New-York tribune., 1879-11-28
THE STATE OF THE NAVY.

THE ACADEMY.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 27.-The Hon. r. W. Thomp-
son. Secretary of the Navy. has presented his an
nual report Of the condition of the Navy and opera
tions of the Department for the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1879. He says
The condition of the Navy has greatly improved dur
inc the last There nov IN commission thirty
boats OF the different classes sixteen be put IN
condition .or service IN few months. aud twenty
me nghting force OF the Navy which might be made
one vessels of ali classes And II 70 ths number he
added four monitors Terror. Puritan, Amphtrite
neu - ao -n,,o ,,rcs vr,,ld c,ns,sf ~ 1,nefv-hrec
vessels. The monitors could be completed with the
necessary appropriations. without much Delay -
untitled any other There twenty seven
vessels united Tor naval purposes Of any kluG what
ever which positive expense. as n Is neces-
sary 70 keep employment 0f force of ship-keepers
10 preserve them from entire destruction. some OF.
them might be ". tiaby converted INTO merchant YES
sells and IL would be- economy to sell tie whole; IN
which event repeai the recommendation esoi1pe ore
proceeds in either building new. or repairing other
vessels, instead OF beng required as tne law now
The status OF the various squaarons Is gwen as fo
AluIi, .a Sv, shn Trenia1 Wvoninc Enterurse and
Clunnebaug The Dspatcn is now detached aud Is now
being repaired Tue Alliance is now on the way nome
Genoa. Italy. Tor SlO0s3 10 and The money covered
the Treasury she was an hnisA vessel PtaT,u
while running tne blockade and was found TO be en-
tirely unit for a mai-Oi-war
The Asiatic Squadron remains unchanged IN the con-
mand tn" kearsarse and The Tennessee have reached
the United and have been repaired Tae Ienues-
see will be ready FOR sea IN few day w. Ihe The M MosonSa
mission. and now awaits such repairs as enc may need
The following ships now compose this squadron; Ihe
RchmOnd, .Asauelot MonOcacy, Alert, EaASer anu
Tne Sorth Atlantic Squadron is commanded ny Rear
Admiral Robert II. Wvman. The tennessee viii be ar
tached 10 ihis squadron ard besides tnat vessel ~ VIII
shire, Pawnee Kearsarge and Aipsc The monitors also
The south Atlantic sguadron.-Commodore Z. L.
Nichols, who has nad command OF tins squadron. nav
ing been promoted tO the rank o ReaFA Admiral and us
cruise having expired, Commodore Andrew Bryson Las
placed in command. Tn, rford and Essex have
been brought home for repairs and new crews, and The
Shenandoah and Wachu-ett have taken their places.
maud a. last year 1t consists OF the following vessels
The Pensacola. Lackawanna. Alaska. Iuscai ora. Adams
HvuS' @ rb a. ric,r', C,csttntion ~ Nn"esoia Mch
iaan, Saratoga, Portsmouth, RIO Bravo, TaiapOOsa
Mr. vel remains IN ossession of The Ciiy oi Ne-Yorl
as ranlnSshipl IN the interest of the merchant marine
The Minnesota Constitution, saratoga and Portsmouth
are training-shlps FOR boss.
Tue Tcondcrosa still engaged In special service
tho Airca and through tine Indian and
had that far satisfactory aud successful cruise
II confidently expected that material benefit 10 our
commerce VIII result from tis rApeu.,lon' anu t.at 10
will become the means OF establishing new relations
between this country and the comment OI Africa anu
Tns I,,cbgan -enairs upon the lakes The Rio Bravo
Is continued in the Rio Graude ar Brownsville. Inc
Tallapoosa YET engaged Is transport vessel Inc
Constellation has recently sailed Tor Gibraltar 10 trans
port a new for the Trenton, ana 10 return from
that ship those whose terms OF service nave expired 10
the United States. The Jamestown was sent 10 Siaa
IN Alaska summer, 20 furnish protection TO persons
snd properly, there being at tnat time an outDteaA
Threatened bv the ludIus II Yet remains there ana
ts oicers have done nuch valuable work m survey ing
the harbors erecting wharves. and otherwise examining
into and re POI ting upon the condition of affairs
The Plymouth has Deen put m ordinary IN conse-
quenee the appearance ot the yellow e'er wch Doke
ont last summer and viii be kept IN this condition until
il shall be iactOtiy demonstrated that she can
safely be sent 10 sea again
The unexpended balance of appropriations which
stood TO the credit of Department at the close of
the last fiscal year was 81 141s245. which, added to
the appropriations, makes an aggregate of SlI,-
SOP 259 Of appropriations available for the fiscal
year ending June So 1880.
The estimate of expenses for the fiscal year end
ing jane 80, 1851. aggregates S14 SD. l47 show
ing an excess the appropriations Tor the pre-
vious year of $780,. .s97. This excess l. accounted
for by the fact that the estimate for the pay Of the
Navy was reduced S1O6, 72j in the appropriations;
that 900 viii be required by the system of
training boys for the Navy AID that other ex-
penses are allowed for in the various Bureaus
40 BETTER ACADEMY IN THE WORLD.
The Naval Academy receives large share of the
Secretary's attention. He pays a high tribute TO
the late Commodore Foxhal A. Parker, and the
admirable manner in which he managed the lnsti-
tuition. He infers from the favorable auspices un-
der which the present term Is making progress that
the Academy Will be equally prosperous under Rear
ment of cadets. he
Recognizing the fact That in such an Institution.
where the number OF cadets Is 50 large ana Their tenn
peraments and iocnatiOns necessarily varied ana cou-
icung, seemingly harsh and severe rules are required
20 preseiSe discipline a. Ssnt." alHs' E
the cadets observe the rules and regu oi the IN
stitution tue alacrity and delight as they
would those do IN alter life who may De placed
under them IN their respective commands
The Secretary also speaks in cOmmendatOry terms
OF the Academic Board and says their distinguished
professional and scientific attainments have en-
abled them to make a course of study at the Acad
envy as thorough and complete as it Is at any SINH
lar institution In the world The standard Of pro-
fessiOna education now reached by the young oifi-
GERS of the Navy who graduate at tins institution
will compare most favorabIy with that recognized
by any OF the Governments Ii assures q confined
course of efficiency in the management Of Amer
lean ships both in peace and war, and Of capacity
ON the part of the officers deal properly with the
difficult and delicate questions which frequently
arise out OF international relations and are often
submitted 20 their decision.
The insufficient facilities afforded at present for
training in seamanshiO. navigation and gunnery
lead the Secretary 70 recommend that steam YES
sci Of 800 or 700 tons be provided for that purpose
The cost of this method of prstce would not be IN
creased beyond the present expenditure, while 1t
would undoubtedly tend 90 produce improvement IN
the practice of trims, because it would require
shifting instead of stationary target TO be fol
lowed:
The Secretary discusses at length the sub
ject of providing a proper Of instruction for
such cadets as NAV develop fitness for the profess
SION Of naval constructor. lie saws. referring TO a
suggestion by the Board of Visitors:
Whether this method OF uniting the professions Of
steam engineering aud construction should be adopted,
IL question which hesitate 10 decide armatyey for
reasons which seem 10 me satisfactory They are not
necessarily associated even M building vessels.
ssmucu ~ one involves Tie building ana WORKING OI