The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-03
a tota, Of ., .o2a 500 40. which. deducted from

=
N.313,5 ,509.i0. The cstmntcs for tho present
fiscal wear arc t1G.2S3. .23i 40, exclusive Of
and improvements Mt the several navy yards
IN the rprort Of tho Secretary OF the Navy Of
Nov 20. 1876, the estimated amount for paw Of
O0O the computation being based upon the
number Of officers and men then borne upon
the REGISTER, Congress however by the nct OF
March 3, 1871 appropriated only f6.GO0.OO0. or
fOO.OO0 less than the estimate. This will
necessarily produce deficiency at the end Of
imG H. SSoy yS "nss i'm sa ~
to the officers and mon is SO fixed 10y law that II
cannot be evadcd. The amount Appropriated
for deficiency Mt tho extra session Of Congress
had reference only TO the last fiscal vcnr ending
June 80. 1877, and was based upon the amount
ansccrtlined to be due upon the books OF the
Fourth AUDITORS Office. whereas tho deficiency
hero referred to is estimated for the present
fiscal y.ar. ending June 80. 1878.
Tho Naval Academy receives words Of praise
from the Secretary. and he recommends, among
other thnga. that n number VI cadets shall be
specially cducated for the, positions OF naval
leaving the Academy. under the tuition OF m
experienced naval constructor. at n navy yard.
The estimates for the several yards cover
su'h amounts only rs are supposed To be nh-
eolut"ly Indispensable to keep thcm In good
condition. The SECRETARY urges that something
l0 done to arrest tn" decay Oi the Cob dock nj
the Brooklyn Navy Yard. othcrwis'. hr snys. II
viii slide back to- lts original condition. en-.
cuml"rthe chnnn"l with iis acrea OF mud. and
the work OF years will bo entirely lOet to the
Government.
Ily ihe AK of Fob. 26 1877. the President WINS
authorized in orgnni2r II commission Of three
members. who were required to arrange cqui-
Table terms for thr cunNrynn.r To tho city nf
nrvcklyn " II part Of the Navy Yard iuntod in
WHlNhoui Bfv for public market. This rom-
mission has been organ zed. hut has made no
report. and the Serrotary. in view Oi that tact,
deems il hiH duty tn sny that from u personal
inspection of the prem 500. he thinks this inn
pOrtnnt navy yard would be seriously injured
hy ihlS s,acs. 1t Is not supposed that Congr. -
intended the not referred to M nm absolute sale,
md that tn" deed of conveyance should los made
upon the report of tho commiss ion without fur
thrr inquiry. In that event the conveyance
would hr "A matter OF form merely hut II II be
Otherwise. he suggests. and Congruss still rc-
tains iul power over the matior. thut ii may yet.
IN IT'S dis rgtvn, decide whether or no the
An appropriation OF 100000. to bc immc-
dately n'ai.abl". Is recommended for the .pur-
pose OF cont the stone dry dock nj Mare
Island. Reports from the late Commnndant at
Mnrc Island show q great derrcase in the depth
OF water at the docks ana unless some radical
measures nrc promptly adopted It Will soon be
imprat trahlc to bring u vessel Of oven mode
rate draught OF water nlongs de- the dock. Tho
Secretary considers all the objects estimated for
nrresstry nnd economical As the only navy
yard upon the Pacific coast, it is unnecessary to
debate upon the grcnt value Of that at Mare
Island, Situated as 1t is behind the dcfrnccs of
San Fran $50. having that growing and i'm
porinnt .iiy IT, draw upon for 81 He'd labor and
material ut all kinds. and hring the only port NJ
which our vessels of war from the north and
south faelil can ha properly repaired. its i'm
pOrtancr cannot bc ovcrrstimatrd.
Attention il called to the Pensacola Navy
Yard. whi"h. in the event of hostilitics in the
Gulf Of Mexico. would become OF tho first i'm
portnnrr. All the gulf squadron would nrccs-
sdrily resort thers fer repairs. There is no
good reason why II should not become in the
future a building, as we'll ~ repairing yard.
lts proximity To the live oak reservations would
render that costly material cheaper there than
at the more n9rthern yards. as the long water
carriage would ba avoided. ana II has the excel
lent iron and conl OF southern Alabama almost
at its gates. An iron dry dock already contract
ed for - IN process OF constitution. and Is do
department to have II towed to the yard as soon
As the proper season for doing SO shall arrive,
and II c9n bc safely attempted
Tho Secretary recommends that the appro-
priation asked for the bureau having charge Of
torpedo experiments be granted. He considers
that suitable armed torpedo boats will be neces-
sury adJuncts to our monitors and other sys-
TENS Of defence. He suggests the necessity Of
extending the operations OF the law establishing
OF the soldiers. 50 IA 10 include the appointed
and enlisted men. and boys and marines OF the
The Naval Observatory is commended TO the
appreciation and fostering care Of Congress. A
change IN the location OF That building on ac-
count of sanitary reasons Is strongly urged.
Attention # called To the suggest ons from the
bureaus OF steam engineering and equipments
and recruiting n reference To the purcha-e Of
iron for boilers chains. Sc. As the law now
stands the department. after publication, Is rc-
quired To- award contracts for iron 10 the lowest
responsible bidder. After the contract is thus
awarded. II has sometimes occurred. and is
likely To occur aeain. that upon subJectng the
IRON 70 ln' n'N'rsdrS boN'rhln'hl test IL Is
which II Is designed. When this occurs. n
new contract has 10 b. made after
another publication which occasions great and
sometimes injurious delay. with the possible
repetition OF the state Of facts. The necessity
for having the very best iron for boilers and
chains must be recognized by all; The use Of
inferior material for either OF these PURPOSES
might. and probably would bc attended with
the most serious consequcnces-elth"r the
bursting Of u boiler or the pairing of chain.
There can be but one remedy for this condition
OF things, which is. to allow the purchase of iron
for naval PURPOSES whenever IT can he OBJ
tHlned with n view 10 the peculiar qualities
requisite for the purposes for which 1t is re-
quirrd. The Iron Board at tho Washington
iron OF any manufacturer who may desire It.and
authority should bo given TO the department to
purchase such as has passed the test cstnb-
li-hci, in the most salisiat tory manner. at its
market value. Ii II should b" the pleasure Of
Cungrt - 10 amend the existing law It's 10
authorize this, such restrictions could be
adopted as would SECURE n satisfactory nsccr-
tainmpnt OF the market value, and sum GENTLY
guard against imposition. Private purchases
oi any material Tor public u.s. should not hr
necessity; but this seems Ia constitute
such an exception 10 the rula that it
might be- adorted without any impairment
OF tho rule lta II. II ~ believed that where
so mu h depends. rs regards III" and prop, riy
upon tne KIND ui iron used IN the navy, ite
qualI ty and fitness should not br lett dependent
upon the private interests oi those engaged IN
It's nHhuitcturr. Safety ana security require
tlr pre- ,rNutlon Of the Government Is trSt and
whore th,'Si cannot be- rcp hcd by the manuf;lc-
an rrt,scment, the department should be- al
lowed. upon il publ rrspOnsl lbillty.t to procure
the material nccdcd. according to the trst
whcr'soeNer It can DO procured at II lair market