Jenks's Portland gazette., 1802-08-23
VOLUME VI
FROM TIE RICHMOND REcORDER.
[From vireinian co-refpondent.I

II Is nnfOftunateiy true tnat many P5lohS
pretend 10 confider dock and navy yard, as
one and he fame thing. They pretend TO be,
lieve that Congrsf: intended thar there !hould
be no Purchafe excepting the t7vo d5cks.
1 fhould be glad RI It any man, who knows
how TO feparate things which are difimilar,
would make full top Al this place, and before
he proceeds one ltep fu ther, that be would
try to afcertain what i the real difference be-
tween dock and navy yard.
The difference is as wide as podiblc. The
dock is for the uie Of laying up and repairing
Of fhips after they are bult Th. navy yard Is
for The uie Of woIkmen, The depoft and difPlay
Of tlmoers, before and while the fhiP is
building The two docks might be Efficient
for all the fhips Of the navy, and a many more,
But every ihp on the Rocks ought tc have
navy yard to itfelE. The fix feventy fours,
could rot be built without navy yard TO each,
unlels il fhould be in f0cceaion. Does any
body pretend hat this delay was contemplated
by the law Do not the ltatute and the APpio-
Prlation ihew 70 the conuary' Was Il not the
duty Of Mr.. Soddert 10 cauie the whole OF the
fix ihips to be built at once How was this 70
be done without navy yard to each Of them (
Mr.. Stoddert's cAlumniators and their duPesy
fay, in The docks. Mr. Cenfor Smith iays at
Philadelphia and The inve0gators leen to have
thought Nr Sfoadrt5 e6ice tbstrotsr place. a
man who is luR able TO diainguiih cart from
horie--water from fand--a lhip when buils,
from the rough tmbers before they are put 70.
gether, would give a different aafwer. And
yet the fasacious all Knowing committee Of in.
veitigaton have iad, or fomething 70 the fame
effe6, that fix feveuvy four gun thiPs could at
the fame time be built, fitted and equipped for
fel in tqro docts Or ia Mr.. Stoddtrt's Office
Tell 1T NOT in Gath |
If Mr.. Stoddert had purchafed a finele dock
more than the law directed, il would have de-
ferved iaveGi ION. So likewfe. II he had
purchAfed one navy yard LEI than was Iufi ient
for the building of fix feventy fcurs, At the
fame time, he would, in my opinion, have de-
lerVed condemnation. It would have been a
weak Puhllanimous f5rbearauce upon an i'm
portdnt point, in(npportable BY any verbal
criticiim, tending u lhow thar any number lefs
Than tx was fe, o. that two docks and fix na-
W yards were fyhonimons terms It would
have proved very clearly, to my Atisfatfion,
that Mr.. Stoddert was totally unfr for his place.
! have already fAid il was better to purchafe
than rent fix navy yards Thefe are my rea.
fons. A navy yard which is near to town
lhould be incfoied il FUSE initial manner
There lhoud be ftveral hops within II, par
tcula.ly one for black fmith, another for q
insr. There ihouid alfo be fnbAantial lum-
Der houf-, in vhi1h az lmall articles might BIZ
fecured and arranged. There thould be an Of
Ace for the iuPeyIntcndant, behies many other
Buildings.
If The navy yard belonged to the Ulited
States, all of theie improvements would be-
erected ia a fubaantial manner 1fthey hould
be rented for fSnrt term, Jheinprovements
would be made barely to fnit that term. The
pIrpofe being anf,eerel, hey would be either
loft, or fold fdr mere trih-.
If the refources Of the United States were 70
itretched that they would not afford a navy
yard 10 each Of th- fx fhps, then il would
have been proper to build one or tive lefs 10
that as far as the deign might Be purified, it
might be done with fpeed and with vigor.
Thefe remarks are made not for thcfe who
underfand fhip building, bat for frch as have
been miGed into the opinion, that f7Do docks, or
TIE Eftk aavy gard at P6iiadsb5i9, 4v9ad azfzvsr
for he building ot fvs 9certy fur gzS ps al tks.
fam, time.
But, fupPole that fometbiag might Be faid in
favor of the committees report, | (houd then
be glad 70 know upon whas principles the ex-.
ecutive council Of Vrginis, the members Of the s
laR aGembly, or their eolosits and fupporterss-
can preteod TO f7dt taRh 1pitb Mr.. Stoaatyt ?
Nothing coud be more amufhg than to
hear the lepArate aniwer whi-h would be given
upon this cafe. 1t is mott likely no anfweC-
will be attempted becauie no ubfauti4l an
fwer can be given. Why tEen sit that coun-
tenance is Or has been given 20 f1cb lfapdaloas
Is il not the du.y Of every
perfon IN each Of thele departments to give bis
conflant attention and duty to every thing
which occurs, ID which the public iatsrcit, re-
Pofc, or happineis. is in any way ceHterneIe
fay YES and ihaii be glad to know tie man
who draws his aipend from the public sreaiu-
ry, who viii FAY no, No.
Does this atflrd clsmor proceed from the
want Of talents No. Is ittTom The want 0c