St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-09
THE NAVY.
Condition OF Our Marine and RECON-
MendlfiOnS for IINnrnYement

Me1kOsttlOnS 1OE 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
the rights of the government in respect to
certain vessels Il unfinished at the time of his
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 OH the
part OF the department of contract oblga-
tons as they were legally construed. In the
case of the Dolphin, with entire justice to the
contractor, an agreement has been entered
into providing for the associatements by a
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 pay
ment OF the sum still remaining unpaid
upon her price in case full performance is
adjudged- The contractor, by reason of his
failure in business, being unable to complete
the other three vessels, they were taken pos
session Of by the government in their unfin-
ished state, under an act in 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 the construction of
TWO ADDITIONAL CRUISERS
and two gun boats, at cost not exceeding in
the aggregate s., 995. 900. The appropriation
for this purpose having become available on
the 1st day of July last, steps were at once
taken for the procurement of such plans for
the construction of these vessels as would be
likely to insure their usefulness when COM
pleted. 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
IuI construction and selection. Ali must adj
mt the Importance Of an effective navy to q
Hdllon Ike ours having such an extended sea
coast TO protect, and yet we have not a single
vessel OF war that could keep the seas against
4 f1rst-class vessel OF any important power.
Sucn condihon ought not longer to con-
unue. The nation that
CANNOT RESIST AGGRESSION
is constantly exposed to it, It's foreign policy
is of necessity weak and its negotiations ore
conducted with disadvantage because it il
not in condition to enforce the terms die
tated by its sense of right and Justice. In
spired 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
standing among the nations of the earth, and
rejoiced 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
Rotary of the navy, in which
THE HUMILIATING 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 before we proceed further in the restora-