The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-12

markable is, that the Board should have advo-
Gated the building of this stupendous dock, after
browning. on that occasion, their objections in
the following language" The Commissioners
beg leave here TO observe, that If the objections
already urged TO the practice Of immersion (pre-
serving timber in water) should not be consider
ed as conclusive, still il would be highly impro-
per to resort TO il al any Of our building yards,
where the worm is known 10 frequent, Norfolk
and New York for instances
MBut fully TO understand the splendid folly OF
this undertaking, you must bear In mind, II Is
not 10 this day settled point, whether water
seasoning is an advantage or disadvantage TO
ship-timber Some maintain that, in the pro-
cess, an acid is generated by the action Of the
water upon the juices of the wood, which is
highly injurious TO the latter. Others, with
equal plausibility, on the other hand, maintain
that the destructive properties Of the wood,
described by the Navy Commissioners as cer-
tain dcescent Preventative qualities Of The sap
juices) are neutralized, by the infusion OF a
pickle which serves TO preserve II. Though OF
such doubtful utility, this Dock was built, des-
uoyed, and built again and there was no one
TO institute series of experiments, IN order TO
determine whether understanding preserves or
destroys timber Under well-regulated sys-
TEN, would not this question have been settled,
before estimates were made, or an Appropriation
asked for this Dock2 At whose recommended
-tion soever the enormous expenses OF thus put
ting up and pulling down were incurred, wlltul
malfeasances of office are not chargeable under
the present system upon any one. For had the
expenses been hundreds of millions instead of
hundreds of thousands, would still defy you,
sir, to set before the public that officer at whom
you could point the finger and assuredy say,
that's the man upon whom rests the blame OF
this thing So true, and so applicable under
this SYSTEM is the old aphorsm, that in dvid-
ed power, there is no individual esponsibility."
Il has been said that ships are repaired at
more than their original cost. | have il, from
good aalhority, that one of our sloops-of-war,
which cost originally $4,000, was recently re-
expense, she would hardly be worth-lor the
purposes OF war--the salt contained in the water
which she displaces. Dull beyond measure, she
could neither come up with an inferior, nor es-
cape from superior force. The original cost
Of the schooner Shark was 900; and when
last repaired, her repairs alone cost $46,0 00 In
proving that the system is ruinous one, am
willing that the above facts may be set aside as
'hearsay' evidence and that the proof should
rest upon the testimony of the expenditure, books
themseves--a very few extracts from which
have found their way into the "Lucky Bag"
BY such testimony, then, partial as it is, let the
system be tried. challenge contradiction to
the evidence afforded by the following state
ments:
Repairs of the Frigate u States in April 1889;
Materials $i3l ,2Sl rs
Labor and stores not asceItained.
thirty-two months-this frigate was again under
repairs.
Materials $522l0 10
Y -
Stores aass5 90
,495 10
This frigate was again under repairs in 1882
cost of S75, 900, or 100000, she was found TO
be rotten, and is now lying at Norfolk unfit for
sea.
The cost Of building forty-four gnn-ship was
reported, by Mr., Secretary Crowninshield, to
the 14th Congress, in 1916, 10 be S153,475 The
repairs put upon this forty -four gun-shp in the
course Of seven years, amount to more than twice
that sum.
Repairs of Frigate Brandywine, in 1884;
Materials SOS, 1886 0S
Labor 81 $50 AZ
Stores, not ascertained
$lOl ,472 So
Repairs of the sloop Natchez, in 1885:
Materials $31 ,653 90
labor 1880 90
Stores, not ascertained.
S59, 4s3 90
The rule among merchandising builders is,
that, on account of what they call dead labor
the cost of labor compared with the cost of mate
rials, is much greater in large ship than small
one-the scaffolding for large ship is much
higher, and the timber much heavier-therefore
more labor is required to hoist it up as well as to
handle it. But observe how completely this very
obvious rule is reversed in the cases of the Bran
DIVINE and Natchez. The former is more than
double the tonnage of the latter-and while
there are S3S 900 difference in the cost of mate
rails there are bur little more than $4,000 diffe-
renee in the price of the labor.
Refer TO statements already made as authentic
as the foregoing, and derived from the same
source, concerning the repairs Of the Pilot and
Active, and of the Falmouth and St. Louis
The Ohio, so guns, repaired at New York prior to
trip to Boston, in 1889, Climbers not touched
Materials $2l9 637 81
Labor 1890 20
Stores, not known
Repairs at Boston l0l 900 90
Stores, not known.
Repairs after return from Boston 1871 90
Stores do do do 27,377 90
Total as far as ascertained 1921 ,355 81
Letter of Dec. g. 1920, in reply to queries pro-
pounded on "a Nov, 1920 by P. p. Barbour, chair
of Naval Committee, Fl. II.
To be continued.
PENNSYLVANIA.
Ev,rac,s nc Gov por,ar's Massaoo