Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1881 — Report of the Secretary of the Navy. [ARTICLE]

Report of the Secretary of the Navy.

Secretary Hunt, in his annual report, calls the attention of Congress to the neglected condition of the navy, and says unless some action be had in its behalf it must soon dwindle to insignificance. He devotes considerable space to consideration of the reports of bureau officers, and generally indorses the recommendations submitted. Secretary Hunt estimates that $20,013,716 will be needed to defray the expenses of the department for tho fiscal voar ending Juno 30, 1883. Cequisitions are made upon the department to send vessels into different parts of the world to prevent threatened aggression upon rights of American, citizens and to shield them, in time of civil commotion in foreign lands, from insult and personal indignity. It is to be deplored that in many such instances it has proved impossible to respond to the calls, from want of a sufficient number of vessels. Those things ought not to be. While the navy should not bo large, it should at all times afford a nucleus for its enlargement upon an emergency. It becomes the duty of Congress to see to it that the navy of the United States should not bo left to perish through inattention, but should be restored to a condition of usefulness from which it may, upon occasion, be so expanded as to become a ready means of protection at home or active or aggressive warfare in ports and waters of tho enemy. Secrotary Hunt therefore heartily commends to the consideration of Congress the results of the labors of the Naval Advisory Board, lleferring to the work of naval surveying, the Secretary recommends that Congress appropriate tho means necessary to carry out surveys of the West Indies, the Spanish main, the coast of Mexico and Central America. In furtherance of this object the Secretary says the United States steamer Dispatch has been detailed for the purpose of sunveying during tho coming winter months the waters and shoals of the Gulf of Samana, island of San Domingo, which, from its geographical position and extent, seems destined to become of great importance commercially, and as soon as the United States steamer Linta is ready for sea she will be employed on similar service on the Spanish main. The appropriations available for the current expenses for tho fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, were $16,092,801; expenditures, $14,450,789.