The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-03-27

tossed from It's perpendicular station and compelled 10
lake az obhque and therefore satisfactory view of
things 4 am afraid there something ia the mode in
wbcnste honorable senator from California Mr. GwISl
spoke che other day which the honorable senator from
Pennsylvania Mr. BRoDHEApl did not consider as quite
mafksahd which has induced him TO have slight Bit
terness Of personal feeling this question: and has had
le u unhappy effect Of inducing hm IN the whole course
OF his remarks 10 allow underone current OF
casm and reproachfn expression which, though is cal
culated to affect The minds Of hearers uniavoraby towards
The subject does not really tend to show that the subject
ought 10 be untayorably regarded
NOW, sir, this being business matter, | propose TO
treat II a. business matter There being nothing in The
case which is not 10 be considered upon the evidence and
upon the proofs beforeor to be beore--the Senate,
viii not follow the Of the honorable from
Pennsylvania Mr.. BRoDHEAD either in permitting my
sell 70 be excited Or N making coniie1t assertions OF
assertions and do not support them with the proof they
VIII place me IN an awkward position, while they do not
help forward the which desire 10 advance, and
because can support them By the proof. the confident
preceding assertion is not required.
Now, Mr.: President, If can command the attention 0
the Senate viii endeavor 10 showI do say cH DO
il, but will do Gen Miller said he would do when d.
rected TO carry particular redoub g" will try will try
10 show in the first place, that the proposed by
inns bill is necessary and prope and in the next place.
that large portion Of the remarks OF the honorable
ator entirely beside the question before the SEN
ae because the honor and faith OF this stand
pledged by contract TO do the very thing which the bill
In order 10 do that, sir beg to be allowed to see the
bill and amendment that we may understand the question
under consideration OF the Senate FAR the objections
OF the honorable senator from Pennsylvania con-
cerned. The amendment which had the honor TO sub
nit by the direction of the Committee on Naval Affairs
proposes it shall be adopted in the bito provide that
as soon suitable site shall be secured, and it shall
have been ascertaned the satisfaction of the Secretary
OF the Navy that the basin and railway now being
sructed at the navyyard in Philadelphia Kittery
full and successful operation the Secretary of the
Navy be, and he hereby is, authorized and directed
Ter into contract with the patentees for the construction
OF basin and railway in the most approved form con-
nected with the said nayyyard and depot, substantially
upon the basis OF the agreement made with them under
the act OF September &c. ls5o as stated in his report to
the House OF Representatives. dated January 90, 1851"
Now, sir, the first place, submit the Senate that
nothing is proposed to be done here which involves any
hazard risk 10 be assumed by the government until
sdecided whether the basin and railway be indeed
Improvement which can be put into successful operation
The whole OF that part of the bill is suspended upon the
previous condition that that fact shall have been eslab
shed either at Philadelphia at Ktey, and that at
the other of hesaeplaces this basin and railway, in
connexion with the dock shall have been put in full and
successful operation II this s not done, expense
be incurred If the experiment proves failure. not
dollar is To be expended
Then, Mr., President, I say, supposing this plan OF
basin and railway 10 have succeeded is necessary, and
very highly necessary that this Improvement shall be
abshed upon the coast OF the Pacific Why, sir, what
is this basin and railway! am assuming it 10 be-as
the bill proposes shall be before anything doneput
IN full and successful operation In that case, sir it is
the absolute consummation and perfection OF all dock
ing purposes and systems The great difficulty and The
great trouble in all operations respecting both the
cia and naval has always been, from the
weight and masses OF vessels, 10 have opportunity
IRON time 10 time, OF sublecting them TO careful ex-
animation for thorough and complete repair.
Under the old system have had stone dry docks
which are nothing in the world but excavating vas
basin. walng up and then floating in ship. and bail
ing ont the water, leaving her to sink below into damf
place, with very imperfect light for operations upon
her bottom, and with continually recurring necessity
day after day. Tor pumping operations to keep the basin
7 eli nj uaf4 Enatu unf hopn hla
TO build one into which the would not make its
way They are capable OF receiving only one vessel
at time, and ncurring, from the nature and character
o the improvement required, an immense expenditure oil
money.
Now, sir, what is this basin and railway 1t is this
ha, BY taking the sectional floating dry dock and sinking
II in deep water The ship Is passed with upon that
dock, and by empiying the wafer in the tanks-whlch
bad excluded all the air-and allowing the air TO return,
she is raised upon firm level bottom and received into
the basin The dock is then brought, with the vessel upon
her. the front OF OF the railways; she then sunk
until The bottom OF the dock upon the bottom OF the
basin, leaving her in exact opposition with the railways
and the structure which before was floating then rests
sodly and firmly upon the bottom OF the basin. In this
position the vessel by steam power. Is just worked oil
ample light and perfectly dry and, il you please under
such house they in the habit OF erecting TO
ships when laid up Tor repair, or when building. And
there with every facility in the world the required ope-
raons performed; and the vessel returns with like
facility to the element in which she is 10 float, and carry
the purposes OF commerce or oil war There Is also
ths addllonal WnenOne VesSel placed on
the rails this dock can bring another ard place II on
another railway, and for six, seven, eight, en
twelve-as far as the number OF railways will allow, or
the necessities of your service may require.
Now MIR President, that being the nature and cbarac-
ter OF this improvement assuming, as | have assumed
all the time because the bill IT, that IL shall
have been asceraned that il has been put in full and
successful operaon-l ask il IL is not necessary that
such improvement should be given to the Pacific
ocean Why, sir, the honorable senator from Pennsyl.
vana tMr. BRoDHeADl seemed 10 consder-in bis re-
marks Of the FIRST daythat there necessity for
any such establishment this upon the Pacific because
he said have half dozen OF them on The Atlantic
coast Well, sir, does that furnish any why we
do not need the Pacific coast because have
half dozen on the Atlantic Why II could have been
argued with much stronger force that there
city for at ktley, al Philadelphia, or at Norfolk, or
any other point the Atlantic coast, the ground
that we had one 10 New York. Or would il be an OBJ.
lection one al New York that had al Norfolk
Again, the senator urged an objection in the re-
marks he first made upon this subject that II you had
this dydock there, vessels must at last be repaired upon
the Atlantic coast, because he sad materials could not
be procured The Pacific and that because OF other DIFF
6cnliies in California vessels could not be repaired upon
the spot Now, sir, this s assumption Tor which |
know o no evidence TO support, and u IS coniradcied
by those who have the best means OF knowing; and
therefore think that in that assertion the honorable sen
ator Is decidedly mistaken. You must bear IN mind, Mr.
President that the only question before the Senate
as the basin and railway The dock has already been
contracted foras shall have occasion to show TO the
Senate preseny-for another purpose.
Then, the dock being contracted Tor, and n stone dock
being Of the questionfor suppose nobody proposes
to have two in Csornia-he only question that remains
is, assuming that il is necessary TO have one there.
whether is also necessary 70 have the basin and rail
ways, OF whether the pier will answer Now, SIR, in the
6raf ace fstnark that with pipr The drv-dOck