The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-22
SPEECH OF MR.. LEVIN,
OF PENNsYLYANlA,

nosb iHJuIiounto bbcauy housfy
SPEECH OF MR.. LEVIN,
OF PESNsYLyASIA.
In The House Of Representative, june d. l946--0n an
amendment 70 the naval appropriation bill direct.
ing the construction Of a sectional floating dry
dock, basin, and railways at the Philadelphia ma
vy-yard.
Mr.. LEVIN said
In the remarks which had the honor To aubn)ir
to the House the other day in committee Of the
whole enlarged upon the claims and showed the
adyntages Of the Philade phia navy yard a naval
depot and dock,yard. LIS inland positSoa, IN the
midst OF dense population, protects II from attacks
OF the enemy, and its fresh water exposes vessels
whether Of wood or iron, and especially the hitter
mach less To injury and decay than when lying in
salt water-a fact Of great moment TO such as are
laid up in ordinary, as many Of them mnst be in
time Of peace. A navy-ydrd, however, Is incom.
PIeie without dry-dock which may In fact be re-
gaTded almost AZ It's very essence- The chef bust
ness OF nayyyard is to construct, reht, and rePalr
vessels, for al Of which purposes dry dock is ex
ceedngly convenient sndTohen indispensably neees-
sary- we mean ia maintain navy "a oil respeot-
able 10 the ayes Of the world and adequate delod
our rights upon the ocean, where alone they
rIously vulnerable we should improve our naval de-
pots, furnish them with materials for building and
armlng vessels, provide them with means OF reai
ting and repairing them; and, above all adopt some
the seciondi doek for preserving vessels Of war
whale out of ssrHioo, from decay, and keeping them
n state of readiness and efieepcy when thar ser
vices are required for the defence Of the country.
The dry-dock accomplished this, heretofore, II
must be confessed under the old system Of docks
only in, impanees manaar, but unksf ths great
modern inppoxemsnts, Of tha sec.iouA dock bAStR,
and railways, which IL proposed in the snepdmepi
now before the House, in a manner which seems
TO leave nothing further TO be desired ION this sub
e0t Every hayward IN the country should, as
soon as possible, be provided with dry-dock; and,
for one, should willingly vote to have one at each
as speedily as practicable.
Ii may possibly be sand by some that New York
is not far from Philadslphia, and dryrdock has
been established IN that city. 1t is true stone
dock Of the old form has been commenced there, but
it is structure which, with the utmost expedition,
it will require FIVE or six years yet to complete, and
probably much longer, as such public works usually
90 on; and, consequently, this argument has no
weight The improved structures Of modern times
can be built and put in full operation In year;
and that one known as the, sectional dock will,
when done, be equal in efficiency, and superior in
regard to the position in which it places the ship,
to several such docks as the one now building In
New York. .., atl Ii ...v ,m,... s,I. n"-.r7U -
Iti clear that this improved plan of dock which
has been examined probably by most of the mem
bers Of this body has made great impression on
the House, for have taken considerable pains to
test the opinion Of the House the subject, and
have satisfied myself fully that an old-fashioned
stone dock at this naval depot cannot be carried,
and the oniyTues,on is between the different plans
Of floating docks. 's. 1,' r. 'r..a.. ,.'. .''"Df
Before going into an examination Of the relative
merits Of the different kinds of dry docks, Mr..
Chairman, trust shall be allowed to explain the
relation in which stand TO my constituents, in
whose district the navy yard is located, and whose
instructions have sought and obtained in regard TO
this question, .3..,i..l. ....,.. ...
IL oloc 4
years past In Philadelphia to have dry-dock at our
hayward, and last winter meeting was called at
the Chinese Museum, at which a large number of
our citizens we're present. At this meeting resolu.
uons were passed to urge Congress to order dry
dock or a floating dry dock to be constructed al
once at our yard. Mo- particular plan of dry-dock
was designated by this meeting but a committee
was appointed to carry out its objects. One or two
persons, who formed part Of the original meeting,
managed to be placed upon fthe subcommittee
and little clique--part Of them doubtless actuated
~ peeun'aIy ,nterest3gol together and Without
floating docks there, and all Of them but the inter
ested ones, probably ignorant that there WINS more
than one plan, decided to recommend the balance
dock-a kind Of floating box, half Of wood and half
Of iron--a mere shell or scow-for our naval sta
ton. must CONFESS Mr. Chairman, that myself
having never Investigated this subject or known
anything previously about it, was. imposed upon
by these parties, who undertook to dictate to the
people of Philadelphia and to their representatives
IN Congress what plan Of dock il should be. They
seathiy and Plausibly crept around me, concsaling
| the, state of public opinion in New York on the
subject presented numerous staemena in regard 10
their own and rival TO plans since proved to be false
l md nsinuated themselves to some extent into my
favorable consideration f %, rrrr .-... ....,s
In saying thus much in regard to the operations
of the subcommittee l. desire distinctly to be un-
derstood that except the four honorable gentlemen
who served upon il, and who, am sure, never had
iho merits of the sectional dock brought clearly
before their view. The imposition the work Of q
single man, ,he offspring of single mind, and for a
single purpose, -
In the mean time the plan Of the sectional dock
was presented to Congress, backed up by the whole
shipping interest of the city Of New York; and
being so strongly sustained coud not fail to arrest
1 the attention Of the House, and secure, what it
sedulousiy sought thorough investigation. .
| The model was exhibited IN the city of Philadel.
! phia,a where = that OF the balance dock had also
| been shown, and it was seen by thousands of onr
4 citizens with one general burst Of enthusiasm, and
1 delight mass meeting, called irrespective o
party, was held OF Commissionera' Hail. in South
Ilwark, and recommended this plan without a dis.
sonhg voice, and demonstrated against the adoption
of the balance dock. A committee OF eminent eiti
zeus OF Philadelphia wes appointed by order Of the
Injecting to examine the plan and If they approved
Iit, 10 proceed 10 Washington TO urge hs adoption
Three ofthis commiuse--J. W. Meffick, esq, presi
deutpft the Frankllnt Institutes genuemen Of gree
Npysctcs experience and sounh Judgment, Joseph
Vogels, esq, a Distinguished ship builder, and Or
Bryan, gentleman OF eeBersl intelligence an,
scientific stfaiuments--came on To Washington; and
after carefully examining the several plans of dry
docks gave their decided preference to the sectlons
dock, and addressed the following letter to the rep