necessary to begin capital ship replacement constrction, will not approach such total availability figure by at least the amount of the reduction indicated, A reduction of $14,690,000 proposed by the committee in the 1936 bill was vociferously protested in several quarters, but the present hearings disclose that there will be an unexpended balance at the close of the present fiscal year of roundly $19,000,000 in excess of such amount. An interesting forecast of shipbuilding expenditures in future years appears on page 4 of the hearings. It does not take into account replacement of battleships or auxiliary naval ships. The treaty Navy maximum annual cost figure contemplates an annual expenditure upon ship construction of $151,546,641. INSTRUCTION The policy the committee has been inveighing against of educating line officers in the duties of officers of the Supply Corps, Construction Corps, and the Corps of Civil Engineers, and then, after having provided such special instruction, leaving it optional with the officers. to join up with the staff corps or continue in the line or to require them to perform alternately line and staff duties, is to be abandoned. The position of the Committee has been sustained by the General Board of the Navy. The limitation dealing with the matter, which the committee proposed last year and which was approved by the House after debate, has been continued, amended to express more clearly the intent. It merely constitutes a redeclaration of the attitude of the Legislative Branch and will be observed in letter and spirit, the Committee is advised. NAVY DEPARTMENT The estimates for the Navy Department proper, including the Naval Observatory and Branch Hydrographic Offices, compare with current appropriations and committee recommendations for 1937 as follows: The increase of $98,070 for personal services covers 46 additional positions (1,843 total) in 10 bureaus and offices of the Department, all or virtually all urged because of the increased work load growing out of the expansion that has taken place and is taking place in the Navy. As pointed out a year ago the departmental force was reduced by 204 positions by administrative action in the fiscal year 1934. The Bureaus of Navigation and Supplies and Accounts appear to be in need of the greatest amount of additional assistance, the former in connection with increases in officer and enlisted personnel and of midshipmen, and the latter in the same connection and in connection with procuring, issuing, and accounting for a much greater volume of material of all kinds. The committee found justification for all of the additional positions save an additional patent attorney in the office of the Judge Advocate General and three clerical positions in the Office of Naval Intelligence. On account of these four positions it has made a reduction of $9.280. The relatively small increase of $5,000 in the item for printing and binding will take care of but a small portion of requisitions aggregating an amount far in excess of the current appropriation. LIMITATIONS AND LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS The following limitations and legislative provisions not heretofore enacted in any appropriation bill are recommended: On page 30, in connection with the appropriation "Maintenance, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts": for transportation on Government-owned vessels, notwithstanding the provisions of other law, of privately owned automobiles of Regular Navy and Marine Corps personnel upon change of station. On page 42, in connection with the appropriation "Aviation, Navy": Provided further, That no part of this appropriation shall be used * or for the construction or manufacture in a Government-owned factory or plant of airplane engines, other than experimental engines, or airplanes, other than airplanes for primary training purposes. NAVY DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, FISCAL YEAR 1937 Comparative statement of the amounts appropriated for the fiscal year 1986, the Budget estimates for the fiscal year 1987, |