New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-01

IA AIR Clark points ONT this table shows that the
United States has 25 per cent many ships, IN
Gliding unserviceable ones. as England but only
IL % per cent as many IN commission. 10 lhai
these ships the Navy has is per cent as MANY men
"a England but the ratio of officers of the United
States Navy to those Of England is Al per cent, or
nearly two and half times greater than that OF
ships and men. Italy has powerful navy with
forty-nne heavily armored modern war cruisers
four of which are equal any naval vessels III the
world: but whlle she employs nearly thousand
more men to man them than the UnlteI states
musters she has less than half the NUMBER ol
officers and extends only about One-half as much a-
nusly to carry on her efficient and formldapie
forces as this cOuntI' spends upon an lnsignihcAh'
collection of antiquated hulks. The United states
has more than double the proper ION OF oihcers 10
men OF any other natlOn. Even II tle United STATES
Navy should become IN years as strong IN ships ana
guns as that of Italy, onehaf its present number OF
officers would suffice. The report continues;
The most shameful msapplo ton OF means TO ends IN
the msnagemeq nj Of the shown however, in me
column OF annual expenditures, wren conSiuere J
the United states has Navy not worth mrntionng ~
comparison with that OF either OF these gfeat P wo
is spending annually far greater PrOOo s SUI
than they are upon their powerful aImeu n n'V E nd
for rnoton and repairs and oos OF yards and COCKS
vet lille Engl md DCudes in these the annual a,tOn
10 her Navy OF 1000 TO $4,000 tons in new vessels We
include oye At our tiO OF eSpend are we siOu "uu
1000 e. 900 in new tOnnage every year.
Congress has appropriated $500 100000 for the
Navy since the close of the War. Meantime the
Navy has dwlndled from 675 vessels TO l39 OF all
classes Tho average annual expenditure beng
S21. 900 600. Within the last seventeen Years
SOS 435 s75 has been appropriated for construction
and repair $l2S32,029 for ordnance ana
s32 724 II . for 10 linten NJ navy var N all
SI43 G92 81 has boon provided for vessels an
arma eats since the War fOr %mth, as the report
ma In he .
PREPARING A RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
lBr IELEGRArH To THR TRIBUNE.i
WASHINGTON. J n. 31.-'Ihe House Committee on
Commerce have been working diligently for the
last fortnight on a river and harbor bill
which they expect TO have ready 70 report to the
House early next week. The first draft
Of the bill was completed several days ago, and
tba COMM toe are nov going over II again.
Penuhlioaus Interested IN itcms Of ths sort are
given an opportunity TO submit such arguments ana
attachments as they desire in order 10 show why
the action Of the committee shouId
be favorable, but the most profound
secrecy has been enjoined TO prevent the
details Of the bill from becoming known IN advance
Of its pre sen tatlon 10 the House.
It'll learned. however that the total amount
recommended by the bill is between $500 900 and
SO 900 900. including 500 600 for the Mississippi
Rivey below Cairo. aud that all the items are for
harbors aud rivers that have commerce, although
some of them are contained in the list Of objVhon-
able items furnished to tho House by the Secretary
Of War
1t is probable that the report Of the Special
Committee on the MisN slppi River I'M
movement will also be submitted to
the House next week, aud f'om what IS
known Of the conclusions reached and views enter
xatned nv a majority Of til members Of thar COM
mite is thought hardly probable nat the report
will rec 1nmend liberal an appropriation for next
wear a, fhe Commerce COmuIi Tee seem disposed TO
make Should there be disagreement between tie
two comn tees there little doubt that the house
will adopt the recommendations ~ the special
committee.