The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-26
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
January 4, 1911


IN obedience to the resolution of the houae
n' representatives of the oath ult. reouirn Or me
TO explain to the house the cause, wberefore
the several bills of exchange amounting n
20 QUO dollars, and of various dates, from Nav
10, 1905, to February 2l, 1907. were ch,r,ea
IN the account No. 2, of Degen, Purviance and
company, navy agents at Leghorn, as set,led at
te navy department on the 18th March 1890
ana ior what reason the same were not inclu
ded IN the account of the said Degen Geo which
was settled at the navy department on the sOtb
June. 1908 & also to inform the house whether
the SAID bills were purchased by the then sec'ry of
the Navy, or by navy agent, and if by the lat.
'er, that copy OF the said navy agents account,
embracing the period of purchase, also accom-
pany the information required - I have now, the
honor to report.
THAT the cause, why " SHE se-ers, bills of
exchange amounting to 256,00o dollars, and of
various dates from May 10th, 1905, to February
2lst, 1907, were charged in the account No, 2.
OF Degen' furviance and Company, navy agents
at Leghorn," was, at the time the account No
was settled, the receipt of the bills had been
acknowledged by Degen, Purvisnce and Com.
pany' and such acknowledgment warranted the
charge. WV
That the cause, why the said bills were
not included IN the account of said Deeen and
company, which was settled at the navy d.
parthent on the goth June, 1s03," was, at the
time that account was settled tie said ,,c-;,n p
90. had not acknowledged the receipt of the
saio bills at least the accountant of the navy
nad not then received such Acknowledgement -
and ct course had no voucher that would. cons;s
tenily with established rule in adjusting nubj;c
accounts, have warranted his CHARGING the
SAID b'Ils 10 the said Degen, Purviance & Com.
pany.
That by reference to the records of the Office
1t appears that the said bills were purchased bv
navy agent. VIZ: general John Stricken, of
naitihsre that none of them were purchased
by Inc secretary of the navy but thai in ali
cases when remittances were Judged TO be ny.
cessary, the secretary of the navy issued his in.
Struc'ions TO the agent, directing linn to purchase
b,i's on the best terms in his power The form
OF such instructions is transmitted herewith and
marked A. 'N
AS these bills were purchased by navy n
gent am required by the resolution, to Law be-
fore The house copy of the agents account en-
oracing The period OF purchase. The object of
the resolution appearing to me to be solely to
require information respecting the bills in cues
ton, have requested the accountant oftbe M
wy in preparing this account, to exclude all mat
terirrelat,ve to that subject; and to present the
account OF the purchase OF the bills i'm a form as
conc Sc as possible, yet comprehendIng all tho
information deemed necessary to "A perfect Tin
deTstandmg oft. trust that in this respect.
nave correctly understood the object Of fine
resolution II copies of the agents accounts 0e-
morally as rendered and settled at the Office were
gwen, they would include great variety of nur.
chases not connected with this subject: and il
might be announcement TO the house to select
from them the information desired. The nc
count as rendered and marked G, states &" the
periods OF pu chase" the exchange, the periods
OF payment tor the bills purchased the persons
on whom purchased, and the persons upon whom
the bills were drawn and with the statements
above, and the letter Of the accountant oftbe ma.
Wy herewith transmitted and marked Il. will. Il
IS hoped, an 'td att The information required by
the resolution of the 2fth ult
IL row remains for me 10 comply with the re
solutlos ofthe 27 b., which directs me TO lav
before the house such further information rel =
tive to the CAGE as may be in the possession ofrbe
navy department, aud as may be necessary to
full knowledge of the SUBJECT"
d ing left, IN some measure, by his resolution.
N exercise my own judgment as to the addition
at inf nmalion necc ssary 10 iull knowledge of
the subject" shall not, hope, be considered
as raas Z upon The lime ofthe house in lay
i''g before 1t tie f0ilowing--