New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-12-11
Report Of the Secretary Of the, Navy.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28.-The secretary of the
navy. in his annual report. says: There
now III commission twenty-eight cruising Ships
one steamboat and five sailing vessels. all in
condition Tor active service except the Gettys-
burg. There are six vessels, including one
monitor, which can be made ready for sea in
few months Besides, there are thirteen
more needing expensive repairs; but ali can be
put in thorough condition with present appro-
pr1atlons, and those asked for the next fiscal
year. In case of necessity ninety-one vessels
Ut all classes including monitors, can be put in
service. The secretary submitted the follow
ing estimates. with the remark that the depart
ment has not felt itself justified in going be-
You'd the estimates of the last fiscal year:
ray OF navy. ..........s....$ 1856, COO
Pay OF civil establishment in navy
yards. 1899. 500
Ordnance and torpedo corps . 273,OOO
Coal, hemp and equipment. 800, OGO
Navigation and navigation supplies l04 500
photographic work. ........... 46.C0O
Naval observatory. nautical almanac 43.SOO
Repairs and preservation of vessels. 100000
Steam machinery, tools, etc ..... 100000
PROVISIONS Tor navy. 1,200, 600
Repairs of hospitals and laborato-
RES. ....................... 81, 700
Surgeons necessarles and naval hos.
pital fund. Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
Contingent expenses of department
and bureaus ................ 1850
Naval academy. Observation-Disclosures. 1864
Support of marine corps ....... S6237S
Naval asylum at Philadelphia $500 6O.SO9
Maintenance of yards and docks. -. 100000
Repsirs, etc., Of navy yard. $4,000
Total. .s14, 562. 3s1
From the tables contained in the report, it
will, the secretary of war says. be seen that
the total estimates of the last fiscal year, in
Guiding the amount appropriated for oefcien-
of
deductlng the deficiencies of 1877 and 1878
which were 81, ISL ATS. the amount chargeable
to the expenditures of the year was 81, 3O6 914,
which was $767. 100 less than the actual ex-
penses Of the previous year, and "a ops, SIT less
than the expenditures, including deficiencies,
that year, and So, 630.43O less than the expendi-
lures Of the year ended June 30, 1876. Secre-
tary Thompson discusses the relation of the
navy to commerce, and says: s'Our rapidly in
creaslng exports have demonstrated
that this country must become
the greatest producing country in the world.
The area of our improved lands is annually en-
iarging. keeping pace with our rapidly increas-
Ing population, and giving assurance that the
surplus of our agricultural and manu- frcturing
products will become correspondlngly greater
every year. The consequent skill Of our man
ufactur rs, artisans and laborers, will in the
future of our history be called into further
requlsltlon, and as experience has shown that
no nation can afford to have it's 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 dependency upon foreign nations for the
transportation of our surplus productions to the
markets of the world, and says: ''If this con-
dition OF affairs is to continue, our industrial
interests must be left to suffer still further in
jury. Our iron and coal and timber will de-
crease 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 entirely driven from the sea. If
on the other hand, the government shall adopt
such measures shall put the country in :,
position to reap the full benefits of its
commercial enterprise. and secure the profits
of our carrying trade which properly be-
longs to US, by means Of such fostering care az
the national government alone has power to
give, then our navy should have such strength
and character wen to.it that it will be able to
furnish protection to our commerce wheresoever
it may be needed" The remainder of the re-
port is devoted largely to the account of the
condition of the various navy yards of the
country, the naval academy and torpedo ser
vice: suggestions regarding training schools for
boys, etc.