The president that spent most of the Treasury's money making improvements, such as modernizing the navy was: B. Chester Arthur
Years after the civil war ended, American navy was left without proper care which lead to the deterioration of its quality.
Chester Arthur saw this as a possible threat if united states somehow have to involved in another war. Based on this concern, he proposed a naval reform to the congress to modernize both the ships and weapons that held by united states' navy.
