an not
refrain from the suggestion that the Congress should carefully take into
account the number of unfinished vessels on our hands and the depleted
condition of our Treasury in considering the propriety of an
appropriation at this time to begin new work.

The method of employing mechanical labor at navy-yards through boards of
labor and making efficiency the sole test by which laborers are employed
and continued is producing the best results, and the Secretary is
earnestly devoting himself to its development. Attention is invited to
the statements of his report in regard to the workings of the system.

The Secretary of the Interior has the supervision of so many important
subjects that his report is of especial value and interest.

On the 30th day of June, 1893, there were on the pension rolls 966,012
names, an increase of 89,944 over the number on the rolls June 30, 1892.
Of these there were 17 widows and daughters of Revolutionary soldiers,
86 survivors of the War of 1812, 5,425 widows of soldiers of that war,
21,518 survivors and widows of the Mexican War, 3,882 survivors and
widows of Indian wars, 284 army nurses, and 475,645 survivors and
widows and children of deceased soldiers and sailors of the War of the
Rebellion. The latter number represents those pensioned on account of
disabilities or death resulting from army and navy service. The number
of persons remaining on the rolls June 30, 1893, who were pensioned
under the act of June 27, 1890, which allows pensions on account of
death and disability not chargeable to army service, was 459,155.

The number added to the rolls during the year was 123,634 and the number
dropped was 33,690. The first payments on pensions allowed during the
year amounted to $33,756,549.98. This includes arrears, or the
accumulation between the time from which the allowance of pension dates
and the time of actually granting the certificate.

Although the law of 1890 permits pensions for disabilities not related
to military service, yet as a requisite to its benefits a disability
must exist incapacitating applicants "from the performance of manual
labor to such a degree as to render them unable to earn a support." The
execution of this law in its early stages does not seem to have been in
accord with its true intention, but toward the close of the last
Administration an authoritative construction was given to the statute,
and since that time this construction has been followed. Thi