The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-15
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,. MAY II, 1912.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, MAY IT, 1912.
The House being in the Committee of the Whole
on the Naval appropriation bill, and the question be-
ing on the motion of Mr. Meriwether to amend the
clause for pay of commission warrant and petty Off
GERS and seamen by striking out 49, 1885, 432 %" and
inserting a., 1886, 900
But Mr.. c. doubted all these official statements as
to the complement of men in the British Navy. The
official table did not tell the truth. In proof OF this,
refer the complement of men officially set down for
fifty gun frigate in the British Navy, which It APP
peared was 1915; yet the Warspite, now the coast
OF the United States ship Of fifty guns, in article
which Mr. C. read from the United Service Journal
il is said has crew of $50 officers, seamen and una
rines with 20 supernnmerary boys that, considering
the weight of metal which she carries and the size of
her sails and spars, the foregoing numbers are no
more than she should have, and that she comes hcre
not only To bring Lord Ashburton but to show spe-
cimen Of a crack ship of the British Navy. Mr.. Z.
stated that he also knew the fact that the Warspte
had an actual complement of $50 men, through friend
of hs who visited that ship at Annapolis
Mr.. c. next noticed the argument Of the gentleman
from North Carolina, as to the comparative cost OF
supporting the American and British Navies. Mr.
Mckay had taken, as the criterion on this point, the
cost per gun in each service. Mr. c. said he was at
loss to see the force and application of the argu-
ment, even if the premises were correct. lift should
appear be the fact that the cost per gun is greater
in the u ned States than In England-wnat, then
Should we give up the Navy 1t means this, if it
means any thing. But in Nc. CTS opinion, it had
nothing to do with the question What matters it to
us, how much il costs to build equip and sail fIgate
in England Why not as well inquire what it costs
in Russia or in Spain7 The gentleman does no,
show that the difference, which he alleges, is the
suit Of any legal or administrative abuses which
be amended by Congress.
Admitting that the cost per gun in England is
cheaper than herein fact the cost of materials is
about the same in both countres-the wood etc. cost
ing less in one, the metal etc. in the other Of
course the difference must be in the wages Of the
chanics and aborers employed in building vessels
and of the mariners To navigate them. Did the gen.
tleman from North Carolina desire to cut down the
wages Of mechanics and sailors in this country to
those of mechanics and sailors in England II he
desired this, be desired what il impossible We can
compel mechanics to accept 80 cents day at our
Navy Yards, when they get better employment
elsewhere We cannot fill up our ships by Impress
ment We cannot enlist men for the military maine
at dollars month, whilst they have IL in the com
mercial marine But, Mr.. c. said the criterion adopt
ed by Mr.. Mckay, utterly fallacious. 1t was the
that could be selected, from ta uncer
tainty. For example, steamer of the cost and SIZE
of frigate, has no more guns in number than a
schooner revenue cutter; and there was the great
est possible difference in the tonnage of vessels Of the
same class and rate. This appeared concusiyely
from the following table which Nj, C. exhibited;
(3) Comparative tonnage Of the same rate Of vessels
IL n ss- IL Il