With a full appreciation of the fact that compliance with the suggestions of the head of the Department and of the advisory board must involve a large expenditure of the public money, I earnestly recommend such appropriation as will accomplish an end which seems to me so desirable.
Nothing can be more inconsistent with true public economy than withholding the means necessary to accomplish the object intended by the constitution to the national legislature. One of these objects, and one which is of paramount importance, is declared by our fundamental law to be the provision for the “common defense.” Surely nothing is more essential to the defense of the United States, and of _all_ our people than the efficiency of our navy.
We have for many years maintained with foreign governments the relations of honorable peace, and that such relations may be permanent is desired by every patriotic citizen of the republic.
But if we heed the teachings of history we shall not forget that in the life of _every_ nation emergencies may arise when a resort to arms can alone save it from dishonor.
The Secretary of the Navy commences his annual report for the same year with this earnest appeal in behalf of the navy:
The condition of the navy imperatively demands the prompt and earnest attention of Congress. Unless some action be had in its behalf it must soon dwindle into insignificance. From such a state it would be difficult to revive it into efficiency without dangerous delay and _enormous expense_. Emergencies may at any moment arise which would render its aid indispensable to the protection of the lives and property of our citizens abroad and at home, and even to our existence as a nation.… The mercantile interests of our country have extended themselves over all quarters of the globe. Our citizens engaged in commerce with foreign nations look to the navy for the supervisory protection of their persons and property. Calls are made upon the Department to send vessels into different parts of the world, in order to prevent threatened aggression upon the rights of American citizens and shield them in time of civil commotion in foreign lands, from insult or personal indignity. It is to be deplored that in many such instances it has proved impossible to respond to these calls, from the want of a sufficient number of vessels.