Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-09

abandon Of them and retain those at proper loca
lions where they really useful.
undertake to say this dock in the waters in Calfor-
mia will be eminenty useful to the country We want
dock, basin, and railway there The contract which
the Senator from Georgia alluded has been made in ac
cordance with law and in accordance with the public
cessites Of that section Of the country We shall
hear Of the Government doing this that and the other
to make navy yard there. God Almighty has made it.
1t Is unnecessary to dredge You doing at all your
navy yards except three four Look this appropr
uon bill and you find that you appropriate for dredging
at Washington at Philadelphia Pensacola and various
other navy yards. could refer to some, but do not
wish TO discriminate which intended for the
purposes to which they have been applied. New York,
boston Norfolk aud San Francisco the points which
nature mas made for great navy yards and for the
docking Of vessels The old stone docks were very ne
things In their tme before was discovered but in
opinion another stone deck will never be built in this
or in any other country That however is entirely inn
material to the point in ISSUE All want to do is 20
state the facts as they the Senator from Florida
is for striking out have objection 10 its being done
Mr. TOOMBS. l think this motion to strike out is
eminently proper. have few remarks to make upon
it in reply to the Senator from California When these
people here eight ten years ago they asked for
contracts for three docksone ut Kery one at Phila-
delphia and the other at Pensacola There was great
struggle about it; but finally they got the contracts
They said there plenty Of water at all the places
and that they very fit places to build these DOCKS
railways, and basins They went on and built them.
suppose the report Of the examination of the docks de-
not heard any thing in reference to the Kttery dock
have examined the report of the board that examined the
Pensacola DOCK which the Senator from California says
has been riumphantly answered. The board was COM
posed of CON- Tattna Of the navy, Major Chase Of the
army, Mr.. Heron, eminent civil engineer Of the
navy, who took down all the testimony and Mr. HART,
the chief naval constructor OF the United States Their
report accompanied by all the testimony and facts is be-
fore The statement of the is utterly de-
MED by the board They refused to receive the dock,
because was faulty in princp and construction That
is the report made by thocom riaaon sent examine
the work and after all the evasons of the contractors
disclosed in the testimony they came here and demanded
the money.
They alleged that the difficulty was owing to def
cheney Of water and they referred it to the Attorney
General say whether under their contract there
not be suficiency Of water He said there must be,
and then the money was paid to them This commission,
however tell us that was not the difficulty The ship
they attempted to dock not moro than twothirds
the size required by the contract One was shipof
war, the other frigae. These parties paid in
the face Of the report Of this commission
Mr. GWIN. viii the Senator tell me whether any one
Of those officers, except one ever before saw ship
docked?
Mr.. TOoMBs. suppose Commodore Tattnall did; he
has been in the navy all his life.
Mr.. GWIN. No, sir he never did. g..
Mr.. TOOMBS l should consider that rather strange.
Mr. GWIN 1t is assorted, and it seems to be very
well proved.
Mr. TOOMBS These officers were sent for the pur-
pose of examining this dock The commission
posed of Of the most scientific officers in your army
and navy, and am disposed to believe what they say.
The contractors made excuse after another They
said there not sufficient depth of water ct
The commission after the most accurate measurements,
unanimous that there abundance Of water to
dock that ship; that the fault must be in the dock
Yet Senators talk Of that report being cut to pieces
But sir got up chiefly for the purpose Of saying his
These first got contract for making three docks,
and they started at the price Of $500 900 apiece but they
have carried the cost to nearly three millions OF dol
lars. They then built dock in California for over fve
dbl ND an
the last session of Congress authorizing the Secretary Of
the Navy if he thought the public necessity required il
to make contract for basin and railway at San Fran
CISCO In the face of the report of the board OF commits
soners these people got 900 for the Pensacola Dock
and according the ntmaton Of the Senator from Flo
rda with straw bond whereas ii is faulty in principle
and construction the Secretary Of the Navy has made
such contract the Senator from California says for
basin and railway at San Francisco his conduct ought
be Investigated and will take early opportunity at
the next session to cause an inquiry into his conduct in
that respect
Mr.. GWIN. I undertake to say that, whenever the
Senator invites the investigation the Secretary will be
ready to meet him. He has executed the law and he 10
not afraid to meet any responsibility that results from hs
action I who advised and urged him to do It,
and know he did his duty.
Mr. MORTON Mr. President, am not disposed to
protrac the discussion but must make one remark In
reply to my friend from California He boasts Of having
in California sufficient water for the construction of
dock without any outside appliances put up the same
claim for the bay of Pensacola say have there suf
cent water for the construction Of basin and the float
ing of dock without any of these artificial appliances Of
scows, dredging, or any thing of the kind.
The Senator also said that the report Of the board Of
commissioners riddledI think that the term he
usedby the response of these contractors to the Naval
Committee. have not had opportunity to read that
response only say that from the report Of the
Navy Department and from the report Of this board Of
commissioners to the Navy Department the evidence is
clear and conclusive to my mind and must be to every
who looks at those reports that the have
complied with but have sgnaly failed in their
but should rely upon the opinion Of such men as those
who composed this boardCapt Tattnal who has spent
forty years Of his life in the navy of his country one Of
the first contractors attached to the navy engineer Of
distinction attached to the army and also one superin-
tending the works at Pensacola-as to the efficiency Of
this work much than would the statement Of
the contractors.
Mr.. GWIN The facts and the law will determine the
case. Any mans statement is not worth cent unless
sustained by the facts.
Mr.. BRODHEAD. My amendment is merely to strike
out the words continuation Of deep basin raising walls
Of dock basin" and does not affect the appropriation
The amendment was agreed to-
THE CUBAN SLAVE TRApR.-On the day that the Bri-
sh Parliament prorogued there laid before the
House of Commons the copy Of report from Mr. CRAw
trade in slaves Cuba has been active in 1853 than
any of the eleven years previous 1874 excepted This
shows how Intellectual have been all the exerons Of the
British Government to suppress the traffic. Cuban,
who vouched for by Joseph Hume Of the largest
propreors the island says referring to the decree Of
March last allowing for the period Of two years the in
into Cuba Of free Spanish, Chinese Yucca
aborers that the planters Of the island prefer the
Yucaanese to the others many important accounts,
ohnva