The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-12-10
TIL f NAVY.
COnd1itiO on Of Our m n rine and Recon-
nleRdatiOns for Improvement.

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meRdatiOns for improvement.
The report Of the secretary of the navy
gives history OF the operations of his de-
partment and the present condition Of the
work committed to his charge. He details
IN full the course pursued by him to protect
certain vessels u niuished ut the time of bis
accession to Office, and also concerning the
dispatch boat Dolphin, claimed to be COM
plete and awaiting the acceptance Of the de-
partment No one can fail to see from the
recitals contained in this report that only the
APPLICATION OF BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
has been Insisted upon in the treatment of
the subjects, and that whatever controversy
has arisen was caused by the exaction OIL the
part of tho department Of contract oblipa-
lions as they were legally construed. In the
case of the Dolphin, with entire Justice to the
conf ractor, an agreement has been entered
into providing for the Advertisements by q
Judicial inquiry of the complete or partial
compliance with the contract in her con-
struction. and further providing for the as
sessment OF any damages to which the govern
ment may be entitled on account of partial
failure to perform such contract, or the paw
ment of the sum still remaining unpaid
upon her price in case full performance ia
ad5udged. Vhe contractor. by reason of his
failure in business, being unable to complete
the other three vessels, they were taken DOS
session OF by the government in their unfin-
1shed state, under an act i'll the contract per-
hitting such course, and are now in process
OF completion in the yard of the contractor.
but under the supervision of the navy de-
partment. Congress at its last session
authorized tho construction Of
TWO ADDITIONAL CRUISERS
and two gun boats, at cost not exceeding in
the aggregate g., 995, 900. The appropriation
for this purpose having become available on
the LIST day OF July last, steps were at once
taken ro- the procurement of such plans for
the construction of these vessels as would be
likely to insure their usefulness when COM
Dlctcd These are of the utmost importance,
considering the constant advance in the art
of building vessels Of this character and the
time is not lost which is spent in their care
full construction and selection. All must ad-
init the Importance OF an effective navy to q
nation like ours having such an extended sen
coast 10 protect, and yet we have not single
a hrst-class vessel Of any important power.
Sucn condition ought not longer to con-
tinue. The nation that
CANNOT RESIST AGGRESSION
IS constantly exposed to it. Its foreign policy
Is or necessity weak and its negotiations are
conducted with disadvantage because it is
uOt IN condition to enforce the terms die
tated by its sense of right and justice. In
spircd as l am by the hope, shared by all
patriotic citizens. that the day is not far dis
tant when our navy will be such as BELTS our
standlng among the nations of the earth, and
le1olceo at every step that leads in the
direction Of such a contamination, deem it
my duty to especially direct the attention OF
congress to the close of the repor of the Sec
retary OF the navy, in which
THE HUM1LIAT1NG WEAKNESS
OF the present organization of this depart
ment IS exhibited. and the startling abuses
and waste OF its present methods are ex-
posed. The conviction is forced upon us with
the certainty of mathematical demonstration
that oefore we proceed further in the restors-