Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-07
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j, pskia. lst;, ar dealing dtih-, s1es-7s,
AlaOiY q pakin haga patented q piAG 9! hcFi!:
ani railway as an appendase 10 receive in, Vef'-
sci which has been elevated ~ their dock iiu
no, aware that this lest Improvement haa Deen
put into actual operation, Otherwise ',ah ny
model In view Of the terms employed, ana u
the duties imposed BY the Two sections aoo'e IT.
terrea TO- | construed the law 10 require tlIe es-
Enlistment of a DRY Dorl at Brooklyn. WIN
our own experience Of The admirable adaptation
OF such structures 10 the purposes OF HE Navy,
conlirn>l by the practice OF The principal mar
time p6Sers of Europe, iel; il 10 be clearly my
duty 10 proceed with the stone Dry D"fS already
commenced, on plan similar 10 those which hau
been so successful al Norfolk and Boston. vi
the relative properties and advantages o! ioaiihs
docks with or without basin and railways, ana
Of the stone Dry Dock, Tor the purposes oil the
Navy, do not deem il proper 10 express an OPP
Mon, as The aid in iocmins correct conclusion,
10 be expected from the board charged with lEat
inquiry, By the direction vi Congress, was nct
al my command.
The work on the stone Dry Dock is progress
sing in satisfactory manner, under the direction
of William Gibbs Mcneil, Esq, as Engineer
OF the Dock.
The estimates from the Bureau OF Yards and
Docks, also provide for Improvements at The Sc
yeral Naval Hospitals These Improvements
are believed to he important for the protection OF
the public property, and 10 ensure me SAFE ana
judicious treatment of the sick. The Navy HOS
pilal Fund Is not sufficlen! to bear so heaVy an
outlay al once, and ii is respectfully Submitted Tor
the consideration Of Congress, whether an up,
preparation shall be made for these objects in aid
of the fund.
would also respectfully state, that there are
now confined in The several Naval Hospitals,
twelve insane persons belonging to The Navai
service. These noble edlccs, which have been
constructed for the accommodation and comfort
OF the sick and disabled have no suitable apart
ments for the treatment ot the insane. Those
suffering under this deplorable malady cannot
receive that judcious treatment which has, IN
modern times SO frequently led to recovery oil
reason, aud the rawlings OF the maniac olteh
prove highly injurious 10 the sick inmates OF Inc
hospital. | therefore suggest that II IL shail nc
the pleasure of CongreSs 10 provide an asylum
for the insane OF the District of Columbia, pro-
vision NAV I've made for the insane of &c Navy
and Army in the same establishment.
invite attention 10 4 report from the bureau
! Of Ordnance and photography on The subject OF
the DELAYS and difficulties encountered IL procur-
ing, under contract, as required by existing laws,
ordnance and gunpowder. The operation OF The
ployso 10 the acl OF tn. 81 March, 1913, which
requires that all supplies for the Navy, when time
will permit shall he procured by contract WITH
the lowest bidder after advc iisameni. has not pro
mo,ei the public interest, nor secured 10 the pub
lie in all cases, the advantage OF a :ull aud iail
competition To the head OF the Department and
the officers making purchase, ii is a great safe
guard against .c1roacnes or imIn,ailoIs Oh I'M
proper preferences. But expeiiear" has Gerlon-
s,raed that the public interest is not Promoted IN
procuring many oil The most important and ne
cessary supplies Tor the Navy in this mode some
oi these are ordnance, grnpowGcr and medicines
| The law gives no discretion, but the lowest hid
| der is 10 have The contract, whatever may he iii'
means, his experience or skill. II he declines
I which he may do without penalty, II IS to he OF
iercd TO the next and 50 on, uE:l, mi unireqnenI
! ". injurious delays occur, and well-foundcd com
( plants are made that by combination among bid
ders, the prices paid are higher than the ar,i k;
would have cost in open market.
| deem it 10 be my duty 10 ask that the PROV
sons of this law, applying only 10 his Depart
mcnt, NAV be revised and modified.
