Connecticut western news., 1875-12-17
UNITED STATES NAVAL EQUIP. MENTS.
Report of the Chief of the Bureau of Eaui s1.s.5 nient and Reeruittna,

Report of the Chief of the Bureau of EauIp- II ;1IsE nicnt and Reeruitlna,
 The annual report of Commodore
 Schufeldt, chief of the bureau of equip
 ment and recruiting of the United
 States navy department, submitted to
 the secretary, shows that during the
 past year no vessels have been either
 partially or wholly equipped by the
 bureau at the several navy yards at an
 expenditure of labor and material
 amounting to $566, ,221.8 83. There were S9,5 tons of coal purchased at home
 and abroad for the use of the navy, cost
 ing, including freights and shipments.
 $415, ,S15.53. The rope walk at the
 Charleston navy yard has supplied the
 wants of the service with wire, hemp.
 manila and hide rope. The equipment
 shops at the Washington navy yaId have l furnished all the anchors, chains, eal- keys, etc., etc., needed for the service.
 He calls attention to the frequently over
 crowded stateof the receiving ship at
 the Brooklyn navy yard, and says this overcrowdlng endangers the health as
 we'll as the comfort of the recruits. He
 recommends that the hulk Vermont be
 roofed and fitted up with mess rooms,
 dorm1torles, kitchens, etc., capable of
 accommodating six hundred persons,
 and be used as supplement to the re-
 ce1ving ship when occasion may require.
 building is now being created by the
 bureau of yards and docks on the Cob
 dock, to contain bath, wash and recep- t1on rooms for the additional comfor.. and convenience of the recruits. This arrangement is urgently recommended as sanitary measure. During the ex- citenent of 1878, resulting from the threatened disturbance with Spain, the recruits being crowded upon the re- ceiving ship without sufficient facilities for their comfort and cleanliness, and al- most without shelter, disease of nearly every form appeared among thcm sick and dlscontented, tho men either de- serted or were drafted for service unfit from these causes to perform the duties required of them. He recommends that the provisions of the act of Con gress of May 15, 1872, allowing interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum on the savings of soldiers deposited with paymasters, be extended to apply to the amount due enlisted men in the navy, and retained until the expiration of their terms of enlistment. He says that, owing to the decrease of commerce under the American flag, there has been 0 growing deficiency of good seamen for the navy. This fact has induced the de- partment to establish training ships at the Brooklyn, Kittery and Mare Island navy yards for the purpose of training boys for sailors in the navy. This has been done without additional cost. There are 260 of these lads now under instruction, and the reports of their commanding officers exhibit the most satisfactory results. Should the system be extended and made permanent, it is hoped that in short time the navy will be manned by intelligent and native born seamen, and many boys rescued rom idle and vicious lives to enter upon useful and honorable career. The personnel of the navy being limited to ], ,6OO men, the boys already enlisted nave been taken from this allowance. de urges the passage of law authoriz- ng the enlistment of 500 boys in addi- ion, and the furnishing by the govern nent of an outfit of clothing not to ex- eed $50 for each boy. He also says he time has come when something be- ides coercion must be used to improve he morale of the navy. Educate the nan for the service, and give him in- lucement to remain in 1t by consulting !ls wants, both mental and physical. The records of this bureau prove that he fear of punishment does not deter 1en from deserting; take away the revocation for assertion, and this de- crime will diminish. If it hen ensues, punish it with the rigor of lilitary law. One or two laws of4a egative character-the abolition of ogging and the banishment of the grog lb-are about the total of enactments 'oking to the improvement of the rank nd file. ,, .-'Y .....5.- ..rat h..