e., since
July 1--show for the five months a decrease of over $2,400,000 from
those of the corresponding months last year. The estimates for the
current year were $28,205,671.37. Those for next year are $20,683,317,
with $955,100 additional for necessary permanent improvements. These
estimates are made closely for the mere maintenance of the naval
establishment as it now is, without much in the nature of permanent
improvement. The appropriations made for the last and current years were
evidently intended by Congress, and are sufficient only, to keep the
Navy on its present footing by the repairing and refitting of our old
ships.
This policy must, of course, gradually but surely destroy the Navy, and
it is in itself far from economical, as each year that it is pursued
the necessity for mere repairs in ships and navy-yards becomes more
imperative and more costly, and our current expenses are annually
increased for the mere repair of ships, many of which must soon become
unsafe and useless. I hope during the present session of Congress to be
able to submit to it a plan by which naval vessels can be built and
repairs made with great saving upon the present cost.
It can hardly be wise statesmanship in a Government which represents a
country with over 5,000 miles of coast line on both oceans, exclusive
of Alaska, and containing 40,000,000 progressive people, with relations
of every nature with almost every foreign country, to rest with such
inadequate means of enforcing any foreign policy, either of protection
or redress.
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