The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-08

ing the duty Of higher grade often subject OF
contentl"n and pespexi,y and is liable TO abuses
The ut'i'ty ofsoch allowances is somewhat question
able; out u cxpedient tn continue them the law
might be benehcially modified. X should define more
accurately what constitutes a higher command, and
perhaps also provide that extra pay be allowed
less expressly stipulated IN the order directing the Of
icer to perform -uch duty issi -e7
Pursuant To the act Of Congress of March 81 IS43
Captain Rousseau, Commander Adams, and Lieut.
Stephen johnson, have examined aud surveyed the
harhor of Memphis ref refce Ia its capsuuy for
"a Naval Depot and lard for tho building and repar-
ing steamships and other vessels OF at that place
The report of these officers has been received and ac
! companies this lsrH
Al appropriation of one hund red thousand collars
was made al the last session Of Congress for the pu
pose of building floating dry dock, sufficiently large
raise second class trgate on such plan as the Sc
creiary of the Navy should approve, to be used at
Pensacola After various inquiries the examination
of plans and the consideration OF the offers OF
persons proposing to build it, no plan was presented
| on which suitable dock could be butt within the
| limits of the appropriation, and the Department did
MT feel authorized TO enter into contract requiring
larger expenditure than the sum appropriated for
the purpose. The plan presented by g. u. Dakn, for
a sectional dock, had the preference of the Depart
| ment; but Of suitable size, with the ne
cessary machinery 10 work ii, could not be built
| within the sum appropriated. detailed report
on the subject, with estlnats of the Cost Of such
dock, TO be used the eleyaiing floating power
and connected with level rail track by which ships
be taken upon the land with and safety, will
be submitted in another communication when all the
necessary facts and conclusions shall have been Ie-
ceived from the persons having that subject in charge
| Mr.. Sanger, the Engineer Of the Bureau of Yards
and Docks in compliance with the resolve of Con-
gress Is making the necessary examinations to the
prac,cabiIiy OF using the Croton water eleva-
ting power for dock at New York. When his sur
sey shall have been completed the Department will
report upon that subject. ou
In the estimates are included the cost of the appa-
raius for laboratory at the Washington Navy Yard
and for The employment Of chemist and pyrotech-
MIST is believed that great advantages may DO de-
rived by employing scientific persons in testing the
quality Of copper and various other materials, and in
the preparation Of many articles used in the service
which have heretofore been found when used of in
fefioT quality. IL ia highly important that compe-
tent pers m be employed in the prcpa alton of fuses
rockets and other fireworks indispensable in the ma
val service So deficient is the service in this know
ledge that the fuses necessary for it's use are obliged
| to be purchased
The Medical Department of the Naval Service re-
qures taent, education and moral worth properly to
fill 1t, of high order in other branches of that
service but the Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons
have no military rank. modification Of the law,
by which medical officers in the naval service shall
be led 10 rank in manner sim lar 10 that pre-
scribed in the army, might be benefcialy made
\ Commander Wilkes with the officers under him,
has been ass'duousy engaged in preparing the Hy-
biographical results of tht Exploring Expedition for
puOHCauoH DcIOc the end OF the forty
plates of charts will &c ready for publication, com
prising upwards OF seventy general and local surveys
of the groups and islands of the Pacific. Many
more are ready to be given out to engrave.
Commander Wilkes repor tina. the Narrative pre-
pairing by him. under the authority f Congress- will
be ready for the press previous to March next.
he NaturalIss and others also employed in the
Description ard arrangement Of the several branches
OF natural history. For their pay and that of the
persons necessary in the keeping and attendance of
: ha hail ap,It N
appropriation is asked The wholeis making as ra-
pld an approach TO completion can be expected in
such duties The report and estimate of CJmman-
der w likes Is Sub Ditted herewith.
In the general esImates for the half current year
ending Juue 3Oh, lS43, and the fsc al year ending
June 3Oth, 1874 fifteen Thousand dollars are
for the erection of the building for De OF" of Charts
i and Instruments. That sum is embraced in the
amount appropriated for enumerated contingent ex-
penses in the Of 3D. March lasI bot the serecon
of building for Depot is not specified therein, and
the law prohibits the application of any part of the
amount appropriated for "other objects" than those
enumera'ed therefore legislation is necessary per-
ic' and legalze The application of he $4,000 10
amount specified in the estimates and for which
purpose il is applied
append the report of The Superintendent Of the
building, in which he asks for am appropriation of
$40 OOi' for grading the grounds &c. The house he
has estimated for would be convenient. bu, is no,
that this boling adapted in its form and structure
moi only for Depot of Charts and iDsru nents but
for an Astronomical Observatory and for other scen
tic iGvesiig atoms.
i II cannot but be gratifying TO YOU to learn how
great interest has been eyinced BIZ the learned So
cieii,s and scientific men Of Europe as well as at
home, upon the eStab shmont of Institution hy he
n G1Nernment IN which portion of the duties will be
the advancement of sci nee. Great bera,v of feel
ing exposed towards the officer sent abroad for
| thp oT at puis. AMI
IN which bcir great satisfaction was shown extreme
y valuable p eseuts of books made 10 its library
through him
Contracts awarded TO the lowest bidder have been
made the last year for heavy ordnance but tho
contractors have failed to fulfil their enyageme
and consequently the guns have not been procured
The policy of giving contracts for supplies Of such
importance 10 the lowest bidder in preference 10
known and experienced founders is of questionable
utility But such IS the present requirement Of the
law. The Invest priced guns are not always the
cheapest. The o,s of lives during the last war and
since that time, from the bursting of guns on boar
ships said 10 have been nearly as much as The
loss from the enemys shot. Ammunition as well as
guns is by law TO he procured in the like manner from
1 The lowcsI bidder Powder made from he Nitrate o
Soda, ia lieu II the Nitrate of Potash appears as well
nd Is about as strong when irt made that ma n a.
4 featured fiom Salt Pere but detedorales daily and
D is nearly worthless IN few months and yet this in
ri feror ingredient cannot be detected excep; by q
/ chemical analysis. True econ my, hence would
seem to dictate that different rule Than that of Civ
ing contracts to the lowest bidder, regardless of the
skill and character If the manuf cturers .houd src-
4 vail in procuring he ordnance arms and ammuni.
ilon for the service.
B A series Of experiments have been made at The
Washington Navy Yard, by Professor Johnson to test
the qualities of coal Of different kinds a preliminary
report Of which is appended Charles Reider Profess
scr Johnson, and DIR. Thomas p. Jones, have been
engaged IN making experiments upon snety valves for
III inc linz h,,t.r
has also made series Of experiments 10 test and
improve tie strength Of iron, upon The principle Of
bermoension. Arer these several ex perimcnts shall
have been completed reports will be made concerning
them.
1t has been found that The free allowed by the act
of the Bis, August 1872 is inadequate for the per-
Torrance OF the duties required in efficient admin
2 strat'on Of this Department An estimate has ere