The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-13

4 n mereIy an ornamental character. We did not
want ships TO be floating palaces but We built them
Government amid the iron storm OF battle In exc
cuon Of this idea Of the present Secretary OF the
Navy, on the vessels now building und r his COM
mand, all this expensive and merely ornamental work
was discarded
Then came the economy TO be accomplished in the
equipment of the vessels. That was 10 be effected
BY The same means, and this other, yet more mpor-
tant that instead of making patch work, instead oil
having no unity Of model Of having rigates OF every
rate of guns aud tonnage the rule TO be adopted
that all the vessels of class should b. built OF one
model In this manner vast economy might be ell
| fected and then when one was wrecked ,r became
unfit for service, her spars, &c, instead OF lying use
less in the navy yards for time, and then being sold
for old lumber could be used IN renting others Inc
plan intended TO be pursued was, that the whole sys-
TEN should be uniform and il was one of the most
important reforms that could be made, begun as 1t
was under the direction of the present Secretary of
| the Navy.
A most valuable reform could also be accomplished
in the provisions and ordinary expenses of sailing
Among those suggested he would detain the commit
tee by referring to but or two points. Ia regard
to the pursers department. the pursers BILL if passed,
would be productive OF much benefit. BY it they
took from the mind of the Purser all mercenary mo-
tiyes. Instead of having Stops provided that could
not be used let them fit out their slops for the eli
mate to which the vessel was going and thus they
would introduce economy. Reform might also be
made with reference to the purchase of stores.
| Mr. c. said he would illustrate the operation of
the administrative reforms introduced under direction
of the present Secretary of the Navy by the exhibit
ton of facts point Of expenditure, that of the
construction Of vessels, which facts the most
conclusive and convincing of all possible arguments
on the subject
The brig Somers having been fully equipped was
| turned over to the command Of Commander Mcken.
zie on the l4h of May instant, and her crew are to
be put on board so soon her officers report This
vessel has Just been constructed at the Brooklyn navy
yard and her construction affords the only opportri-
nifty of showing by minute and unquestionabe calcu-
atIon the relative of labor expended upon her
and the saving produced by the recent changes in the
| operations of the Brooklyn navy yard. The state
| ments produced derived from Capt Perry they
are verified by the clerk of the yard II appears that
the labor expended the brig Somers, OF 26 l4-95
tons, 6,65il days Of labor, amounting in wages to
Sl2 l99 The labor expended on the brigantine Dol
phin, the next previously built small vessel in the
yard of 222 1895 TONS was III, 1859 days OF labor,
amounting in wages to Sl8,462 Difference of cost
of labor in favor of Somers Sc 262. Difference in
days of labor in favor of Somers 3,707a days. Cost
of labor on Dolphin per ton, SS2 80, Cost of labor
on Somers per ton, SAC H. Saving in labor Of
Somers per ton, $50 II.
The Somers is full-riggcd brig, and is more fully
equipped in the way Of spars, boats, sails &c 1t is
| to be borne in mind that the scale of wages of me-
chanics is in the aggregate, about the same of the
building of the Dolphin and but few of the mechanics
have since been changed apart from which, the num-
Der Of days labor expended on the respective vessels
/ is the true criterion.
In regard to the cost of materials there will not be
less proportional difference, for the reason that they
were all with very trllng exceptions, contracted for
or purchased before the Somcrs was commenced
such, for instance, the oak frame, the lumber,
copper, iron, canvass Sc The rigging, cables, an
chors, SC were received from other yards. Hence
the only item of expense that could illustrate the new
system has been the cost of labor. Henceforward
the saving in cost of materials will be evident in the
returns, inasmuch many of them will have been
purchased at the market prices and still larger pro-
| portion will be supplied under contract.
In order that there might be misunderstanding as
to the completeness of the equipment and consruc-
ton of the Soners such reduced cost, Mr. c. pro-
duced copy ofthe report Of Capt Cooper and Leuts
Garter and Handy who were ordered by Captain Per
ry To examine the Somers with great on the day
Of her transfer to Commander Mckenzie.
1 Mr.. G. also produced the following detailed state
ments of the Clerk of the yard
Al -