The building Tor Depot OF Charts is compile
ted, and substantial wall constructed around
the square The grading has been partially made
and 10 complete ii, and 10 construct house ioI
the Superintendent, an estimate Is submitted ana
an appropriation recommended. The instrument.
purchased have been received and placed in the
I Depot, They are we'll selected, and MAJ be al
yantaseoUSly employed III The necessary ohserva-
tons with view TO calcula nautical almanacs
( For these we are now indebted to foreign nations
I This work may he done by orr own naval Oil
Gers. without injury TO the service and at very
small expense 1t is confidently believed that, id
the process of time, a most perfect set oil charts
may be supplied from The Depot TO the Nary, and
10 the commercial marine, entirely 10 be relied On
for accuracy a, the mere cost of publication.
The operation OF the system Of supplying ;he
Navy with clothing, established By the act ci !6r
| August 1912 has been highly satisfactory An
appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars is
required 10 meet existing and future iab;lit'es
which will call for payment before the returns
from The pay Of the me" will enable the Dcpart-
mentt 10 continue the supplies II is h"iiev"" '"a'
after this appropriation, the addition TO The per Ct
on the prime cost, will cover all sSe>, and the re-
ceipts meet the disbursements, while the system
possesses the great merit oi furnishing TO the sea-
! men the hes, clothes al moderate prices.
The Navy Hospital Fund, on The lst day OF
! November, 1914, consisted Of Two hundred and
thirty thousand four hundred andl hrlyforr dollars
and fourteen cents. The number OF aged and
! disabled seamen who have sought home At The
Asylum near Philadelphia has so increased that
it was found necessary 10 their con.C~t 20 provide
for Withdrawing the Governor and Surgeon from
the rooms occupied b. them in the building. Two
houses, according TO the original plan, have been
! erected and are nearly completed, 10 be occupied
By these officers A small slip OF ground adjoin-
ing he site OF the Asylum has been purchased al
reasonable price. These arc believed 10 he very
important additions 10 The establishment.
lit shall be the pleasure Of Congress 10 autho-
rze the investment OF the fund in securities OF The
United States, il would add considerably 10 is
income The money is now unprodHc;ve in the
al. tI.Y
! thoriy be given 10 make The investment.
The condition Of the Navy Pension Fund and
the claims on it, are stated in the report Of the
Commissioner of Pensions. herewith Transmitted
Great anxiety is fell by many of the Surgeons
and Assistant Surgeons, and Of The Pursers in the
Navy 10 have allowed them All assimacd rank
tie corresponding officers of the Army enjoy il
without delriment 10 the service. respectfully
recommend The subject to consideration.
Pursuant 10 the act OF the Eth Of June last. the
Naval Slorekeepers at Rio dc Janeiro, Hong
Kong, Mahon, the Cape de Verbs and the Sand.
witch Islands, were di>continued and, with as
little delay as practicable, officers Of the Navy
were ordered 10 perform those duties. As these
officers were required 10 give bond before they
entered on the execution OF their orders sone de.
lay occurred in making the selection. The com.
pensation allowed TO each is fifteen hundred dol
lars per annum, and 10 each is allowed clerk al
six hundred dollars per annum.
The experimental examinations Of Goals, OF
iron and copper, in which Professor Walter r.
Johnson was engaged, and on which he reported
At the last session Of Congress. were suspended
the appropriations being exhausted. II il; shall
! be the pleasure OF Congress TO have them cent?
J nued. an appropriation will be necessary
In pursuance Of the directions Of the act of
June l1lh, orders were given FOR the discharge Of
all persons in the Navy appointed as Masters
Mates TO DO duty as Midshipmen, since the ilh
day of August, 1912, and who were not al the
time OF their appointment. seamen Of the first
class. These orders have been executed as 10 all
persons thus situated who were in the United
States, or who have returned rom foreign s,a-
tons.
The third section of the act repealed so much
Of previous acts OF Congress as provided that Of
| fcers temporarily performing The duties belong
inr IN of Al ,ho