Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1883 — THE NAVY. [ARTICLE]

THE NAVY.

EXPENDITURES FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING. The report of J. A. Smith, Paymaster General of the United States navy, Chief of the Bureau for Provisions and Clothing, shows that the expenditures for provisions during the year amounted to $1,000,959. The amount expended by pay officers abroad was $804,860; expended by the bureau, $273,918. There is a deficiency for provisions amounting to $173,987. The total expenditures on account of clothing were $215,741, leaving a balance of $344,586. The total amount expended on aocount of small stores was $22,556, leaving a balance of $127,050. The amount expended for contingencies was $18,549, leaving a balance of $31,539* A comparison with previous years shows a rapid increase in payments for cominuted rations. Great improvement has been made in the clothing of the enlisted men of the navy under the present system of manufacture at the New York navy yard. Changes are, however, contemplated, with a view of improving the quality and reducing the cost of the clothing. An appropriation of $60,000 is asked forth© payment of freight on stores. The estimates for the next fiscal year include $18,580 on account of salaries for elerks; $l,lOO for miscellaneous expenses; $120,450 for commuted rations of 1,100 officers; $180,675 for commuted rations of 1,650 men and boys; $21,900 for commuted rations of 200 marines; $876,975 for rations for 7,400 men, boys and marines and other expenses; $60,000 for freight on shipments, and $12,411 for expenses of the civil establishment. . CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR. The Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair, in his annual report to the Secretary of the Navy, estimates that $400,000 will be necessary to complete the frigate New York at the Brooklyn navy-yard, and the Mohican at Mare island. He recommends that the Thilmany process for preserving timber be adopted. A sufficient appropriation should be made by Congress to purchase shipbuilding material to put in stock. Hie number of wooden vessels will be largely reduced under the operations of the act which forbids the repair of any wooden vessel of the navy when the repairs will cost more than 20 per cent, of the appraised value. It is recommended that the limit of repairs on wooden vessels be fixed at 33 per cent, of the cost of a new vessel of like she and materials, unless Congress may see fit to replace them by iron or sseel vessels. 81 nee the passage of the act in operation, repairs on the following named vessels have had to be abandoned: Alaska, Monongahela, Plymouth and Ticonderoga. Ail of these vessels, except the Alaska, were worth repairing. The same act will sacrifice the Richmond and Pensacola. The limit for the existence of the Minnesota is fixed at eighteen months. The Colorado is to be placed in ordinary, and the Vermont fitted as a receiving ship. The Tennessee will not last longer than twelve months. The training-vessels Saratoga, Portsmouth, and Jamestown will soon have to be abandoned nnder the present law. Richard Cousins. 100 years old, voted for Hoadly for Governor of Ohio at the recent elee lon. Cousins cast bis first vote for 1 homas Jefferson in ItOi. and from that year to this fall has not failed to attend any genera] election and has voted for an unbroken period of seventy-nine years an unseattched Democratic ticket. The Hannibal (Mo.) negroes have "resolved ” to “ disarm prejudice and the malignity of the power for evil ” by redoubling their energies to become ••intelligent, industrious and law-abiding citizens, deserving of respect and fair treatment at the hands of every ono/| 1 Pawtucket, R. L, with 25,800 population, has again voted not to take a city charter.