National Republican., 1882-12-05
STATE PAPERS.
CONTINUED FROM FIFTH PAeE.1

CONTINUED FROM FIFTH PAGE.1
the late board, and one iron dispatch boat or
clipper, of l50O tons displacement, with u
speed not less than fifteen knots, to be armed
with one six-inch breech- loading rined cannon
md four liotchkiss guns, at II cost not exceed.
ing S500.000. In reference to the wisdom and
oNpcdieucy of completing the four double
turretcd monitors, the report states that the
advisory board has not yet reached u conclu.
sion.
EXPENDITURES.
The available appropriations for the last
fiscal year were S1j.4O2 12O.37 The cXpendi-
lures were $13,936,2 ,2O406. The appropriations
for the present fiscal year were $lj,575,s5S.9s
Expended to November /, 1SS2, Sj091, 751 .63
The bureau estimates for the next fiscal year
were S27 i2670.7G. The Secretary revises
and reduces the same to 800 S3G, 1916 by re-
ducing the pay Of the civil establishment at
navy-yards from .10!,13O to $l22,5OO; for re-
pairs and improvements, from $3,562,iii to
81 l,l9251l; for maintenance of yards from
Si90,OOO to 100000; for building the two new
cruisers from 900 to S2,O0O0OO; for COM
plcting the monitors, from $3,165 600 to ~ ,jS2,
5OO-bcing the amounts necessary for all the
work TO be done upon the vessels during the
next fiscal year.
LIGHT HOUSE SERVICE AND THE COAST SUR
VEY.
There are now 20 naval officers in the
Light Ii OuSc Service and IL officers and 215
scamcn in the Coast Survey. Both these
branches Of the public are maritime in their
nature ana purpose, and their objects have
no connection with the Treasury Departments
under which they are now placed. OF the
twenty officers Of the Navy employed in the
light-i House service thre" are Numbers of the
Light House Board. The chairman of the
board is a rcar-admirjl in the Navy. the naval
sCCrctnr" is u commander in the Navy. In
the absence Of the chairman The naval sccrc
tary has Chargc pf the office of the board.
Tho executive committee is composed of th"
chairman. tho naval secretary. and the rngi-
ncCr secretary. There are fourteen igithnus"
districts, each Under the personal charge and
supCriut"ud"ucc of % naval officer. detailed
exclusively for this duty; and in three dis
tric'S there are also naval officers detailed as
aSsistgu; inspectors. only the erection and
repair al buildings and apparatus are super
NisCd hr Cugiu"ur officers of the Army. most
of whom perform this duty Incidentally, and
in addition to their regular duties under the
Nar Department.
~" Light House Board has charge not only
of ltght-huusrS but Of the establishment and
care Of all ptlrr aids 10 navigation light
ships bcaconS b"oys iog-sigmals and sea-
marks. Nn one but II practical navigator can
be . Cumprt mt Judge of the wants of mariners
in the cue ana distribution Of these aids and
the Navy Department alone can furnish the
skill and experience necessary to provide for
the safety of vessels ON our coast.
In view If tin" existing duties and RESPONSE
bilitics of naval officers in connection with
the service, and of the strictly maritime char
actcr OF the work. it is desirable that the
Lighthouse administration should be trans
terrCI to the Navy Department.
The connection Of the Coast Survey with
the Treasury is even more remote than that
of The Light-jOu;c establishment. Its
primary obirct, as expressed in the statute
tlipNt.Al ias IL tn,
Survey to be taken of the coasts Of the
tni5rd States, in which shall be dcsig-
mated the islands and shoals. with the
roads or places of anchorage. within twenty
leagues of any part of the shores of the United
States" Subsequent legislation has extended
its operations TO parts of the ocean beyond the
original limit; and has provided for deep-sea
soundings, observations of currents and for a
photographic development of the dangers of
ocean navigation OH the west coast of North
America.
For the past fifty years the Coast Survey
has required aud received the support and
assistance Of the Navy. Thirty naval officers
q year ON an average, have been engaged in
the work, and during the last ten years the
number has steadily increased. OF the officers
now on the active list of the Navy, 232 have
at various times been so employed The
amount expended from the naval appropria-
lion for the pay and maintenance of the
officers and men employed on Coast Survey
duty in the year 1SS1 was S220, ,931 "a. As
the direct appropriation for the Coast Survey
for the same year was $567 ,507.06, it appears
that nearly onc-third of the total expense of
the survey was borne by the Navy.
Equally coGent reasons are given for the
transfer Of the revenue marine and life-sav-
ing service to the Navy Department, in order
to harmonize all the interests involved in
connecting naval officers with the revenue
cutter service and the close connection of the
marine.
THE COMMERCIAL MARINE.
He refers to the intimate relation between
the interests of the Navy and the commercial
marine, and in relation to the falling off OF
American shipping, he says that in 1S40 s.!
per cent. of the foreign carrying trade of the
United States was performed by American
NCss"io in l-6O. ~ per cent; in 1860, G6 pei
cent; in 1870, 35 per cent; in 1850, II pei
cent" and in l-S2, l5l per cent. At this rate
unless II sudden change takes place, the Amer.
lean merchant marine will soon be cut of
from the foreign trade altogether, and oul
scatarng people will seek employment under
foreign flags, Us they have already begun tc
do. Hawccn 1860 and 1874, POS natives of the
United States received certificates us masters
in the British merchant marine.
Three forms of remedy are suggested tc
arrest the decay of our shippng (1) the re.
mOval of impositiOns, (2) protection for the
=
istrGtion through the establishment of q
bureau Of mercantile marine.
As II simple measure of economy, it would
seem desirable that a union should be made OF
the naval and marine hospital services. The
report concludes rs follows:
The criticisms and recommendations in this
report are made with Il sincere and earnest
desire to promote the success of the Navy and
the commercial interests of the country II
the naval establishment is not to be made
effective, it should be discontinued and the
fifteen millions annually expended should be
reserved to procure, in national emergencies
the assistance of foreign ships and guns. Ii
governmental measures are not soon adopted
10 promote the carrying trade and to arrest
the disappearance 0f American ships from the
ocean, we shall soon cease to he Il sealaline
people and shall not need to maintain NAVY
of our own. These are strong expressions
but they are justified and required by the
present condition Of our naval and maritime
interests.
SECRETARY LINCOLN.
The Secretary of War commences his report
with table OF expenditures, appropriations
and estimates, showing that during the last
fiscal year there We're expended. by the Wal
Department $i5,3i9,5l9.G4; that the appro
priattous for this year are S556G2, ,I20 .93 and
that the estimates for the fiscal wear 1884 are