Year: 1878




ence upon foreign nations for the transporta-
tlOn OF our surplus products to the markets
Of the world. The benefits and profits of our
own carrying trade should be enjoyed by our
own people, and they can't be further de-
prlyed Of them without violating the princi-
pies OF correct practical economy. Every
dollar paid for freights 20 vessels built and
owned abroad is 80 much coin withdrawn
from our domestic use and adds to the wealth
OF other countries; and when ocean freights
are Increased, as they have been, beyond
their actual value in consequence Of the ab-
senCe Of competition, this burden upon our
industries becomes proportionately greater.
Only o few years ago a combination OF En-
gilsh steamship companies secured almost
completely the monopoly Of our grain carry
ing trade by chartering all ships available for
that purpose, which resulted in the advance
OF ireights upon grain OF about seventeen
cents per bushel, SO that the increase alone
amounted In the aggregate to about $8,000,-
0UU annually, which was a clear loss to the
wheat producers of this country.


ms R large sum might have been saved to
not been driven from the sea. The total loss
| by these means in the shipment Of grain and
| cotton amount to about $18, ,000,O 900 annually,


and IL to this be added like proportion OF
| loss upon freights of other numerous articles
| which made up the aggregate of our commerce,


our annual loss in the computation OF the effect
Of competition on the price Of ocean freight


is seen at the present time by a comparison
|


wheat from San Francisco and New York to


Europe The large product OF the late har-
vest in California has attracted SO many
| freightiDg vessels to the Pacific that prices
are greatly reduced, while, in consequence Of
| the diminished number engaged in the At
| lantic trade, the old rates from New York to
Europe are maintained, or, if changed are
somewhat increased on account of the ab-
| sence OF competition, and the result is that


the California wheat growers get their grain
| to the European markets at only q fraction
| more for transportation than those in the At
| lantiC States, though they are further away
| five or six Thousand miles Of ocean nayiga-


ton. II it is to Decorne a part Of our settled
policy that our commercial markets shall


remain in this condition OF inferiority on the
| ocean, and this drain on our wealth Is to con-
| tinue, we shall be left to decide the future OF
| the navy with reference only to the possibility
| OF war with foreign powers, and to the means


Of our national defense by proper protection


to our coasts and harbors.


In this event our industrial interests must


be left to suffer still further injury Our iron,
coal and timber will decrease in value, the
enormous freight3 we now pay will continue
| TO press on the producers OF our surplus ex-
ports, our merchant vessels will be entirely
| driven from the sea, and such Injustice and


ruinous limitation will be then put on the en-
terprlse OF our people that their inventive


genius will be restrained and their labor


without just reward. II all this is to be ac-


complished, the policy which produces it must
be based upon the idea that the navy bears no
| relation whatever TO our commerce, and that


the latter can reach every port OF the world


and encounter all the rivalry and yicissitudes


OF trade without any protection from


it. If, on the other hand, the govern


ment shall put the country In a.


position to reap the full benefits OF it's COM
| mercial enterprise and secure the profits of


our own carrying trade, which properly be-


longs to us, by means of such fostering care
as the national government alone has the


power to give them, our navy should have
such strength and character given toi that 1t
| will be able to furnish protection to our COM


merce wherever it may be needed.


Our present navy is or can be made, without
any other than the current annual appropria-
tion, according to the expenditures Of the
last and the estimates for the present and next
fiscal year, amply sufficient to protect our
commerce in the present stage OF its develop


ment but as our surplus productions are an
nually increasing and must be transported to
foreign markets or become total loss in our
own hands, the question whether or not the
| navy shall be SO improved as to provide for
| this state Of anticipated development must
either now or at some time in the near


future be decided by Congress. Although it


cannot be properly considered without refer


ence to the condition Of the treasury and it's


ability to supply additional appropriations,


yet it becomes an important fact in deciding


to remember that 1t even the 100000, ,000 paid
| for freightS during the last fiscal year to
vessels sailing under foreign flags had been


retained at home and allowed to become part


Of our national wealth our ability to meet
and overcome the emharrassments Of trade
| would have been propOrtlonately increased.
This SUM, If saved and iudciously expended,
| would alone be sufficient to make our
mercantile marine equal to Great Britain
and our navy superior to any in the world.
! By O. mistaken and injurious policy there
| FORE all have suffered the legitimate fruits Of
| commerce to be engaged by others and
| an amount OF money to be withdrawn and
carried abroad sufficient to accomplish these
| results Whether we consider the present
| condition OF nations or our own prospective
greatness as a people, it is necessary that this
| policy should be changed at the earliest possi-
| BILE moment when the financial condition Of
| the country will allow it to be done.


! Considerable space is given to discussion
| OF navy pay accounts, small stores, the Naval
| Academy, amounts expended for improve
ment and repairs OF navy-yards, double
turreted monitors, torpedoes, and the train
ing system. ALI these subjects have hereto
fore been treated of in these dispatches. The
following remarks Oh training are new and
interesting: Il feel it my duty, consequently,
to. call attention to recommendation on
this subject In my last annual report, and
to invite for the system the protection of Con-
gress In order to perfect and place it upon a
permanent basis it will require the enact
ment Of law authorizing the selection Of 500
boys annually, at an expense not exceeding
500, 900 per annum, for the purpose Of man.
ming the navy with an intelligent, thoroughly
trained and educated class Of American sea-
men VINO Will 1eel all the Responsibilities ana
obligations Of citizenship. It matters not
where these boys are born. Their training
under the national flag will nstill into their
minds the duty Of its protection. In this
connection I have also the honor to re-
commend that hereafter all war
rant officers in the navy be
appointed from the most Intelligent
and deserving Of these boys and II an addi- !,
tion to the introduction Of these we'll educated
and trained boys into the grade Of warrant
officers s. recognized rank be given ae in fhe
English navy, that corps would soon recover
from the disrepute into which it has some
what fallen on account Of the professional
and physical incompetency Of some of it's
members, and would besides present to the
boys legitimate object Of ambition which
would be constantly present in their minds.


WEATHER PROBABILITIES,


WASHINGTON Nov. 2s-FOr the West Gulf
statGa, MarLuGC, clear lu cloudy zaather-