The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-12-12

4 dered dead tax upon the Treasury. They not only
| 30 back and circulate among our people, but,
unlike most other expenditures Of the Government,
they give employment to industry, encouragement to
enterprise, and patronage 10 genius They perform,
10 great extent the Office of protective tariff, in
developing and bringing into various sources Of
| our national wealth, particularly in copper, iron,
hemp, provisions, and coal The effect Of even
small disbursement made, upon the public prospe
rty and comfort, Is much more important and eXten-
svc than the first view Of il would lead to sup
| pose am far from saying that taxes ought to be
levied merely for the purpose OF SO expendng them.
No tax should be imposed, direct or Indirect which
is not required for the legitimate and proper of
Government. But if necessity for the tax can be
shown to exist If the purposes TO which It is propos
ed to apply it, clearly appear TO be useful and profit
able to the country far beyond the Of the tax
itself; II ceases to be burden, and is relieved from
all fair objection. Such In my opinion, is emphatI
cay the case with almost the entire appropriation to
the naval service 1t IS confidently believed that such
appropriations, liberal any aud proper
revenue system wiH alo,c, may be- and of necessity
must be, applied TO " uses far valuable to the
people who pay them, than the money ITSELF and
that far from being oppressive burden, they will
operate as measure of positive relief.
In looking for the sources Of unnecessary expense
throughout the naval establishment | have found
much to correct. 1t cannot be denied that Navy
has cost much more than it ought to have cost con-
siderlng the small number of vessels that have
usually Kept IN C mmlsson. do not know that this
could have been very easily prevented under the for
mer detective organization OF the Department The
mode heretofore pursued of obtaining the supplies of
the Surgeons and Pursers department, and has sub
jected the seamen 10 unnecessary charges the Gro
vernmeDt to constant imposition in many cases to
gross frauds and consequently to heavy losses These
losses have been the greater, in consequence Of the
want OF proper means oil establishing system OF
strict accountability which would have enabled The
Department not only to the extent Of the evil but
to apply the proper remedy. The bureaux TO which
these subjects belong, have been diligently and
ce sully engaged in deysing suitable of guard
ing against similar lmpositions for the future. The
articles are now procured, as far possible from
those who make or produce them, that the profits
always large and olten extortionate which have
heretofore been paid to the grocer the apothecary
and the contractor for clothing, saved to the Co
vernment and the sailor. Such supplies
still compelled to obtain in the former mode, are sub
Jected to rigorous inspection, which Of
their good quality and reasonable prices; and when
brought into the public stores, the persons under
whose charge they placed, required to account
for them with degree Of minueness which promises
to guard efectually against any waste eXtrava
gance in the of them.
have very little doubt that much of the mechani-
cal labor which has been performed at our navy
yards has been too dearly paid for. / can perceive
no good reason why mechanic should work fewer
hours in the day, receive higher wages in a public
dockyard than In private workshops on the contrary
II there be any difference, it should be in favor of the
Government In consequence of the constant
employment and the more prompt and certain pay.
1t certainly good policy the part of the Govern
ment to give such wages will command the most
competent and faithful workmen but this can al
ways be done for the above assigned, for the
same wages which paid al the best private estab
lshments. Measures have been adopted TO place the
Government upon terms Of just equality with in
divlduals in this respect
But a still more considerable source of expense in
bulding repairing, arming and equipping vessels
of war, my be found in the high prices and indier
ent quality of the iron and copper which have been
used. The Department has given mu h attention to
these two mpor ant Subjects with view to the cor
rection of former abuses. In particular kinds Of
iron, the standard has been raistd seventy five per
cent and yet it is found that supplies be obtained
at less prices than heretofore although the quality is
neatly twice COOL The fact, now generally
KNOWN that proper tests applied and that iron
will be received which does not bear hem has served
to create an honorable competition among those
gagged in that branch of industry that the most
important Improvements constantly made. The
United States furnish good iron any other
country in the world, and with suitable encourage
ment would soon be able to supply the world with
that metal
been made. None but the very best iron is APP
piled to that use; and apparatus in progress
and very nearly completed, for snhecing the cables
when finished, to hermotension. long series Of
careful and accurate experiments has ascertaned that
this process adds seventeen per cent to its strength
BY this means the weight, and eonseq ueny he cost
of cable of given strength is greatly diminished
and also is the labor of handling IT board ship.
For this great improvement, we are indebted to the
scientific information and industrious researches of
Professor Walter r. Johnson of Philadelphia. II is
impossible to calculate lis value TO the whole navigat
ing interest of the world The fate Of the largest ship
and of all her often depends upon the strength
OF her cables; that little more or less of strength
in single link, may or destroy her | have
considered it, therefore, of the utmost Importance to
improve, by every practicable means, the quality of
chain cable iron 1t is believed that even at the pre-
sent day, not supposed in this respect by any
other nation; and if Improvements shall advance
hereafter rapidly as heretofore, we may in a short
time safely challenge the composition oethe world
A similar npro vement has been made in iron for
ordnance. Too much Importance cannot be attached
to the soundne5s OF cannon The bursting of a SIN
gle gun in battle is often disastrous than many
broadsides from enemy. 1t not only de-
siroys life, and wi,hdraws SO much from the
effective battery Of the ship, but II also Gre
ates confusion and disorder excites in the minds
of the distrust in the soundness of the other
guns and thus discourages and rem lers them timd.
Hence, consideration of mere money-saving,
should enter into the arrangements Tor procuring
ordinance for the navy. True economy requires that
the uery best guns ohich De made, and none Others
should be used Upon this idea this Department
is acting. No cannon IS received, which does not
bear the st satisfactory tests, and yet it is not found
that the of ordnance is any greater than hereto
FORE On the contrary, guns of the same kind which
have heretofore cost than hundred and thir
ty dollars per tom have recently been contracted for
at nnety-fve dollars
In copper the frauds which have been practised up
on the Government, have been gross and enormous
Pure copper ought to last upon ships bottom twen
ty years; and yet that which we have used upon our
ships of war, has not lasted upon average more
than seven. Upon examining portion of the copper
recently taken from the bottom Of the Columbus,
found that it exhibited the appearance of worm eaten
wood the reason of which is, that it full Of i'm
naritips which corroded and fell out. Even that
which remained, instead Of possessing the toughness
which belongs to pure copper, would not bear to be
bent but broke short of, like piece of cast iron
1t Is impossible TO be too careful In procuring ar
Gle so costly as copper Nothing but the application
of proper scientific tests, detect its impurities, or
won't the rrnssesf and most rninous imnositions