The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-01
Report Of the Secretary Of the Navy.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.
Following is the statement of the deficien-
Scc'y Thompson: Pay of the navy; amount
due Seligman Bros, London; miscellaneous
claims arising upon arrears of pay, ETC.; Naval
Hospital fund; pay of Marine Corps: Other
deficiencies exist for sums for construction
and repairs arising out of contracts with indi-
viduals, for clothing, steam machinery, tim
Der, etc. These will be communicated at the
approaching regular session. The Secretary
states that the difficulties attending the ad-
ministration of the finances of his office have
grown out of diversion Of appropriations
from the special objects to which they have
been applied by law, and their expenditure for
other and different objects for which the APP
preparations have been insufficient. This has
been occasioned by the fact that Congress has
frequently appropriated less than the wants OF
the service demanded. This was specially the
case last year. 3.'' r.!
The Secretary continues that it has been sup
posed necessary sometimes to borrow tempora-
rily from one fund to another, but 1t does not
seem that any such justification can exist in
cases where the borrowing is designed to make
up deficient appropriations for special pur-
poses He states that he found it nece ssary to
omit the pay of officers and men OF the navy
for the last quarter of the fiscal year, as the
appropriations made by Congress were insuffi-
cient, and it was not possible to make pay
ments without drawing upon the appropria-
tons for the present fiscal year in advance, SO
he has regarded it as the better course to treat
the deficiency as belonging to the last fiscal
year, and not to any deficiency for the present
year, unless it shall arise necessarily out of
omission to make the necessary appropriations.
This result cannot be fully accomplished
without the aid and direction OF Congress to
be SO rendered as to enable business properly
chargeable to the last fiscal year to be closed
up as far as possible by the payment OF exist
ing Indebtedness to the officers and men OF the
no H., ortv,~ aV,tN s,io0 no Ano
confinc all appropriations for the present fiscal
year to the objects and within the amounts
fixed by law.
After entering into a lengthy discussion of
the man her in which money for the pay OF OIL
GERS anu men has been borrowed from one fund
and another the Secretary relates that the
amount annually due the officers and enlisted
men of the navy is settled by statute, and the
Department has no control over 1t, and has no
such discretion as will enable 1t to economic IN
the annual expenditure even if desirable to do
so. Considering all the endorsements OF
the situation, and to place this fund in the po-
sition desired so that the animal appropriation
therefor could be advisedly made by Congress,
the Withholding of the payments for April,
May and June last was absolutely unavOld-
the present fiscal year had been applied for
that purpose. If this had not been done the
deficiency would have been chargeable to the
present year, where it does not properly be-
long. There is now due on TINS &C
count the sum of 81, 446,6SS, for which
it is necessary to ask an appropriation
by Congress. There is also due Tor the same
quarter the sum of S311 1858, advanced for the
foreign service by financial agents Of the Gov
ernmcnt in London, exclusive Of the sum
! shown on the pay-rolls. These sums added
make 81, 75S, Gal. There is also due to officers
on account Of arrearage and difference Of pay,
sl5O,OOO, which, added to the foregoing, makes
81 ,90S GAL due for pay Of the Navy, and neces-
| sary to be appropriated for that purpose:
There is now due to the Hospital Fund
$4,000, which in consequence Of the relation
| between this and the Fay Fund should be added
to the foregoing, making total deficiency oil
| 81, 1853, 641.
The pay of the officers and enlisted men in
the Marine Corps was deficient at the close Of
the last fiscal year by the sum of S45,2 for
which an appropriation is necessary: This,
added to the amount above stated, makes the
total deficiency asked for by the Secretary, OF
81 SCI. This appropriation, it is believed.
will enable the Department to avail itself more
| satisfactorily of the advantages arising from
the more prompt settlements OF accounts oil
paymasters in making up its annual estimates
of expenditures, and thereby enable Congress
| to ascertain with greater. accuracy the sum.
annually necessary for the support of til.
navy. 1t is also believed it will secure greater
| economy in expenditures.