New-York tribune., 1875-12-27
WASHINGTON.
ExTRAvAGANT NAVAL EXPENDITURES.

EXTRAVAGANT NAVAL EXPENDITURES.
NEW VESSELS BUILT WITH MONEY APPROPRIATED
FOR REPAIRs-now THE ESTIMATES OF sECRE-
TARY RoDEsoN CAN BE REDUCgD FROM $2Z,-
100000 TO $14,000OOO.
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRTBUSEl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.-A strong and very wide
spread impression has long prevailed, even among
the supporters of the Administration, that tho
management of the navy under the present Secre-
tary has been inexcusably exrayagant il not posi-
lively dishonest Now and then isolated facts have
leaked ont which have startled people, but
the authorities Of the Navy Department. have
always been able either to prevent any
searching inquiry into their expenditures or
have secured the appointment Of their friends on all
investigating committees, that very little has
really been known of their doings. They have also
resOrted to questionable tricks to accomplish what
they could not do in open and honest way. For
instance, when Congress has not been willing to ap
prOpriate money for the construction Of new ships Of
war; as it never has been since the war, except on
occasion, it has been persuaded TO grant largo
sums tor the repair Of those already on hand, the
excuse being made that if these vessels were not
properly cared for they would actually fall to pieces
and the public property would go to waste. But
when the money has been obtained, instead OF re-
pairing old ships with it new ones have been built,
and in order to make show of compliance with the
letter of the law, while its spirit has been violated
a small piece Of timber, sometimes no larger than
man could carry in his hands, has been taken from
an old vessel and framed into the new one, which,
when il is completed receives its name from the old
vessel. At least four or five new ships have been
built in this way.
Every year the Navy Department has submitted
increased estimates and represented 10 Congress
a., ala
sums than have been appropriated, and yet the
President in his last annual message tells the coun-
try that "by judicious and practical application
of what could be spared from the current appropr-
ations of the last few years, and from that made TO
meet the possible emergency two years ago. ID
single-turreted monitors "have been substantially
rebuilt their rotten wooden beams replaced with
IRON their hus strengthened, and their engines
and machinery thoroughly repaired" live donble-
turreed monitors have been placed in hand and arc
now undergoing complete repairs, and more than
dozen new wooden ships have been built and
equipped! TRIBUNE readers will remember that
Congress a few years ago appropriated the
money to build Six new sloops of war,
and that this was considered by many
wholly unwarranted extravaganza. That was be-
fore the panic of 1873 and when the Governments
had plenty of money. Without discussing the ques-
ton whether powerful navy II Heeueu VI hoi, IL ~
pertinent to ask at this time If Congress would have
granted to Secretary Robeson the money with which
to build and equip 80 ships of war, had its men,
bers known just what the appropriations were to 10
used for, and if the country would have sustained
the policy. At the very time when the country was
startled and alarmed by the prospect OF an empty
treasury when work public buildings was sus-
pended and the business of the country was suffer-
ing and new taxes were devised TO meet expected
deficiencies, the Secretary of the Navy was quietly
spending millions OF dollars in building new ships'
and the people of the country, though wondering
how navy OF $500 men could cost T2O,OOO,0o0
year. had no suspicious Of the truth.
In the light of these facts, there can be no donbt
that the pruning knife Of the Democratic llonss of
Representatives will early be put into Secretary
Robeson's estimates, and the figures given below
may help to indicate where some Of the larger re-
duciions can be made. The appropriations for the
navy and its appurtenanees for the current fiscal
year. and the estimates for next year given bo
low:
NAVY