Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-08-03

a DEFENcE.

~ @sffIi II & fsF Ferry Amory om NJ.
vember, 1911, 10 October 1851 S, seriously com
promised by the Repori Of the Select Conmiilee Of
which the Hon. r III. STsuNroN is airman, as
TO compel me to ask through your columns TO cor
rect some errors Of fact into which The commn,fe
has been let by implicit reliance on The erparge
testimony given before Them
On page sixteen OF the report under head Of
ABUSES under The military system. ii is stated that
The expenditures for repairs. improve msnts, and.
new machinery amounted 70 nearly as much in The
twelve years u military superini lenee as in The
lony-nine u civil rule. When il IS understood
that the replirs 10 these tw.lve years consisted ID
an entire rebuilding ef boA The mlsket and nae
works at tarpet's FeKy. and thorough ienova-
lion of m lchinely as sanctioned and directed atter
wish VI Inspection ia 1915 hy the then Secretary
OF War now atIhe head % the State ID paiim. III
il wi moi b. considered eyih.nce OF want ot COMO
my ia administration To have completely rebuilt
the establishment IN proper substantial manner,
suitable Tor a government work. al a ci1St under
that previously expended even ia forty nine veafs
IUr repairs and improvem .nIs The abuses IL al.
pointing an acting master armorer aud sui siilti
ting forrmen of the shvpS for insps ciors were
changes made by authority uflhe Secretary If War
aiier Gu. consideration " the reasons III he
change.
/ Under the head Of Oppressive conduci.n The re-
.pott n ak of { very numerous complains al
l,ludng presume u the pc films referred 10 hat
committee. u I$ significant that The iafy,
,popaous. and Intelligent county of j. ff.fson in
which Is situated Hafprs Fefr- place of mar
81 i've Ihol>and inhabitants incsnaiay The ammo.
~. wherein sUule thee hundred mechanics ind
emplu. mSnt, could only iaini seventy one n. IL
TONERS against The oppres ions OF military rniei
Under the head Of concluding remarks" on
Tage ~ the report states that ia 1915 an estimate
llT The Building Of new quarters was refused BIZ
7Qongress that nevertheless the cDmmandaut COM
nlenced their erection and before the appropria-
iion Of the next ytar had expended several thous-
ahj-dOllars. Thi> is great mistake as Is 81 lwu
III the account 81 the expenditures on quarters
psnd TO the repair, IN which the frst iem maid
bears date July 81, lSi6-one month after the SCI
ednd appropriation became available.
The report 1uriher states haisno Subsequent ap
preparation was made for the c,.mmandant,s quar-.
trfs. Another a klake. A subsequent estimate
was made and appropriated lar to eueef The excess
of expendiiure OVER the original estimate, aud I'd
complete: The quarters OF cummaadani and paw
tnA~leT. The trfortrib the 0siinsurr Office and
aitHsrpeis Ferry srmniy will show these iacfs.
On reading Hon~e Documents No 76, contain
ind the evidence taken before the se'ecf cummiiee
forwarded 10 member OF Ihai committee a siate-
mfnf reuting The slaf ders and EXPLAINING he myx-
iifeahons contained In that evidence. Why the
eolamitlee did not think proper 10 receive II ~ 10
avail themsey yes 81 u 10 correct iaio which
they might have been led. ] am not 81 Liberty 40
Mcguire. That statement will. however be pub
lisEed and The public will see the evidence Of
the "praeiical men, Of great respeclablliV zen
liled 10 he highesicred . Is eniireiv retired
JOHN sYMINGTON,
Major Of Ordnance.