Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-02-05


Navy dgents at Leghor1s in Nqly.
Nary Department, Jan. a, 1911.
SIR.
In obedience to the resolution Of
tAe House Of Representative of the
&tth ult. requiring me to- explain to
inc House the cause, wherefore the
several bills of exchange amounting
- $4,000 dollars, and OF various
dates, from, May 10, 1905, TO Teb-u-
cry 81, 1907, we're charged il the ac-
count No. 2, of Degeu, Purviance and
c mPany, navy agents at Ieghorn, as
sc'iled at the navy department on the
a1ih March, 1909, and for what rea-
.soDs the same were not included in
the account of the said Desen and
company, which was settled at the ma
w department. on the 30,h June 1903 ;
aad also to inform the House whether
the said bills were purchased by the
then Secretary of the Navy, or 6y a
navy agent, ana if by tie latter, that
u copy of the said navy agents ac-
c,nns, embracing the period of pur-
caasr also accomp2ny the irforma-
si,'s - have now the honor to re-
pslt:
That the cause, why "the several
bills OF exchange amounting to 256OOo
elei.s-a, and ofvar,ous dates from NJ ay
1o.h, 1905, to February 2lss, 1907,
were charged in the account, No. Q, of
Degen, Pu'yiance and company, navy
agcnts at Leghorn," was, at the time
the accoua, No. g, was settled, the
feceip- OF the bills mad been acknowl-
ed ed by Dcgeu, Purviancc & Co. &
sa>h acknowledgement warranted the
charge.
sast the cause, why " the said bills
WE not included in The account of
said Degsn and company, which was
Fcstled IT the navy department. on the
aOth June. 1eoS," WAS at the time
that account was settled, the said De-
Gca and company had no. acknowl-
edged the receipt OF the said bills; at
least TIE accountant of the navy had
nor then received such acknowledge.
Jnent; and of course had no voucher
fhstwould, consistently with establish
co rule in adjusting public accounts,
have warranted his charging the said
bi!ls TO the said Degen, urviance &
c..
That by reference to the records of
the oiicc, il appears that the said bills
wcTe purchased by navy ageps, VIZ :
general John Stricken, of Baltimore I;
tsat none Of them were purchased
By the secretary OF the navy but that
il II cases vixen remittauces were
judged so be necessary, the Sc sreta-
~ OF lhe navy, issued his Instructions
10 the agent, directing him to pur
c5ase 6iils on the best terras ia his
power. Fhe fora o: such ins;rdc ioas
j. Jaasaittcd herewith and marked
II.
As these bills were purchased by a
rsyy agent, am required bv the re-
s"1tiou TO lay before the house n co.
py OF the agents account embracing
the period OF purchase. The object
Of he resolution appearing to me 90
he solclF to require information res
pee ing the bits IN question, rave.
Ieq1ested the accountant Of tue navy
Is preparing this account, to exclude
2 ell mnter irrelalive TO taat subiect ;
ssd 20 present the account ftbe pur-
clare OF the bills in af'rin as concise
a. rossibie, yet ccnprehending I'll the
i0l"rmstjon deemed necessary to p
perfect understanding OF it, trust
i'as IN ibis respect, / have correctly
.n.!erssood the object of the reso-
iItinn. Ii copies OF the ageat's ac-
counts geDcr lily rs rccdcrcd and set
tied astne oihge were gwen, they would