The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-21

lie was asked Ia 1913 Are you whether IL has be-
come commoa IN the merchants service 10 the screw
propelled He answered,
4 Is extending in the merchant service, and has pro.
duceu some very curious results Tho experiments had
been particularly successful in the of those small
which are bulk for the trade with Holland and
then they seem 10 have succeeded completely They have
engines which occupy Only oneseyenth Of tho vessel,
AND sS sn 81 Ss 0eeSy neatly
and hall Knots. and nine knots The screw Is never
OIL two hundred and sky miles, upon long series OF
Penments. averages about thirty SIX hours
was SHOWN this morning letter, Just received from
Boston, from gentemau OF high authority and great
perlence In such matters who says.
strong auxiliary steam that belize two steamers
70 cent on survey, or naval cruise Of any Kind the
month hence, al the end Of eighteen months the latter
would be ahead II her work, at cost y per cent less
aud Tue maehine'shop, while the other would be independ
screw.propelleh as an auxiliary, is destined TO make a
revolution IN the merchant service. It's fact of which
Department. that they had made comparison Of the log OF
the San Jacinlo before her machinery broke down. with
Ier and The Saranac sde-wheel steamer The Sara.
nae beat the San Jacno less than three in point
viii The San Jacinlo.
50 that II we expend the money which oughtto
be expended in the gradual increase of the navy in thus
keeping up sidewhee merchant steamers. we will not
oaly expend in service which will not be ultimate
y useful but we take away fund which is necessary, In
order to increase The navy mode which will be useful
toit and which will enable TO exercise officers
Why what 10 our policy ia relation to the navy We seek
70 maintain JUST such navy and no more, as Will preserve
poee e also Is seaa sn as
ent capable Of extension and expansion in time OF
sable that should have all possible OF exercising
and training our young officers How can we do T. IL we
chant cap aims And that is the case, understand with
these Collins Ought not 10 exPend the money
models and win proper machinery So lhat
officer. command Them aud be exercised in steamer
with all her appointments, and complete machinery
sails, and battery n
The Secretary Of the Navy Mr.. Graham himself who
seems 10 be in relied upon by its friends in
support OF this line is compelled, evidently with reuct
ance, TO admit, from the discussions and testimony Of
competent naval officers, that vessels of This description
cannot be ried on to supsredc those modelled and but
only for purposes of oar" The highest merit he claims
for them is, that while "a limited number of them may be
employed in time Of peace IN The transportation Of the maV,
they might also be useful upon she breeding out Of
as transports for troops and munitions Of war " but he
the way mentioned, and as sort Of occasional "prua
teers gusratas of the - but only then fitted nth
such ornaments as could be readily put board
their present tohdi.ioa." This is his language,
his report OF March s. 1852, in which he evidently
endeavoring TO say all in their favor which conscience
would permit Under these circumstances he not only
does pretend that these ships be substituted for
vessels Of war, but he expressly says they canno
be relied for any such purpose Mark sir this is said
by the Secretary In an official report designed the ba
Sis OF congressional action and from the best professional
advice which his command Of the whole navy could en-
able him TO procure.
Now what is the natural and unavoidable inference
from all ths senator here and there may rise in his
place. and tell me that he believes these ships good
Tor purposes any ships in the navy" But, while
admit the honesty OF that belief, and highly respect the
general information and intelligence of those who enter
tain 1T yet to receive that Tor proof which shall dprope
much that is based established fass and sustained
by is rather too large pill for my creduliy and
comPlaisance, combined, TO swallow at single dose.
Opinion and belief will not do for this OCCASION Proof
is required l. is indispensable. II it existed the Sec
rotary OF the Navy together with this very astute
pany would certainly have II here before But il is
moi here and though called for lime and is not
forthcoming can infer only that AZ does moi erist.
Surely have said enough upon this problem OF war
purposes especially IN reference to the Collins line Of
''paddle-wheels" consider the problem solved Ii
lainly is my conviction. For the have
addaced, and many others which nigh, be brought for
ward, and which, | think, make proof, both cir
cumstantial and positive, complete against them,
conclude that the ships OF this line not, in
the true and proper sense suitable for war purpo
and that 10 answer such purposes TO any realty
portan useful extent, never be made The
from North Carolina right, therefore, when he
openly abandoned the ground that they and pro-
posed directly 10 turn them 10 the Post Office De-
partment. And the remark of the senator from Texas
also true whether he intended to be understood
not. that the connection of this line with the navy
seeming, and only seeming"
Upon this ground, then, OF "war purposes" this en-
teprse, however meTtofous in other respects is fail
ure and must be abandoned II is not exempt from the
operation of the rule, therefore, which, in ord
nary legislation, we apply to other navigating and COM
mercal interests and, therefore, has no just claim TO
this allowance out OF the treasury. .t
And here, Mr.. President, think il not improper to no.
tice what has seemed TO me somewhat extraordinary
feature in the discussion of this question lnma
tons have been thrown out by the friends OF this
measure that Collins CO. are very i'll used individ
uals-sufering patriots and threatened victims. il
were, in their couniry's cause Well sir, such an
attitude for them contrasts somewhat strongly in APP
pearance, is true, with the high pretensions under
which they got the government and themselves into the
present difficulty; yet II is not unnatural transition
after all for mendicity and sell -abasemen form
usual sequel TO high preensioDs and magnificent display
IL is ntlmated that there is disposition somewhere
disregard the good faith of the government, in this case,
and ruin Collins Co. by violation of their contract
Now, sir, 1t is well that should understand one
another, and that the country, and MIR. Collins, too,
should understand us all, upon this point Where ask
has any disposition been manifested anywhere in Con-
gress to violate this conract 10 make its conditions
even hard upon Collins and Coz deny any such
wish intention for myself and for those with whom
am acting Nor sir, has any such wish intention been
evinced on any occasion, or in any respect whatever
The suggestion that there has been any such thing in
lsence unfounded in truth the claims OF this
pany TO further favor at the hands of Congress
founded in merit This last, think has been pretty
clearly shown already and will, further think. be
placed beyond dispute before have done with it.
1.-THE contract" Well. air, what OF the contract ,
Gentlemen 10 forget its terms and conditions, well
the circumstances under which il entered into,
prehension, il is well should to them. have
nothing particular TO say OF the beginning OF this aar
when il was originally begged and bored through Con-
gress. That was before my day here and comes down
TO me as part OF the unwren history OF those times,
from those who here, and observers OF what took
place But am sure il has not been exaggerated to me,
from my own observation since came especially in the
al .aCr k.,IJ az .h, ND hna