Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-04


payroll OF Sill ,31a37 per diem, while work was pc
Ing done on only seven war ships. These large
and costly navy yards are net required oy any
present or prospective wants or the country. In
accordance with the last navi. appropriation act,
commission has been appointed TO consider the
pCllcy or disseminating some OF the yards, and IL
is now making Investigations In any case, the
expense OF carrying on the yard, must be reduced
unnecessary work must be stopped and employees
not needed be dismissed Som re iuct!ons have
been made already, and moro are to follow.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
The boards provided for by the act OF August 5,
1882 inspect old vessels and material OF the navy.
with view to their sale Ii unfit for use, are now
engaged in their duties. 1t Is recommended that
congress authorize the sale o. all vessels con-
demned by the board and the department..
lt has not been found necessary to close any
yard under the authority given by Congress; but
authority Is requested that iifty-tnree acres or
land Oh the east side OF the New York navy yard,
which can b. spared without injury, may ne sod
or exchanged ior land needed to improve the west
side and The water front.
TIE coIapoa tion OF sauedrons and the mava-
ments OF vessels are briefly dcscr bed, and Il mar
rat've Is given or the loss Or The Jeannetto and o.
the relief expeditions.
Attention Is called t. the reports of the bureau
oiiicers. Under the Bureau OF Navigation refer
ence Is MADE to attempts the signal service to
encroach ulon work now falling Wthia the prov
1nce OF the Naval Observatory and the Hyd:ogra-
pale Office.
I'm Ter the Bureau OF Ordnance, the necessity is
ufEeG OF beginning the munuf'c ture OF guas M
inedlatey II teain-ham'ner sufficient or max
ing the necessary forgingS cannot be provided by
private enterprise the government should procure
one
STEEL CRUISERS AND MONITORS.
Under the Bureaus OF Steam Engineering and
Construction and Repair the estimates for the two
steel cruisers authorized by the act of August 5,
as well as for completing the four monitors are
reduced so as to call for only the amounts needed
Tor the present fiscal year. The Naval Advisory
Board Is now in session upon the plans for build
Ing these cruisers The report urges that Con-
gress should also authorize the construction OF
two second-rate, steel, single-deckcd, arnored
cruisers, recommended by the late Naval Advisory
Board, TO have speed of not less than thirteen
Knots, but with the displacement limited accord
ing 10 the recoiImendalions or The present Advi-
Sory Board, 10 2.5O0 tons each, at q cost not eX-
ceediny $l,CCO.CG0 each; also OF one OF the five
stte rams recommended by the late Boaid: and
one iron dispatch boat or clipper OF 800 tons dis
Placement, with speed OF not less than fifteen
Knots, to be armed with one siX-'nch breech-load-
cost not exceeding $4,000. In reference to the
vision and expectancy OF completing the four
uouble-tufreted monitors, the r'port states that
tne Advisory Board has not yet reached conciu-
sion.
The increase OF the Marine Corrs to the full
legal number OF officers is recommended by the
taken from graduates OF the Naval Academy for
the two coming years.
sum necessary 10: the construction CT the new
Naval Observatory on the site recently pur thased
FINANCIAL.
The available appropriations for the last fiscal
year were S15,412,1aO.37. The expenditures were
$40, 96 29i So. The appropriations for the present
fiscal year were SIS, 575 S5s.9s. Expended to No
vember /, 1892 s. o95 75l.63 The bureau estimates
for the next fiscal ycar were s27,042,61S.76. The
Secretary revSeS ana reduces the same to $50 $685.
1916 by reducing the pay OF the eivil establish
ment at navy-yards from S194,131 to s122 500: for
repairs and improvements, from g So, 444 10 $l192,
81; Tor maintenance OF yards, from $4,000 to
$40 eco: Tor 6siIding the two new cruisers from
tors, IRON S3,l65,OO0 TO S1,5S2, 3O0-being the
amounts necessary Tor all the work to be done
upon the vessels during the next fl ical year.
LIGHT HOUSE AND COAST SURVEY DUTY.
There are employed at the present time con-
siderable number OF officers and seamen Oh the
Navy Oh lighthouse and Coast Survey duty. The
two services are maritime in character ana have
no connection with the Treasury Department,
under which they are placed. The most Inn
portant offices in the lighthouse establishment
are filled from the Navy; and no one but prac-
teal navigator can be q judge of the wants Of
mariners in the care end distribution OF lights
and other aids to navigation. The duties Of the
Coast Survey consist in the preparation OF charts
and sailing directions. This is properly work for
the Navy. All the photographic duties Of the
Coast Survey are now performed by naval officers.
and nearly one-third or the total cost or the
the administration Of tie Light House Service and
or the Coast Survey should be transferred to the
Navy Department..
1t has Deen already pointed out that the Navy
should perform all the worl, required by the
national government upon or In direct connection
WIN the ocean. The service OF the cruising
revenue cutters Is Work OF this kind.
FALLING OFF OF AMERICAN SHIPPING.
In 1910, 80 per cent OF the foreign carrying trade
OF the United States was performed by American
vessels In 1885, II per cent; In 1860, 66 per cent; in
1870, IS per cent; In $780, II per cent and in 1882
15h per cent. AT this rate, unless a sudden change
takes place, the American merchant marine will
soon be cut off from the foreign trade altogether
and cur seafaring people will seek employment
under foreign flags as they have already begun to
do. Between 1860 and 1874, 29S natives OF the
United States received certificates as masters In
the British merchant marine.
Three forms OF remedy are suggested to arrest
the decay OF our shipping: ~ the removal OF i'm
positions, t9 protection for the neglected indus
try. and (3] reform In administration through the
establishment or n Gure u OF mercantile marine.
AS simple measure OF economy 1t would seem
desirable that a union SHOULD be made OF the naval
and marine hospital services.
STRONG EXPRESSIONS.
The criticisms and recommendations in this re-
port are made with sincere and earnest desire to
promote the success OF the navy and the CONNER
cial interests OF the country II the naval estab-
lshment is not to be made effective. it should be
discontinued, and the fifteen millions annually ex-
pended should be reserved to procure, in national
emergencies, the assistance of foreign ships and
gum. II eo'CiHulculdt HedNuIcS are not soon
adopted TO promote the carrying trade and to ar
rest the disappearance OF American ships from the
Ocean,we shall soon cease to be a Seafarng people
and shall MOI need to maintain a navy OF our own.
Thesn are strong expressions, but they are justi-
fed AMI required by the present condition Of our
naval and maritime interests.
TROUBLE ABOUT A LEVY or G0ODs.-A dis
turbance took place about noon last Saturday
on the avenue. between 9th and 7th streets, at
the house Of Mr.. Peter G. Rosenberg. while
constable named VIM G. Taiiaferro was at
tempting to satisfy a writ Of execution by levy
ing on the goods of Mr.. Rosenberg. The ARRAY
resulted in the swearing out warrants against
Mr.. Rosenberg and Sergeant Brosnan of the
police. In the Police Court this morning the
cases were called for trial. The first case taken
up was the charge against Peter G Rosenberg
for assaultlnG Iachariah Maryman. an assistant
of the constable. Maryman stated that after the
constable levied on the goods he left witness in
charre of them till he went for q To