The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-03

leave it to be transported abroad In foreign
Of the profits of his own labor. it may be suf1i-
cient; but If we take the position among the
commercial nations to which we are entitled to
the products of their industry to whatever port
they may be demanded in, so that the profits
be returned t2 Increase the Of
not In such @ condition.
There may be shi ips enough, If they were all in
pr proper repair, to increase our squadron to a
suftlclent size for this purpose. To put them
all in repair, however, would require larger
expenditure than is practicable in the present
condition Of the treasury. and probably larger
revenue from customs shall be sufficiently in
creased. We may expect this from gradual
ours we may gradually carry the navy up to the
point of necessary improvement. With the ex-
isting wants Of trade it is manifestly Q national
make 1t available in the future for all the pur-
poses for which it may be designed.
Considering it in this light. the estimates for
the ensuing year have been made in reference
only to ordinary expenditures. such as are abb
solutely necessary for repairs and limited con-
struction. No new ships are estimated for, be-
cause 1t would involve an expenditure larger
than the receipts into the treasury will be likely
to Justify; Those now possessed and in pro-
gress will be sufficient for ordinary pur-
poses in time Of peace. and If from any emer-
gency not anticipated O. larger number of yes-
sells should be demanded the experience of the
late war has proven that we must rely on our
mercantile marine for the supply of material
for q navy whenever It is demanded. This mer-
camille marine depends for its effectiveness and
extent upon the protection given to our COM
merce by the government it necessarily increa-
sing with the increase of commerce.
II we have steamship u II lines running directly
cial ports in the world they would not only in
crease our revenues but render more easy the
improvising Of a navy in event Of an unexpected
emergency. These We! !sels are constructed for
speed, and can be easily constructed for pur-
poses of naval warfare. They will increase In
naval protection to our commerce increases.
and hence we find ground for the necessity of
keeping the navy in condition to furnish
Further on it is remarked that the present
condition of the navy relatively to those powers
has less aggressive force than at any time
during the past third of the century, except
during the war, or less power to inflict serious
injury on the commerce of our enemy Indeed.
the fact cannot be concealed and ought not to
even the third and fourth rate powers. almost
without exception, are superior to the United
States in this respect.
For some years past large sums have been
expended in ref1tting number of vessels Of the
class known as monitors Perhaps, under par
ing them was not unwise.. and within and ad-
lacent to the Gulf of Mexico they could be eff
fectively employed in connection with other
pertinent to discuss Apart from these monitors
and considerable amount of material for con-
struction now on hand, we have but little to
The Secretary is not inclined to favor the
building of heavy armor plated gun vessels.
They are suited for little else than harbor de-
tense and may be likened to movable fortihca-
tions and If it shall result that the use OF them
shall be dispensed with to make place for i'm
proved ships, rams and torpedo vessels the
navy can become sufficiently supplied with fast
sailing and fast steaming vessels. of different
classes and built as they are now built, to serve
in time OF peace as schools of instruction for
seamen, and in time of war to destroy the COM
merce OF an enemy.
The appropriations available for the present
932. The whole amount drawn from the Treas
ury from July. /. 1877. is $5343,o ,o37 80. OF this
amount there is estimated to have been in the
hands OF paymasters and agents Of the Govern
ment November 1st. 1877. $s76.52S 30 Besides
s153 600 refunded, making total of 81 o29 52s 80
which deducted from amount drawn. shows the
actual expenditures from July 1st to November
fst, 1877 te have been "a 81 soo.
The estimates for the present fiscal year are
$16, ,23s .234 40, exclusive Of s2,3423l submitted
for new buildings. repairs and improvements
In tbe re- report Of Of the Secretary of the Navy of
November 30, 1875. the estimated amount for the
pay OF the navy for the present year was
s., ,300,o 900. the computation being based on the
number OF officers and men then borne on the
register.
Congress- however. by the act of March 8,
1877 appropriated only 900 ,O0o or $7oo 600 less
than the estimate.
This will necessarily produce deficiency at
the end OF the fiscal year. unless Congress shall
appropriate the above amount, the payment of
b Is so aed py
priated for the deficiency at the extra session of
Congress, had reference only to the last fiscal
the amount ascertained to be due on the books
OF the Fourth Auditor to officers, whereas the
deficiency here referred to Is estimated for the
present fiscal year. ending June 80, 1878.
:. The Naval Academy receives praise from the
Secretary and he recommends, among other
things; that number of cadets shall be edu-
Gated for the, position Of naval constructor, to
complete their education. after leaving the
under the tuition of experienced CON
StructOrs at some navy yard.
The estimates for the several navy yards cover
such amounts only as are supposed to be ab- |
solutely Indispensable to keep them in good
be done to arrest the decay Of the Cobb dock at
the New York navy yard otherwise. he says it |
will slide back to its original position and en- |
;umber the channel with its excess of mud and |
nent
By the Act of February 2e. 1877. the President
hree members. who were required to arrange
equitable terms for the conveyance to the city
ed on II pSrRSn Rar Of the Navy Yard @
This commission has been organized but has
made no report. and the Secretary in view of |
nat fact deems 1t his nj duty to say that from
his important Navy Yard would be seriously
INJURED by this sale.
, It j is not supposed that Congress intended by
Iced Of conveyance should be made on the re-
,ort Of the commission without further inquiry.
n that event the conveyance would be mere
natter Of formaity, but Il it is to be otherwise,
,e . would suggest that as Congress still retains
ull power oyer the matter, it may yet in its dis
retion decide whether the property be sold.
An appropriation of s4oo, 900, to be Immediately
vallable. is recommended for the purpose of
So,ntinning, the stone dry dock at Mare Island
he Secretary considers all the objects esti-
aated for, necessary and economical. AS the only
ayy yard on the Pacific coast, it is unnecessary
, dilate on the great value of that at Mare
sand. situated as it is behind the defenses of
an Francisco and having that important and
rowing city to draw on for skilled labor and
Material OF all kinds and being the only point
which our vessels of war from the North and
outh Pacific can be properly repaired, its i'm
ortance cannot be overestmated.
Attention is called to the Pensacola navy yard,
which. In event Of hostilities in the Gulf would
ecome OF the first importance, as all of the
ulf squadron would necessarily resort there ,
)r repairs. There is no good reason why it
hould not become in the future a building as
ell as repairing yard. Its proximity to the i
i've Oak reservations would render that costly {
lateral cheaper there than at more northerly /