The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-03-30
INTERESTING CONGRESSIONAL.
REPORT

Letter from tire Secretary cfthe Navy res
A esiny the 9reeusion ofthc L0svs for &c
increase IF pie hapy. sothe Cnairn,aa u
sie Committee on .Wapal .5Sairs.
March 10Th, l8l4-Orlered To be printed,
NAVY DEPARTMENT., March 8, 1914.
Sir
In compliance with your request to be informed
Of the progress mshe in the building Of the vessels
authorised BY law, ct the steps taken in respect 10
the procuring Of tiu.ber unter the act of the Soth
OF March. 1912, aud in relation to the Dock Yard
authorised nv law, L have the honor to submit the
following information:
Three ships Of - guns each, ard Of the largest
class, are now building of prime materials xnd in
the most substantial aud durasie manner, viz. one
At Portsmouth,, New-Hsmpshre; one ut Charles
town, MASSACHUSETTS. and one at Ph'sdsiphis. The
two former, It ex pected will be launched III the
moath of July. and the latter in the mouth of Dee.
next
Three ships of * guns eaeh Of the largest class.
are also building OF durable materials, in the beat
manner, viz one at Philadelphia, at Baltimore,
and one at the usvy-yard in this city. The two
former It is expected will be launched about the
middle Of April, and the latter in all the month of
July next.
been built in the mos. substantial manner and Of
good materials. One of which has sailed on cruise
three under sailing orders ready for sea, nae is
nearly msnned, and Is expected TO be ready for sea
50 che course OF ten days, & one is fitting at the
nsvy-yard in this city.
Sxbargss have been purchased at Philadelphia
alec four ut Baltimore and one at Norfolk.
Eight have been built st Baltimore, ten are near!y
completed on the eastern shore of Maryland, four
have been built and is building at the ma ~.
yard in this city, five are building at Charlsston s.
Carolina, nix ~ St MSry's, Georgia, and preparsto-
ry measures are now IN operation TO increase the
force in North-Carolna and at New-OrIeans IN YES
sells of this description, as faa can be pro.
cured to man them.
Previous 10 The year 1915, ii appears that no tim.
Der had been procured under the act of March
50, 1875 but early IN the year 1913, timber TO the
anDuat OF $4,000 dolls purchased at Baltimore
under the act OF March SOth, 1879, suitable for
rebuilding the frsates Psiisdeiphia General Greene
New-York and Boston ;" but as there is no appro-
Pristoa authority rebuild those rgates AID as
the Phisdeipbir IS not in existence, aud the Gene
raj Greene, Nsw-York and Boston are rotten ortiz.
less hulks that would cost much more, ia proper.
don 10 their vsIne, ia rebuild them than to tud
new frisates of better class and vastly superior
construction apart of that timoe has b. applied
TO the building of The ~ and the soops OF war at
Baltimore, and the "a and ~ Philadelphia
Contracts for and purchases of timer to a very
considerable amount nave been made for naval pur-
poses dur'og the year 1919 but which have been
charged In the particular appropriation of the
S0th Of March, 1912, though applied to the same
purposes timber eharsesble IN taat appropriation
would have been, viz in huitlsE the three Is s at
Portsmouth,, G. a-les,own and Ph,lads phis tie "a
gun shis at the latter plsec, and the ~ and soop OF
war at the as,y-Tsrd n this city; also, in the re-
psrs OF The shPs Of ibe navy, aud in preparing
srai sets ct spare mass spars, tops Nc. &e. ready
residue 70 applicable to similar purposes
These have been ehareed ether under the he.t;s
ofrepairs, or 10 the appropriations for building 7is
and trigstss, whish appropriations, it IS eoneeiyes
are properly chargesbie With the timber pu-chassd
for these purposes. cargees, amounting TO ,wen-
ty-s;x tons Of Georgia yellow pine tTa5sr
which hat leen cut isr the use of the British Navy
bat entered the eastern ports of the u States
count Of the war, have been purchased on favors-
bic terms; aiso, pr cargo of northern timber
These are propsry charseable TO The annual sp-
preparation tor the purchase ct timber. A contract
was made in August last for the delivery at Norto
and this place oil. qulGtty Of yellow pine plank +,
tick stuff beams aRd mas. pieces, sas iert for two
shirs OF ~ guas each, snd two ~ frisates. The
timber andcr this contract is now delivering. Con.
tracts Tor ti;uber yet TO be delivered, have been
made at the eastern stations, the particulars of
which are not yet IN the department 4 recent
coursct has been made at Phi,adr,s,,ia for white
oak PLAN. thi k stuff. beams and knees, and tor
yellow pine plank and beams sufficient for a Is and
A gun ship, AID for fifty sticks of yellow nine
for mast. an spar' In &c are charseabIe upon the
appropriation Of the 5oth Msrch,1Si
No contracts for live csk timber have yet been
made, as the transportation is itnpractsske under
existing eireumstsnees; and il collected in con,is-
cradle quaint les at sntnss accessible G vessels fit
for transportation, they would be eqos.y to the
enemy, and the timber when coilec ed, would be
liable TO destruction. As ive-oak is exclusively an.
piled to the frsrne of tmSers which constitute the
form and mould OF the ship, il 10 necessary that the
timber shou,d be cut snd shaped, not only to the
parteulsr curve which e-:h piece is designed hut
10 is true obhque dim nsious otherwise preut
waste in the conversion aud expense ia trancnorta-
ton will ensue fer this purpose, it is necessary
that raughts designs CT the conten plated shiDs
should he determined, proper mouds made by
which to q and shape the mber, and mechanics
employed TO Superintend the eution of the con
tracts Hence contracts for timber of this desc in
ton eanBo: be made and executed with the 81 me
facility and certainty for straight rectangular
timber.
II 10 therefore considered that a state of peace
will be mucL more fsvo able Tor the collection of
stock OF Gaber OF this description than that Of var
an which IL csa neither be transported TO the dock
yards nor deposited ia safety at the sea.coast land
LUIS N verthsless, it is eonte mpiated to max
the necessary arrangements for such supplies OF
suitable live oak timber may be had in places of
safety.
On this subject it is very satisfactory to learn tbst
our resources, in timber OF this kind, are greatly
extend q in the abus3spce which may be procured
mouth Of the VI ssissippi. This species Of timber
requires very little sessening; six months dock my
viii render is peri city for use
" further step hes been taken in rel ton to the
dock yard, than general iaqu ~ snd proper iber-
alton in order TO determine upon the best te in
central situft on
The result has decided in favor of the right bank
or tae Iudsar, stoSs the He5Iends The sotives
to this dses or were, from eon.iderng the eonten,.
MATED doti.yl.d rs the Buelens around which a
treat nasal sstabsb 1f ut insy be formed eomprs-
ing vet and dry locks, iorges founder boring roll
linz ssw and Liock- Ills, blast and smeltng fnrns.
ees'sr armory, ny uic emf; ines, rope works ns n
ufscores % sail duck, end work shops Of all kins
which will require a sopaBs head OF water, readily
comnaaded 10 his vicinity Here, also, viii be the
and dsuDt of tifnllsr of5riels ng