The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-18
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERGED DEBATE.
TUESDAY, JUNE Is, 1852.
CONCLUDED
SENATE.
5EN NhNE.
HARBoR DEFENCE.


MIR. SEWARD moved TO postpone all prior orders and
take up the JOINT resolution authorizing the completion
OF war steamer for hafbur delence which agreed
The Senate accordingly proceeded to The consideration
OF the Joint resolution. IN committee OF the whole
Mr. HUN TER. Mr.. President, this esol ution relates
TO an important subject am moi prepared to vote for
The resolution as It now stands. This rs old contract
with Mr. Stevens, said by the honorable senator
from New jersey Slr. STocKToNl when he addressed
the Senate some time ago upon the subject The con-
tract has been suspended twice, believe and renewed
have taken pains 10 look into the papers connect
ed with the subject although confess have not all the
informal on desire and have come 10 This conclusion
should be very willing 10 pay Mr. Stevens all that the
ekLp{Agnsnt has GQsi hiln 40 lar ha inclined 10
The Uisnion that ought prosecute il fsrtter
This contract arose out of the law passed in s42 IN
which the Secretary OF the Navy was required to
tract with Robert !. Stevens for ship 10 be built mainly
Of ron according 10 The plan OF said Stevens, and to be
shot and shell proof The contract made but before
The time expired, Mr Stevens desired extension OF
the time, and il extended But, at the instance OF
the Secretary Of the Navy it stopped, because he
did not furnish the Navy Department, with his plans
men With his plans They the other hand, took the
ground that he was; and think with proprety because
The law required that II should be bum shot and shell
o II, and they bad right TO know what the plan was
in 10 ascertain whether it likely to be shot and
shell pIoo
Mr.. STOCKTON Mr. President, as il is very i'm
porlav should have the facts 10 regard 10 this
matter therefore hope the honorable senator will allow
me 10 interrupt him; Tor | know he does not wish 10
missate anything insist, Mr. President that there is
evidence that Mr.. Stevens refused 10 show his
plans. have the contract here before me- in which
The plan is fully set forth and in my judgment this
mele pfetence TO say that he has not submitted his plan
Ii the gentleman will read the contract, he will find il
specified in detail from the beginning,
Mr.. HUNTER. Well, Mr. President, there is differ
ence OF opinion about that inquired of Commodore
Morris and Commodore Shubrck and they told me that
he had failed to furnish the plans contemplated by The
law al any rae. that tie grand objection raised by
The head OF the Navy Department In the original con-
tract he required 10 build vessel which shall resist
shct OF sixtyiour pounds. But am told that
tiey already and send balls OF more than that weight;
aud vessel which would only she, OF ha, SIZE
would be sufficient for The purpose of habor defence
the present state OF naval warfare. Under these cir.
cumsiaGces seems 10 me, would be well or tie
United States, and we'll Tor Mr. Stevens. TO prose-
cute lie enterprise further But there has been
Thing OF pledge on the part OF this government By
making contract with him, | an very willing, for
one, 10 compensae him for any delay he may
have been subjected 10 10 The prosecution OF this
object, and that shall provide 10 save him from
all Ices; and ! think, when come to examine
the history OF theee Transactions, that is much as
ought 10 be asked. | think he ought not to desire 10
the enterprise further owing 10 the discoveries
which have been made in marine warfare since that
PERIOD demonstrating that such ship he conten plated
would not answer .he purpose.
understand, Mr. Plesient, that there has been gun
invented by the senator from New Jersey himself that
will send ball through the plates designed by Mr. Ste
yens Tor the consunction oi nus steamer That was
lwelve-inch gun-so am told-while this steamer
only intended 10 be against vessels carrying
inch guns But the British government are now using
n-inch guns, which makes II probable, in.
formed by persons who better acquainted with the
subject than AN, that this steamer will he
iu for the purpose OF habor defence il will not be
ship which will resist projectIes such are now known
and brought into At any rate, sir that is The opn-
ION of the Navy Department.
Mr.. BAYARD. | wodld ask the honorable senator
whether the shot he speaks Of thrown by these eleven
or en-iuch guns are solid shot or not because that
would make great difference II their weight and pewer
MIR. HUNTER. cannot answer that question def.
nely Commodore Morris told me they OF greater
We gnt than 6I pounds; and thi0k, although do
speak with certainty, he told they would weigh 100
pounds
Mir STOCKTON. The objection cannot be urged tha,
Mr.. Stevens dad not submit hls plan Tor here il s With
regard 10 the shot, quite willing that provision
should be put inio the resolution tins time that Mr.
Stevens shall construct vessel that shall be she'll and
shot proof, against any shell shot used the
navy Of the United States.
Mr. HUNTER That would relieve il in part But Il
will be recolleced that this contract qnes the govern
oi The United States to advance money for materials
as The work progresses Now, what secuuy would there
be- the that he should fail and The vessel should be
unable to resist any proectle that the money would be
returned II designed the United States from
lose there ought be provision IN relation that
matter By the time the vessel is finished. the govern
ment will have advanced very nearly its cost,
dersand the contract Il therefore seems TO me- II the
resolution is TO take that shape, that there should be
provision for refundng this money which will have been
advanced, provided lhe object contemplated be not Sc
cured In relation to the plan, admit that there
"
specifies the thickness oil the plaes-nolhng more than
the general form OF the ship
Mr.. STOCKTON. They are to be four and hall
inches in thickness.
Mr.. HUNTER. IL that the thickness OF the plates
through which the senator from New Jersey sent ball
with his gun
MIR. STOCKTON Yes, sir.
Mr.. SEWARD. Mr. President, hope this resolution
will pass. The contract with Mr. Stevens made
not upon certainty that such steamer
this could be bu--but by way OF experiment, TO
tain whether il possible and 10 secure such result
Il IL was possible II wisely made II the character
OF Mir Stevens, his intelligence, bis sagaciy, his scen
hhc stiaInments, gave guarantee that he would ascer
tain this important result No question that the
character Of Mr. Stevens affords that guarantee more
accomplished, scientific civil engineer aud mechan-
zeal engineer does not live 10 this in any other coun-
try The country is filed already with trophies Of the
success OF his experiments IL wisely undertaken,
then to obtain this measure OF defence through his
agency. Now, | ask whether anything has occurred
sInce 10 check the confidence OF the public the
cess OF the EXPERIMENT. submit that nothing OF that
knd has oecuued-that the character OF Mr.. Stevens
remains as unquesoned before, and that he has pros
ecniei the experiments with diligence and with most
lavish expenditure OF his private means and yet nj
the same time with caution marking every step Of his
progress lie has gone across the Atlantic more than
once for the purpose Of obtaining materials there which
question forecosed, if The action Of Congress
torecosed anything. Congress went INTO this Tor the
purpose OF eypofament they went into II wisely and
they have s~U&antial Tor recedlng The con.
sequence is thai they bound IN good faith 10 him. and
bound BY The consideration oil the wisdom which ongl-
mated the measure, TO 20 forward with H.
The question whether he submitted his plans 10 the
department or not, Is question that is past NO mate
rial Inconvenience or injury resulted ifom u even u ne
d not an hmu ba plans The rans ware already before