Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-12-06
Annual Report of the Secretary of the
Navy,

WASHINGTON, Nov. %.
The Secretary of the Navy, in his annual re-
port, says since his former report the condi-
tion OF the Navy has been considerably i'm
| proved. There are now in commission twenty
eight cruising ships, one steamboat and five
sailing vessels, all in condition for active serv
Ice except the Gettysburg. There are six YES
sells, including one monitor, which can be
made ready for sea in few months Besides
these there are thirteen needing more extern
| sive repairs, but all can be put in thorough
condition with the present appropriations and
| those asked for the next fiscal year. In case
OF necessity ntnety-one war vessels of all
classes, including monitors, can be put in
service. The Secretary submits the following
estimates with the remark that the Depart
ment has not felt itself justified in going be-
yond the estimates of the last fiscal year:
Pay of Navy, S7,35O, 900: pay of civil estab-
!ishment In navy yards, $1S9,999; Ordnance
| and Torpedo Corps, S2730OO; coal, hemp and
equipment, SSOO,0O0; navigation and naviga-
tion supplies, $l04, 800; photographic work,
$4,000; naval observatory nautical almanac,
$40, 500; repairs and observation of vessels,
81, 800, 900; steam machinery tools, ETC.. $780,
900; provisions for navy, 81 200 900; repairs of
hospitals and laboratories, $4,000; surgeons
| necessaries and naval hospital fund, S95, 900;
contingent expenses of the department and
bureaus, SlO5,OOO; naval academy, 1856, 1874;
support of marine corps, 1862, 1873; naval
asylum at Philadelphia, $50, 500; maintenance
of yards and docks, $4,000, repairs, etc, of
the navy yards, S315, 600; total, $14, ,562, 1856.
From the tables contained in the report, it
will, the Secretary says, be seen that the total
estimates of the last fiscal year, including the
amount appropriated for deficiencies of the
previous year were Sl7, ,46S, 1872. After deduct
ing deficiencies of 1877 and 1878, which were
81, 16l, ,41S, the amount chargeable to the eX
penditures of the year was S13,306,9 ,9l4, which
was S767, 1879 less than the actual expense of
the previous year and "a, ,92S, ,677 less than the
expenditures, including deficiencies, of that
: year, and S4630, ,43O less than the eXpendi-
lures Of the year ending June so, 1875.
Secretary Thompson discusses the relation
OF the navy to commerce, and SAYS our rapidly
increasing exports have demonstrated that
this country must become the greatest pro-
ducing country in the world. The area of our
improved lands is annually enlarging, keeping
pace with our rapidly increasing population,
and giving assurance that the surplus over
agricultural and manufacturing products will
become correspondingly greater every year.
The consequent skill of our manufacturers,
artisans and laborers will, in the future of our
history, be called into still further reauisi-
tion, and as experience has shown that no ma
ton can afford to leave its commerce un-
guarded upon the seas, the duty of protecting
ours is now greater and more urgent than it
has ever been before.
The Secretary shows our dependence upon
foreign nations for the transportation of our
surplus productions to the markets of the
world, and SAYS: II this condition of affairs
is to continue our industrial interests must
be left to suffer still further injury Our iron,
coal and timber will decrease in value; the
enormous freights we now pay, will continue
to press upon producers our surplus exports;
our merchant vessels will, in the end, be en-
tirely driven from the sea. If, on the other
hand, the Government shall adopt such
measures as shall put the country in posi-
ton to reap the full benefits of its CONNER
cal enterprise and secure the profits of our
own carrying trade, which properly belongs to
us by means of such fostering care as the Ma
tional Government alone has the power to
give, then our navy should have such strength
and character given to it that it will be able
to furnish protection to our commerce when
ever 1t may be needed,
The remainder of the report is devoted
largely to an account of the condition of the
various navy yards Of the country, and the
Naval Academy and torpedo service, sugges-
tions regarding training schools for boys, etc.