The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-12-07

Biaues wiz DC needed 10 keep TINS iorce anoat.
/ would recommend that the number Of midshpm 10
be kept as high as il the beginning Of this year
| About ten more pursers could be benehciay en-
Poyed. Several Of the sailing masters being from
age or Infirmity unit for service, small increase
OF the number is desirable would recommend that
| the proviso limiting the number Of officers Of the
Navy, which was passed on the 4h OF August, 1912,
De repealed SO lar II regards the warrant officers,
excepting midshlpmen the present number being in
sufficient for the wants OF the service.
The appropriation for increase, repairs &c. for the
year 1913 "A, having been heavily drawn upon in
payment OF contracts made, and in the execution Of
plans and the completion OF works in progress ante
nor TO the commencement of the present fiscal year.
was deemed necessary, In October last TO discharge
| largo porlon OF the persons employed under this
mead leaving, however, II Is believed, enough funds
unespended to meet most Of the outstanding dema nds
against the Department chargeabe to this appropriR-
II n The ACT OF Congress of The 3l.t Augus,, 1912,
which oieids the transfer OF appropriations from
TO another branch OF expenditure in this Department
has operated injuiousIy. Were these transfers per
mitted 1t is believed that sufficient means might be
found among the various pended balances If sp-
preparations TO pay most if not all needful OUTLAWS in
The hitting, completing, and repairing Of vessels, and
Tor payments on uncomple.d coniI acts; and l am
FULLY that the public interests would be pro-
NOTED were Congress 10 au hoTlze these Transfers
early IN the ensuing session.
| there were several contracts made some of them
years since, for the supply of timber and various
erials for the Navy, which have xpired without hav
ing been completed. Heretofore the Department has
been IN The practice of extending the time for
plelng these contracts, where the interests OF the
United States have not suffered by such extension
The law of the 81 March, lSi3, requiring all con-
tracts TO be given by advertisement The lowest bid
der, seems to prohibit their further extension There
are many contractors who would have large sums due
them on the completion of their contracts for previous
deliveries, being the ten per cent. reserved he
amount of those deliveries, bat in consequence of
the non-extensiun and onfulfment of those COZ
! tracts, these amounts remain unpaid As the nited
States have suffered loss by these delays and as
the parties exp' ctcJ extension according 10 former
usage It appears to be proper for the interpos
ton OF Congress for their relief Congress provided
for analogous cases by an act dated February 10Th
1882, and the passage Of similar at this time
would enable The Department to effect an equitable
settlement Of these cases.
Its not proposed to make any contracts the ensu
ing year for live OAK, for any other timber except
absolutely required for imms date use the Department
intending TO build only four small timber vessels dur
ing that lime, and The timber for which being mostly
| on hand.
The docking Of timber for long periods, large por-
ton of the time but partly covered with water seems
OF very questionable utility and there are some posi-
live INJURIES arising from the practice. The timber is
taken from the water, AMI before allowing it time
dry, is hewn and put up for the frame of the ship
The planks are sawed from il to the Frame
The consequences is great shrinking and liability h
warp requiring additional expense for caulking from
| OF tue greater liability 10
leakage IL tends also 10 generate the dry rot which
disease, IT may SO term II, appears to be fungus
parasllical plant Ike mould geruin ting he wood
and sroying the tenacty o. its FIBRE which fangus
would be less liable 10 gerniDaie in dry than in
wood. 1t is indeed doubted if it could terminate a
all in erfrctly dIy wood
deficiency Is apprehended in the appropriation
for provisions and clothing for the current year. The
sum gran ed by Congress for this purpose was less
than that asked for by the Department and sufi-
ciap Mt la fnr
the passage of the law. Efforts are making TO bring
| the expenditure within the proper limits bu, owing
TO the recent establishment of the Bureau OF Provs-
ions and Clothing and the state of its accounts with
the ships distant stations the Department has not
yet been able to learn the precise condition of its
| expenditures.
About SIC 500 worth Of provisions, clothing and
small stores have been lost by the burning of the Mis-
sour, the wreck Of the Grampus and the wreck of a
| freight vessel at Port Praya
The estimate from The Bureau of Ordnance and
| photography is some five hundred and twenty thou
sand dollars than the sum asked for last year !;
of this about one hundred and sixty thousand dollars
areto pay for outstanding made by the Board
| oil Navy Commissioners some years since and yet
uncompeied. Ii includes also estimate for a sui-
ficeDs number of powder tanks for all the SHIPS and
bngs OF the Navy launched OF not launched, that
not now provided with them. II likewise includes
estimate for two hundred cannon OF large size.
In the Bureau OF Yards and Docks the estimate for
the improvement of yards is about $50 600 over that
of last year The estimate for coal is on the suppo.
sion that each steamer will employ steam power four
months IN the year. and the sum asked for is very
liberal allowance even for this length of service.
la the plot of ground on which tie Navy Hospital
at Chelsea, Mass stands there are many acres more
than are OF any for the purposes # that establish
ment and pro lucing no income. If his were sold
| handsome sum might be added tn the Hospital fund
aud an income be received from 1t. therefore respect
fully recommend that Congress authorize the sale of
so much of this land as will not be needed for the
Hospital purposes and would further suggest that
the Navy Department be clothed with authority 10
| invest the Naval Hosptal fund, am unting TO
over 300 O0t and yielding no income in some safe
| and productive securities.
A resolve was passed by the late Congress appro-
priatng four thousand dollars toward establishing an
agency in the State of Kentucky and one in the State
OF Missouri for the purchase Of American hemp for
the use OF the Navy. An agent appointed on the
Let of July last for the State OF Kentucky and m
obedience To directions he visited the United States
ropowak ai the Charlestown Navy Yard for the pur.
pose OF gaining information TO the kind and quality
Of water-roied hemp used IN the Navy and the mole
OF testing It's strength The appropriation for this
branch OF the naval scryice-IncTease md Repair
having been mainly expended other contracts the
Department has recently directed the agent 10 ma ke
purchases and in this state Of the sppropria ion il
has not been thought expedient to appoint any agent
| for the State OF Missouri,
Mr.. Won Schmidt, an intelligent gentleman, well
acquainted with the cultuTe Of hemp Ia Russia and in
tns county, mas been employed by The direction Of
the Department The last season on the culture and
PREPARATION OF hemp in this vicinity. lie is now en-.
gagged In constructing machine Tor breaking il and
separating the fbres from the stalks without rounp
Should he succeed of which there is a fair promise
great saving of labor will be made and the hemp thus
prepared viii be much superior IN quality and strength
To hemp prepared by the old method Of rotiinp MIR
Won Schnidts report is appended. He has also been
employed TO translate the pamphlet on the culture and
preparation OF hemp published at Odessa in Russia
and TO which the attention of Congress was invited by
communication from this Department dated LIST of
March, 1913. The expense Of this translation, for
which here is appropriation is three hundred dol
lars The translation Is submitted with this report.
respectfully suggest modification OF the ration
50 as 10 dispense with be spirit portion now ellowed