WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
261
The President need not express the painful solicitude he feels on the subject. Having heretofore laid it before the honorable Congress with as much urgency as he thought consistent with the delicacy of the relations which he bears to it, nothing but his anxiety could induce him again to call its attention to the subject. The accompanying papers inculcate the great necessity of adopt- ing some immediate course which may be calculated to produce some good to the nation by saving what remains of the Navy and preventing further expense and involvement. From the best estimate that can be made out, the actual daily .expense at this time, will exceed one hundred dollars. This is without any corresponding benefit- and the estimate is made in hard dollars. The wear and tear and decay of the vessels and injury resulting from their present condition may also be fairly estimated at a clear loss of one hundred dollars per day-making the daily injury to the country, amount to about two hundred dollars per day- to fourteen hundred dollars per week-to six thousand dollars per month, and seventy-two thousand dollars per annum. This calculation is made upon such data as to leave no doubt of its correctness. While the government remains without one dollar at its dis- position, and expenses continually and inevitably accruing, the Executive is constrained to ask what can be done? If no expense would accrue until a decision of the question was made by the Honorable Congress, and no injury result to the public property, it might be postponed. But as evils of great magnitude are daily resulting, expenses increasing, no means providing, and no hopes of getting the Navy to sea, the Executive feels warranted in soliciting most respectfully and urgently the attention of the Honorable Congress to the subject. Early and prompt attention on the part of the Congress and Executive may effect a great saving to the nation, a~d rid the country of heavy expenses and increase our means by a judicious disposition of the Navy. Texas is totally unable to maintain it in service: an effort to do so will only be attended with disappointment and misfortune. Although I have not the data before me, my impression is that we are now in arrears with individuals, for pay due to officers and seamen, provisions procured at various times, contingencies, and repairs done, in a sum a little short of an hundred thousand dollars. We have no means to meet these demands, and they constitute a source of endless annoyance to the officers of the
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