maintained
to a high standard and the percentage of American citizens enlisted has
been very much increased.

The Secretary is considering and will formulate during the coming winter
a plan for laying up ships in reserve, thereby largely reducing the cost
of maintaining our vessels afloat. This plan contemplates that battle
ships, torpedo boats, and such of the cruisers as are not needed for
active service at sea shall be kept in reserve with skeleton crews on
board to keep them in condition, cruising only enough to insure the
efficiency of the ships and their crews in time of activity.

The economy to result from this system is too obvious to need comment.

The Naval Militia, which was authorized a few years ago as an
experiment, has now developed into a body of enterprising young men,
active and energetic in the discharge of their duties and promising
great usefulness. This establishment has nearly the same relation to our
Navy as the National Guard in the different States bears to our Army,
and it constitutes a source of supply for our naval forces the
importance of which is immediately apparent.

The report of the Secretary of the Interior presents a comprehensive and
interesting exhibit of the numerous and important affairs committed to
his supervision. It is impossible in this communication to do more than
briefly refer to a few of the subjects concerning which the Secretary
gives full and instructive information.

The money appropriated on account of this Department and for its
disbursement for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, amounted to more
than $157,000,000, or a greater sum than was appropriated for the entire
maintenance of the Government for the two fiscal years ended June 30,
1861.

Our public lands, originally amounting to 1,840,000,000 acres, have been
so reduced that only about 600,000,000 acres still remain in Government
control, excluding Alaska. The balance, being by far the most valuable
portion, has been given away to settlers, to new States, and to
railroads or sold at a comparatively nominal sum. The patenting of land
in execution of railroad grants has progressed rapidly during the
year, and since the 4th day of March, 1893, about 25,000,000 acres have
thus been conveyed to these corporations.

I agree with the Secretary that the remainder of our public lands should
be more carefully dealt with and their alienation guarded by better
economy and greater prudence.

The commission ap