The Indianapolis journal., 1885-01-05
oG. NAVY.
Secretary Chandler on the Question of Ap-
preparations for 1t.

Secretary Chandler on the Question of APP
preparations for 1t.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4-Secretary Chandler, in
answer to letter from Mr. Randall, chairman
of the House committee on appropriations, con-
corning the amounts necessary to properly
maintain the naval establishment says in part
three bills conveniently awaiting the concurrent
action Of the two houses, it was found lmpossi-
BILE to pass any one of them before Jan. /, 1885,
and that therefore serious embarrassments have
arisen in administering the naval establishment.
May j not ask the earnest attention of your
committee to the Importance of speedily termi-
mating the anomalous condition of affairs which
makes it necessary to maintain the naval
service without the assistance of the usual aI
preparations therefor The Senate havr /.
dropped all propositions for appropriation.
for additional cruisers and completing the mo-!
itors, the present questions in controversy seem
to~be only these: On side, whether the ap-
preparation bill for the balance of the fiscal year
shall be framed after consideration in detail of
the estimates which the law requires to be sub
mitted to Congress for the special needs of the
service for the year. and whether the specific
amount to be applicable to each object of the APP
preparation shall be distinctly named III the bill;
or, on the other side, whether without such con-
sideration there shall be appropriated in general
terms so per cent of the amounts granted in
last years bill for the variots objects specifically
named in that bill. Surely this question is not
a vital one. The first method is undoubtedly
the wisest and safest, conforming to practice
which has never been.and never should be de-
parted from EXCEPT in emergency. The second
is loose, regular and dangerous. taking
from the Treasurs millions of dollars, with no
indication ON the face of the act of the spe-
ciic use to which any dollar is to be applied.
But that is certain which may be made certain,
and it is better to make appropriations by salute,
giving general authority to the department to
spend as much as it spent last year. than to
place it in position where it is compelled to
struggle along without any appropriations. An
appropriation by vicious method is better than
no appropriation at all, where important govern
mental functions may come to be suspended by
reason of no action by Congress-"
Secretary Chandler gives tabulated state
ment showing that the estimated appropriations
in the bills are insufficient except in case of the
amounts proposed for repairs to wooden vessels,
and concludes as follows:
1.-The whole question of the amounts needed
for routine work, construction and repair and
steam engineering in the navy-yards depends
upon the national policy concerning repairs of
the old wooden ships. 1t the duty of the depart
ment to apportion throughout the whole year
whatever appropriations may be made for the
general service, and thus make the work continu
ous while preventing deficiencies; and this
course will be pursued for the coming half year
There were last year, and have been this year,
no deficiencies which could well have been fore
seen or avoided, and there were. In fact none of
any noticeable amount. except last year, for re-
pairs of the hulls of vessels. Such repairs can
not always be distributed equally throughout all
the months of the years because the work can
be most proftably done during the longer days,
and, furthermore, when repairs are in progress
it is always desirable to hasten them to a con-
clusion. in order that the ships may be promptly
used"