The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-11-24
Prospects of Naval Reform.

| prospects OF Naval heIOfms
A Washington correspondent Of the N.
York Times foreshadows some of the
recommendations which Secretary Dob
bin will make in his first annual report
They Indicate that the Secretary has not
only mastered the difficulties which have
proved fatal to our steam naval superior
ity, but that, so far as in him lies, he is
determined on thorough reform. 1t is
stated that he win urge upon Congress
the necessity of an increase of steam yes
sells. and the further necessity, if the yes
sells are to be worth anything when they
are built, of some change in the mode of
getting steam machinery for them. The
system of letting contracts to the lowest
bidder, which has been the root of the
evil, the Secretary has taken the respon-
sibility to discard. The contract system
is well enough in many respects; but in
others it is a very dear and a very bad
system for the government. For in
stance, the steam frigate Allegheny,
whose signal failure to go to sea has been
chronicled, was built by contract, Leary,
the halter in New York, being one of the
contractors. Leary may be able to make
a hat, but it was monstrous absurdity
for him to undertake to make steamship
! But he was the lowest bid ler' for the AL
leghany contract, and, under the system
adopted, he was entitled to have it, and
he got it, to the damage of the govern
ment some two or three hundred thousand
dollars. Of the way the system has
worked, the Times correspondent says:
cit is found impossible to make con-
tracts under that system which cannot be
evaded. A bidder looks at the plan and
specifications, and puts in his bid The
contract is awarded him, and he builds
an engine. The vessel goes to sea with
it, makes FIVE or six knots an hour per-
haps, and returns to port, her engineers
declaring the machinery good for nothing.
!, The contractor is sent for, and told that
his engine won't co. and he replies that
! he dind't warrant it to work. That was
not his business. He engaged to make
an engine and the boilers after a certain
plan and specification, and did so. He
asks the engineer to show where single
piece is wanting, and wherein any part of
it differs from the contract plans; and the
engineer failing to do that, he laughs at
all threats of suit. He is not response
BILE for the success of his machinery, but
only for the blind performance of spe-
cific contract to put certain pieces of
iron into given shape and size; and that
{ he has DONE"
The remedy the Secretary will propose
to Congress will be the erection of gov
ernment maehine-shops. Undoubtedly
this is the best, if not the only, remedy;
but the success of even this depends en-
tirely upon the fact whether the govern
ment shops shall be placed under the su-
peryision of practical mechanics, or wheth-
er mere theorizers and experimenters
shall have charge of them. If the for
mer course is pursued-if American prac-
tical ingenuity, such ingenuity as has pro-
duced the Collins steamers and the sailing
clippers-is brought into requisition, it
will not be long before the American
steam navy will stand in the same relation
of superiority to that Of other countries
as does now our merchant steam marine
But if old commodores, o. journeyman
hatters, are to be our naval constructors,
neither governments mechine-shops or
anything else will save the country from
continued humiliation and Shame
The country will commend Mr.. Dob
bin, and a lasting fame will be his, if,
through his instrumentality, the Ameri-
can navy shall be placed upon its proper
footing g-Detron Free Press.