The New York herald., 1878-11-29
tingent expenses Of the department and


bureaus. ............- ...-.--........... Ip5ooo
Naval ACADEMY: 5 icn.sa ~
Support OF Marine corps. So2 fis
Naval Asylum al Philadelphia. ............. Gnsoa
Manc cn:nce of yards and docks. s.......... 10000
Repairs, &c., of navy yards -..... 3i5oVo
Total. SILL oo2 ,isl
1t will be observed that the total of this amount is
$33,949 IS in OF the appropriations for the
present year. This is for the benefit of the Marine
corps and the Naval Academy. The former is made
necessary account OF the longevity
pay officers and privates that of officers the
tired list pay clerks ana messengers pay soldiers
for clothing undrawn increase of pay for leader
OF the band and colnmuaiicn.of officers quarters.
The latter is OF amounts necessary Tor pay
OF one nechauic ON account OF enlargement OF lubo-
ratory small increase OF pay to the captain OF the
watch account OF his having also to perform other
duties an increase for the expenses OF the Board or
Visitors and pay Of an additional machinist neces
sary in the department OF steam engineering. No
part of the is on account of the navy proper
EXPENDITURES.
The amount of appropriations applicable to the
current expenses for the fiscal year ended June 49,
1878, sl4 4a5,15a 30 The actual expense, exclu
sive of deficiencies during that period, WAS
91a %. OF the unexpended balance on hand
june 30 1875 there remains Saol.'2 W 70 the credit
OF the bureaus OF equipment and recruiting, yards
aud docks, ordnance, navigation construction
| and repairs. steam engineering, provisions and
clothing, and medicine and surgery The appro-
Priaons available for the present fiscal year COM
mencing July l. 1878 .i31 10. srhe whole
November l. is. is ST. 7lo55t IL: refunded the same
period S70.94o 70, which deducted from the amount
drawn will show the actual expenditures from July
j to November /. 1873 to have been s4,6s4 5sa 80.
The expenditure during the same period was
r ssswnY s j es that s Of . s year to
From the tables contained i'll the report it will.
the Secretary says. be that the total estimates Of
the last fiscal year. including the amount appropri-
ated for the deficiencies of the previous year.
SIT S92 65 after deducting the deficiencies OF 1877
and 1875 which were $4,l61,47s So.
The amount chargeable to the expenditures of the
year $13 30S, ,9l4 %, which ,199 18 less
s4.92s.677 IA less than the expenditures. including
the deficiencies OF that year, and 4630430 63 less
than the expenditures of the year ended June 80 1876.
RELATIONS OF THE NAVY TO COMMERCE.
Secretary Thompson next discusses the relations of
the navy to commerce. He says
In my last annual report the attention of Congress
was directed to the condition of commerce and
the relations borne to it by the navy. Our rapidly in
that this country must become the greatest producing
country in the world. The of improved
lands is annually enlargng. keeping pace with our
rapidly increasing population, and giving as
surance that the surplus Of our agricul-
tural and manufacturing products will become
upon this the skill of our manufacturers, artisans
aud laborers will in the future of history be
called into still further requisition. And, expe-
rience.has shown that nation afford to leave
its commerce unguarded upon the seas the duty OF
Il has ever been before This duty is conded to the
Legislative department OF the government, and 1t
would be unjust to assume that under any exgency
OF our affairs ii will not be discharged.
The Secretary at very considerable length refers
the leg saion of this country in regard to
and the regulation of coastng trade and pays at
| tention to the decrease in tonnage and ocean
carrying trade which began in 1861 and has continued
until during the present year the former large per-
centage in favor has been decreased to 263 per
cent of freightage. and in the transportation
of passengers retain only 81 per cent,
whereas we formerly carried oil. The secre-
tarys reference to the disadvantages under which
this country abors in relation to the carrying trade
of the world are volumnous and he shows our de-
pendency upon foreign nations for the transportation
of our surplus productions to the markets OF the
world. He says
II it is to become part Of settled policy that
our commercial marine shall remain in this
dtion Of nferiorty upon the ocean, and this drain
decide the future Of navy with reference only to
the possibility OF with foreign Powers and the
means Of national defence by proper pro-
lection to our coasts and harbors. In this
event industrial interests must be left to suffer
will decrease in value. The enormous freghts we
now will continue to press upon the producers OF
surplus exports. Our merchant vessels will in
the end be entirely driven from the sea- and such un-
just and ruinous limitation will then be put upon
the enterprise Of our people that their inventive
out just reward. II all this is to be accom-
plished the policy which. produces it must
no relation whatever to commerce. and that the
latter reach part Of tho world and encounter
protection from it, II, the other hand the gov
ernment shall adopt such measures as shall put the
country in position to reap the full benefits OF its
OF our own carrying trade. which properly
belongs to us, by means OF such. foster
ing care rs the national government alone
have such strength and character given to that 1t
wheresoever it may be needed. Our present navy is
can be made. without any other than the current
annual approprstions-according to the expenditures
of the last and the estimates for the present and next
fiscal year-amply sufficient to protect commerce
in the present stage of its development. But
AS surplus productions annually in
crcasng and must be transported foreign markets.
or become total loss our own hands, the ques-
tion whether or not the navy shall bo improved so
10 provide for this state of anticipated develop
ment, must either now, at some time in the
future. be decided By Congress. Although it cannot
be properly considered without reference to the
dition Of the Treasury and its ability to supply adi
tonal appropriations. yet it becomes an important
the $90000.Oo0 paid for freights during the
last fiscal year to vessels sailing under foreign flags
had been retained at home and allowed to become
part of our national wealth, ability to meet and
overcome the embarrass sInents Of trade would have
been proportionately increased. This sum. il saved
and judiciously expended would alone be sufficient
to make commercial marine equal to that Of
Great Britain and our navy superior TO any in the
world
THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
with reference to the Naval Academy the. Secretary
says:--
The attention Congress is specifically invited to
the report of the Board of Visitors to the Naval Ac
adciny wherein III IL SHOWN that TINS aiiraDe insti
tuition continues to entite itself to the public favor
The system OF education is complete in all its de-
partments, and its means of fitting the cadets for
official position in the navy cannot be too highly
appreciated In all the departments of study
the proficiency Of The cadets is in the
highest degree satisfactory. In order, however.
to insure more efficiency in that OF seamanship.
navigation and gunncry, il is deemed expedent to
make the exercises somewhat practical by add
ing to the military drills on shore cvolutons upon
the water similar to those pracsod upon vessels ut
1t is believed that by this cadet midship-
ticc cruise. and that when they reach the grade
of masters. at the end of two years graduation
they viii be competent to dier hargc their duties
on board of men-oi-war ut sea. These duties in vovc
both theoretical and practical knowledge OF
ship. and upon the manner and efficiency Of their dis
charge the safety of both Vessels and crows may