The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-23
Overhannng Of the Navy Ina Congress-AIr
Carriers kcsOlyxtionS.

If there is anything over which Congress has
special jurisdiction demanding thorough over.
hauling and reorganization, it is the United
States navy. from kelson to ky-scraper, and
from stem to stern. We hail. therefore every
movement looking to this great object with
satisfaction. In this view, we cheertully second
the resolutions lately offered in the House OF
Representatives by Mr.. Cartier, of Ohio They
are brief. and, having been adopted we trust
that the Secretary of the Navy will see to it
that the valuable information asked for will be
communicated to the House, at least before the
adjournment of Congress. The following are
! the resolutions =
Resolved That the Secretary of the Navy communicate
TO this House the nforna cn called for by the folio wing
interroga tories -
Tie number and Of steamers 5sH for the naru
an each year Jc1tdrg 1885; their yocer toaauge
proportion Of guns TO the ton actually armed and the
length of time between the commencement of each vessel
and her sailing on her first cruise.
2 The ACTUAL cost Of each rssel from the time of
mencement tiA first commissioned for service the
nftter 81 times repaired altered in the United States
and the cost Of such repairs before proceeding
D. The number of trpes each steamer has undergone
foreign repairs on foreign stations from accident and the
such repairs.
T. The actual Of each sean,e, in the na,y from the
time Of building until the year 1852 including repairs of
whatever description the actual service at sea performed
by each vessel well the aggregate of the entire
steam navy and the various experiments connected
Herewith, until the close of the year 1852.
O. The names Of the heads Of bureaus constructors eag
neers ana other persons concerned in the construction
Equipment Of each and erery steamer in The nam
O. ne present condition Of the steam. nay including
fuel accommodating and ratio guns 10 tonnage
4 The number OF steamers purchased for the navy
their first cost amount expended 10 fit them for war
vessels their power burden proportion actual arma-
men and tonnage entire of repairs. of all kinds to
the close Of the year 1852 the service performed their
! Htrpsc tl,a
the agents who made the purchase for the government
When this information shall have been fur
nished by the department, we doubt not it will
disclose the most surprising Encouragement
bungling. corruption, and imbeclity. with which
the tax paying people have ever been enter
tanned. The actual cost of each steamer will
appear to be absolutely incredible. FIVE re-
member correctly, the mere cost of building
! and sending to sea the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, was about equal to the prime cost of
building the capitol at Washington or some
thing over million Of dollars But the num-
Der of times our more lately constructed naval
steamers have been repaired in their models,
their trimming. and their boilers and furnaces
and machinery. will be the most beautiful item
of their expenses. The Water Witch. for exam
pie; has been so often patched up and tinkered
over that there is net pow. perhaps, stick of
her original materals-timber. irof copper OF
cordage-in her composition And these repurs.
we venture to say, added to the original ey-
pense of construction have cost more money
than would build, under proper management
three such vessels out and out.
In connection with an exposition Of all such
extravagant squanderings of the public money
Mr.. Cartier has very properly demanded to
know the names of the heads of bureaus con-
structors. engineers. and other persons con-
cerned in the construction or equipment of each
and every steamer in the navy This is
striking at the very root Of the evil. The sequel
will show. too. the propricty and expedency Of
the plan of reorganization Of the navy OF Mr.
Mallory and Commodore Stockton. OF the Naval
Committee of the Senate, which comprehcnds
as primary step in the business. the extirpa-
ton of the managing "old fogies" and un1uali-
fed and ignorant old land lubbers who know
as much of the mystcres OF a war steamer. "a Of
the solution Of perpetual motion. In word
the reorganization of the navy impcriousIy
requires new system in the personnel. promo
tions and rewards OF the service, according to
merit qualification. aud iitaess for active Gu
! tcrprising duty az sea. and also an entirely new
system in regard to the construction equip
ment and repair, Of the hips and especially Of
! the war steamers. I'm both these branches Of
| reform the work must he commenced in the
| Navy Department proper. and among the old
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