The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-10-08

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! Mr. RUSK AS the yeas and nays have been ordered
and as this is very wish 10 give
one or two why shall vote 10 retain u as II rs
II understand the provisions OF the bill now the YES
sells OF the United States always have the preference
That, as understand H. sn the law therefore see nc
necessity for excudng m the OF this dock the mer
chaht vessels that are there
Mr. PEARCE Tue Secretary the Navy cannot. by
as ts hs usa ss. M Sse h
II merchant vessels must be taken into this dock
Tor REPAIRS they must be repaired before they can be
taken out Of it. | repeat, that il there be merchant
vessel in the dock undergoing repairs al the tune when
national vessel may come into port Tor repairs In thai
dock she cannot be taken into The dock until the
merchant vessel has her repairs completed and she
taken out
There isso much shipping in those seas tha, II |, is
permitted al all Tor merchant vessels TO- 80 into this
dock. there will be Of them in there the greater part
OF the time This is but scheme OF furnishing
for the repairs Tor the merchant vessels OF the United
Stales, which the government ought never to do This
provision ought 10 be stricken out; for II you adopt II
you will but be making immense fortunes for these con.
tractors, and the government will nneiynne times out
OF hundred have to stand second chance instead OF
having the preference, as this bill clms for the United
Mr.. HALE. confess that il is with some astonsh
ment hear from the senator from Maryland that his
objection to this amendment that will be OF soHe
benefit TO the mercantile service lconess that view strikes
me with asonishment a
MI. PEAHcE. will thank The senator TO use my
Mr.. HALE. | cannot use the very words, but have
his idea His objection is that this measure VIII benent
The mercantile service BY giving then ihe means o. re-
toit sir that Is thing that conmends itself TO my fayo
that while we are making an outlay Tor the benefit OF me
caS S aG nome a os Be
sidered objection to any enterprise Gentlemen do not
entirely understand the nature OF this structure They
seem think that il is such that but single vessel
be in at once. Now, understand the nature OF the
structure to be SUCH that il can take n several ships at
the same time.
Mr. HALE. So ! was informed, that this dock could
take in than vessel, and that was the advan.
tage over stone dock II is evident that the chairman
Of the Committee on Naval Affairs does understand
this matter himself. h&
Mr. YULEE Will the honorable senator give way
Mr. HALE would rather finish my remarks now.
They take several ships al the same time into this
BASIN That is the great advantage OF IT, and thats one
Of the advantages that this structure has over stone
dock Then, again. here fs provision that the govern
ment shall at all times have preference Well, sir the
contract OF the Secretary Of the Navy Is to De based upon
the assumption that the United States Is to se Tree from
seems to me that If there is one single provision IN Tins
bill that ought TO recommend itself to the prudent
patruc, and understanding mind, II IS this; be-
cause il does look solely and entirely to the inter-
es,s Of the navy but extends eye to the interests Of
the citizens and the mercantile marine, while It carefully
guards the government from danger and expense and still
is calculated 10 confer some benefit upon citizens trust
that il there is single idea in the bill that shall be retain
ed il will be this, though all the rest be stricken out
A. III.
proper 10 attribute TO He says objected TO il be.
cause il conferred benefit on the mercantile marine
said such thing said that Il would subserve the IN
persons. | mean contractors. | think il we do
this we shall play into the hands Of the contrac-
tors and make fortunes for them should like to know
whether is right and proper for the government TO do it.
should think moi II we could give incidental benefits
TO the merchant marine without thus erecting great suc-
lures, should have no objection to our doing so
MIR. HAMLIN. ! think understand the honorable
senator from Maryland to object to the provision which
he proposes strike out, because il may be injurious to
the government to allow it to be used BY the commercial
marine certain tmes-hat il may be in use at times
preclude the government from using 1t when they
may have occasion TO do so, so understand his agu.
ment Now propose TO say single word IN reply y 70
and thoroughly misiaken-in the suggestion which he
made Ii is true that sectional floating dock, large
enough to float largest vessels, may be divided into
different sections, and may take in merchant vesselswo
or three OF them at the time. But do not think
that is the true The true answer is that the
repairs made upon our merchant vessels are completed 10
very few days-ai furthest in very few weeks ven.
say that inspection oil our docks 10 the ciiy OF
New York. upon which merchant vessels are repaired
will show thai the shpSdd not remain there on On average
than week II this be true, then the objection
OF tue senator from Maryland has no weight IN II Tor the
under this section would be one IRON which
the government would sustain no loss or injury II
SIMPLY proposition that the Secretary Of the Navy
shall be allowed TO authorize certain perso shall
give proper security TO their dock when the govern
men shall not want 10 use H. N repairing our merchant
II
different method OF repairing our vessels II might be IN.
curious, but still do not know but that even upon the
Atlantic coast IL might he good plan TO contract for the
docks be kept repair and thus save expense 10 the
government Il may not be adopted here but upon that
distant coast where there none oil the additional I'M
provements for repairing that we have here, where there
are such vast fleets OF merchantmen, would be bes
to retain it, do trust that this is part OF the bill that
will commend itself 10 the judgment OF every man who
feels in his heartwho will be directed in his course by
those interests which will protect our commerce In those
distant seas.
i Mr. GWlN wish to say a word that may remove
the objections OF the senator from Maryland The area
of the Norfolk dock-2i0 by 60 feetis 1260o square
feet The California dock is proposed to be $50 oy 81
81 500 square feet nearly three times as large as h
Norfolk dock, and take in thirteen ships oil I'M
largest sze al the same time.
| MIR YULEE. Why, that is the most astonishing state
ment ever heard in the world
Mr GWGN. have il from the chairman oil the Com
miiiee on Naval Affairs
/ Mr. YULEE. will explain the matter 10 the honora
BILE senator for il is certainly the most wonderful state
ment made. Why, everybody knows that the float
4 vessel at time. Why, everybody who has seen then
knows that will tell you, however, what they pro
pose They propose, as a scheme which has never ye
been tried, to make railways
i Mr. HAMLlN. Will the honorable senator allow M
! TO tell him that have two vessels upon dock
the same time MYSELF En
i MIR. YULEE. The senator may have seen two snal
vessels upon a large dock.
i MIR. HAMLIN. They were merchantmen.
merchantmen But Il is proposed to build railways o.
sufficient size to take these vessels out OF me waei, o.
is impossible for any other than naval yesei 20 .
got up in sectional or any other dock s oui o. the