Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-26

to address the committee the proprey Of establishing
line OF communication between this country and China
subject to which he had given great attention but az
the time which the debate had been limited had nearly
expired, he should have to defer his remarks to some
other occasion.
Mr.. T0OMBS said that he had intended to present
views in regard Notifications and the navy and
regretted that time would not allow him to do So
He was against the amendments proposed by the gere
man from Tennessee because they had not sufcet time
in which to consider them, and lie trusted the committee
would reject them, deemng it improper to c upen such
grave and important matters without duo reflection He
should like to have the time 70 show IN detail that all the
money that had been expended IN the navy within the
ast twenty years had been drown away squandered,
without any increase OF the. navy in proportion
limited $500 " ."oA nv o"s' wa
Ing ohhhM. N stated the question to be on the first
a'n N, Ur ~ " AIR STANTON, Of Tennessee
". ? LION explained that some addition was ne
.iy - the compensation of the searnen employed in
the navy or otherwise the number nv law copd
no' sc obtained lie also thought it was IMPOSSIBLE for
lnen W 'A0a'An'
Mr. FLORENCE said that there seemed to be desire
on ne part OF the committee bring about nroner ra
form IN the navy The first great stem in reforn, void
pc 10 get the materiel proper the navy well maid Nv
the seamen composed the larger part of the nav
ana u was admitted where they were not de
quateiy PAID for the services they performed Is uas
known that there was marked distinction between the
compensation paid TO in the commercial marine
ana that pad to seamen in the navy and it struck him
that the hrst great step Of reform would to give an
adequate to those who fought the battles Of
the country.
| Mr.. STANTON Of Ohio moved TO amend the amend
ment by striking out much off proposed increase
the present force Of the navy He would vote to give
the seamen an increase Of pay but could vote to in
| crease their number
The amendment was agreed to AYES 73 noes not
counted.
Mr.. STANTON said that, the committee had refused
to increase the number of seamen he would withdraw
| his amendment to increase the in the item to
So l26, 94S and would to increase the original
amount to $3.50, 94s, which would be sufficient sum
with which to pay the ten per cent to the force already
employed He also withdrew his entire proyiso stating
that 1t was IN the power Of the President increase the
compensation OF the seamen, and the only thing
sary for the House TO increase the amount
Mr.. MEADE said that he had compared the strength
OF the other naves Of the world with that Of the United
States and was clearly Of the opinion that the duty
OF Congress- and that 1t was sound policy their part
in the present critical condition of our foreign relations
to increase naval strength.
Mr.. PRICE moved to increase the bounty of ten per
cent to twenty-five per cent He thought it was very
manifest that could not obtain sufficient seamen to
naval vessels for the very inadequate compensa
ton they were receiving The object the gentleman
from Tennessee had in view in increasing the compensa
ton OF seamen was to obtain for ships full compile
ment of men, but he (Ar p thought that the increase
would not prove sufficient for that purpose He there
fore hoped his amendment would be adopted
The amendment rejected.
The question was then taken the amendment of Mr.
STANTON, and it was agreed to.
Mr. STANTON, Of Tennessee, moved to insert in the
bill the following:
"For building equppng and arming with screw propel-
ers three gate and three sloopsowar, S2OO 00O pro-
vided said gaes shall be built by contract
with Capt John Ericsson to be fitted with his caorc agent
upon such terms and conditions the President may pre-
scribe and accept"
Mr. JONES' of Tennessee, raised the question that the
amendment not in ORDER being authorized by ex
listing law.
The CHAIRMAN 50 decided.
Mr.. STANTON appealed from this decision
And the question being taken, the Chair sustained:
Ayes g. noes 60.
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee, moved to amend the
Ham =. a A
binary, sc. by increasing the to So 500 OOO
and by adding provso that the President instead Of
repairing old ships, may, in his discretion apply any
portion of the aforesaid towards building propeers
of efficient character
The CHAIRMAN ruled the amendment out of order on
the ground that he ruled the former proposition not
to be in order.
Mr.. STANTON appealed, when
The decision Of the CHAIR was sustained: Ayes 10
3d.
Mr. STANTON, Of Tennessee, then moved 70 decrease
the sum in the item he proposed to amend 100000
So far this money for the repair ships of the navy
was concerned, it would be the thrown away
They should let the old navy die out ought to die
Mr. SWEETSER referred to the old odores in the
navy and thought that they should be replaced lie was
either for building new vessels or for refusing the appro-
prations to squander on old hulks.
Mr. TOOMBS thought that the House would perceive the
improperly Of egsating in this The chairman
Of the Committee Naval Affairs had moved to strike
out the large usually asked for the repair of ves
sells, accompanied with the declaration that the navy
ought to be permitted to down Now il was not wise
for them to egsate in passion If the money was to be
squandered he thought the system ought to be altered
When the gentleman desired reorganize the navy ht
him bring in BILL and afford the House an opportunity
to consider il and pass judgment upon it legislators
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee, said that in voting thee
large they actually voting build vessels br
in many the repairs put upon ship cost more than
it would to build il. He did to say that ne
money would be actually thrown away but that the De-
pnrtment would have nothing to do with but apply tito
the repairing Of ships The gentleman from Georgia had
said that he ought to lay before the House bill to ror
gauize the navy lie had been trying to do that forthe
last twelve months and had not been able to obanan
opportunity to do So
Mr.. BROWN, of Mississippi, opposed the amendmtnt
OF Mr. STANTON, as the appropriation absoluelyne-
cessary to keep navy ahoat Attacks upon the navy
such those made by the gentleman from Ohio ha be-
come quite too There time when the iavy
regarded the right Of the public service and
when in the history Of the Government had ever allied
to perform its whole duty The gentleman had alo al
luded 10 the old commodOres. These old men ha9 per-
formed gallant services and there should be voice
here to shield them against reproaches There WIS not
one OF them that was not an honor TO the service.
Mr. HOUSTON then explained the necessity Of tbs APP
preparation, and
Mr. SWEETSER replied to Mr.. BRowS, declaring that
he did not intend to detract from the honor and gy of
the He had only intended to call the attention Of
the country to the necessity Of reform in this branch Of
the public service
Messrs STANTON Of Tennessee, MILLSON and
CARTIER submitted a few remarks on the subject,
when
Mr. BROOKS moved to amend the item proposed to be
stricken by adding thereto provso that in any
where the repairs Of vessel would cost more than to