apprentices attached to these ships have been transferred to the general service and to the Constellation, and that ship is now making the winter cruise to the West Indies. The Jamestown and Portsmouth are to be refitted and repaired for service in the Training Squadron and the Saratoga turned over to the State of Pennsylvania to be used as a school-ship for boys. SPECIAL AND DETACHED SERVICE. The Despatch, Ranger, and Michigan continue on detached service, the same as last year. The Boston was recently sent to Livingston, Guatemala, to inquire into an alleged case of gross maltreatment of an American citizen by the military authorities of that place, and proceeded thence to Haytien waters for the protection of our interests there. She returned to New York on the 24th ultimo. The Thetis has been employed during the past year on special service in the North Pacific. She has been actively engaged in visiting the principal settlements on the north and west coasts of Alaska, and has rendered valuable services to our whaling fleet in the Arctic and to numerous destitute miners in Alaska. Through the exertion of her commanding officer, the wrecked American schooner Jane Gray, abandoned in the Arctic, was floated and repaired sufficiently to be sent to San Francisco, where she was turned over to her owners, the officers and men of the Thetis generously waiving all claims for salvage. The Kearsarge was put in commission at the navy-yard, Portsmouth, N. H., on the 2d of November, and sailed from that yard for Hampton Roads, Va., on the 10th of that month. She will shortly sail for Montevideo with relief officers and men for the Tallapoosa, and after receiving those now on board that vessel will again return to the United States. The iron-clads stationed for a number of years at City Point, Va., have recently been moved up the James River to a point about three miles below the city of Richmond. APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES, 1888, FOR THE CURRENT EXPENSES Amount of appropriations for the fiscal year 1888, including transfer of $43,691.25 by appropriation warrant from "Steel cruisers, Construction and Repair," to re-imburse "Construction and Repair, 1888" Drawn by requisition to June 30, 1888 Leaving a balance, July 1, 1888, of..... Due general account of advances to June 30, 1888....... In the hands of disbursing officers June 30, 1888.. Actual balance unexpended, July 1, 1888.. Amount drawn by requisition in August, September, $1,250, 889.86 $1, 106, 011. 25 and October, 1888....... Refunded during same period In hands of disbursing officers, October 31, 1888.. Balance available November 1, 1888, (which will be further reduced by outstanding liabilities)... 116, 353. 73 22,489.50 138, 843. 23 The following table exhibits the appropriations, expenditures, and balances under general heads, the balances being those which were undrawn on June 30 for the fiscal year 1888: Although, as above shown, there was an available balance of $138,843.23 of the appropriations of 1888 for current expenses, that balance is liable to reduction under various heads of minor appropriations, by the payment of outstanding liabilities; and while it appears. that the expenditures were kept clearly within the bounds of the ap propriations, so far as it was within the power of the Secretary of the Navy to control them, a deficiency appropriation will be required under "Pay of the Navy, 1888," in consequence of the increase of the pay of officers of the Navy under recent decisions of the Supreme Court. There is also a small deficiency under "Pay, miscellaneous, 1888." The expenditures under this head of appropriation can not always be controlled and kept within the amount specifically appropriated, as from it are paid all traveling expenses of officers or others on public duty, and the travel performed is dependent upon the necessities and requirements of the service. Of the amount appropriated for the current expenses of the present fiscal year, there has been drawn from the Treasury, after deducting sums refunded from July 1 to October 31, 1888, $3,376,503.79. ESTIMATES AND APPROPRIATIONS, 1889 and 1890. The estimates for the Navy and Marine Corps for the current fiscal year amounted to $23,003,624.13; those for the next fiscal year amount to $26,767,677.74, a difference of $3,764,053.61. Summary of estimates for 1890 for the Navy and Marine Corps. Secretary's office: Pay of the Navy, pay miscellaneous, and contingent, The appropriations for the current fiscal year amount to $19,942,481.05, being $6,825,196.69 less than the estimates for the next fiscal year. This increase of the estimates over the appropriations is shown, by bureaus, and explained as follows: EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENCES. DIFFERENCE IN SECRETARY'S OFFICE. Increased pay to officers under decisions of the Supreme Court....... Increased pay to petty officers and seamen under new classification and rates proposed ................ $100,000.00 300,000.00 Increase in bounty to additional number re-enlisting under honorable Increase on account of additional number of cadets under instruction.. 9,000.00 30,500.00 6,500.00 40,096.00 10,000.00 496,096.00 |