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21st Congress.]

No. 403.

[1st Session.

  

ESTIMATE OF DEFICIENCIES IN THE NAVAL APPROPRIATIONS OF 1829.

COMMUNICATED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 14, 1830.

Navy Department, December 15, 1829.

Sir:

I have the honor to state that it is ascertained that the appropriation of 1829, for the navy, under the following heads, will not be sufficient to meet the demands upon them for the services of the year, viz: Pay, &c, afloat, repairs of vessels, contingent expenses, pay of superintendents, and medicines, surgical instruments, and hospital stores, which arises from the circumstance of sums having been drawn, in the early part of the year, under these heads, from the appropriation of 1829, to cover expenditures made prior to the present year, to wit:

Pay, &c, afloat

$136,922 61

Repairs of vessels

82,840 88

Contingent expenses

30,391 69

Pay of superintendents

392 07

Medicines, surgical instruments, &c

2,206 50

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In addition to the first item above mentioned, there was illegally drawn from the Treasury, on the 3d day of March last, the sum of $9,000, from pay afloat, to purchase about 60 acres of land, adjoining Port Nelson, Norfolk, Virginia, from the Hon. Thomas Newton, on account of the Navy hospital at that place; and which sum was paid over to Mr. Newton, on the same day, by Thomas Fillebrown, jr., late secretary of the navy hospital fund, in whose favor the warrant was drawn, by order of the late Secretary of the Navy. Requisitions have also been issued, amounting to $16,757.10, upon the appropriation for the pay and subsistence of the marine corps, to cover disbursements made prior to the present year. It is believed that the appropriations would have been sufficient if these sums had not been drawn. The ship of the line Delaware is daily expected, and when she arrives there will not be sufficient means under the legitimate control of the Department to meet the payment of her unavoidable expenses, principally under the head of pay afloat.

It is therefore respectfully submitted to the consideration of the Committee of Ways and Means, whether an appropriation should not be made under the several heads, and to the amounts hereinbefore mentioned, and thereby place the Department in a situation to meet the engagements of the service. I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

JNO. BRANCH.

The Hon. George McDuffie, Chairman Committee Ways and Means, House Representatives.