Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-03
Report of the secretary OF the Navy

v
In the annual report of the Secretary OF tue
Navy, the number of vessels in the navy ia
given as One hundred aud fifty-two. Eight
cen are reported 20 DE unified for repairs OF.
completion. The Secretary will make the
report OF the board 10 investigate the Gauss
OF the loss OF The HurOH, the EuDjgct % q soc
cial message to Congress. oar constantly
increasing capacity 10 become one u the
leading com nIercial nations, is alisded TO
The superiority which both England and
France have Oh, aimed over us with reference
10 commerce may be attributed, tne Secre-
tsry thinks, IN Ia large degree To the fact that
eacn of the governments pays annually to It's
steam lines between ~ 600 600 and 3, 900 ia
subsidies. Before the war our fore ga expDrf
and import trade was carried on One hun
dred per cent. more IN American than In
foreign vessels. Since the war IL has been
carried on one hundred per cent. more In for
elgn than lii American vessels.
The Secretary does not consider the navy
at present III q condition 10 secure US tue posi-
we are entitled. AS our revenues from Gus
toms increase from The development OF com
merce, We may gradually improve the navy.
Estimates for the ensuing year are III AIDE for
ordinary expenditures only. No new ships
are estimated for. We have enough for orti-
nary purposes in time OF peace. II, in emer-
gency, larger number is dema lded, the eX-
perlence of the late war has proved tuaJ We
must rely upon our mercantile marine. This
mercantile marine depends for its effective
ness and extent upon The protection given TO
commerce by the government. II we had
steamship lines running directly from our
own poris TO all the leading Commercial a
ports IN the world, they would not only in
crease our revenue, DuJ render il more easy
TO impTOvi sc navy in the event of al unex-
pected emergency. The present condition
OF the navy, relatively TO other powers has
less aggressive force than at any time dur
ing The past third OF a century, except during
the war, or less power To infiict serious injn-
ry upon the commerce of All enemy. Indeed
The fact cannot lie concealed, and Oight not
TO be, Tor II is well koOWn to other na ions
thai third aud even fOurth-rate powers al
most without exception are superior 10 us ia
this respect. The Secretary does not favor
toe building OF heavy armor- plated, gun
bearing vessels.
TIE appropriations available FIR the
present fiscal yesr, commencing July l, 1877 .
are SIS, 500 ,032 So The whole amount dra wn
from the Treasury from July to NOyem Der
J. 1871, is s5,3a3 ,03I 20. o. this amo ant there
is estimated to have been in the hands of
paymasterS and agents of the government
on November I, 1877, $50, 52S 90, best les
Sl52,5Ii.17 refunded, making a total of
81 ,029 .52s 80, which, deducted from the
amountdTawn, will show the actual expendi-
ture from July to November 1, 1877, TO have
been S4,3l3 .5O9l0.
Tire estimates for the present fiscal year
are SIC s2s3 ,34 10, exclusive of - 3l4 23l sub
mttted for lew buildings, repairs aud i'm
prOvemenIs al the several navy yards.
The Secretary recommends that number
OF cadets at the Naval Academy shall be
specially educated for the positions OF naval
constructors, TO complete their education
after leaving the acad envy under tuition of
an experienced naval constructor at u navy
yard.