaired" ship Is a sslall timber
Il which man could easily carry. Such
T., TACT needs no comment here. II Ought
e however, to cause great deal before th
d next Committee Of Appropriations, an
e upon the floor Of the House. Here Is
s. chance to save more largely than b
figuring on monthly salaries.