The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-16

The marine barracks az BOSTON, Philadelphia and Nor.
folk represented 70 be CONTRACTED and enrely unit
for and the eomInandant of the corps recommends
that provision be made 10 purchase ground and erect
suitable buildings at those places 0i s9onsTsIS H8h O.
would respectfully invite your attention 10 General
Hendersons report for general condition Of the corps
Two appropriations each of twenty thousand dollars,
have been made the construction and completion ofa
coal depot AZ Key West in foridag0 wharf has been
built, but the foundation having partially failed II Is
deemed unsafe A coal shed has been colmenced but is
neither covered In paved The constructing engineer
reports that similar one parallel 10 it, is needed for soft
coal that having been designed for anthracte that the
sheds will be of little without substantial and per-
anent wharf from which vessels can receive their sup
ply that the site Of the present wharf is excellent,
having depth Of water Of twenty five feet that the
construction Of two railway tracks from the wharf TO the
coal sheds VIII be necea and that 10 complete what
he proposes would require appropriation OF hun
red and seventy five thousand dollars the former appro
priaton having been exhausted lAii Jof4to ohl Ea2R9
In view of the admirable position of Key West for
yeniently supplying with coal the steamers of the home
squadron would earnestly recommend that suitable
provision be made by legislation for the completion, upon
pupcs scale and in economical manner, Of this inn
portant public work.
to purchase site for naval depot Blythe island, in
the State of Georgia. and to erect such buildings and to
make such improvements may be necessary to repair
vesselsofwar and to afford them refuge A board of off,
Gers, consisting of Captain Mcintosh, Commander Hart
stene Lieutenant Brooke anda civil engineer Mr. Calvin
Brown directed to examine the island and the ada
cent waters In pursuance of their report, about one
thousand hundred Of the southern portion of the
island have been purchased for Sl30 000 The Attorney
General having certified that the title is good and the
State of Georgia having consented to the purchase and
thereby ceded the requisite jurisdiction, the purchase
money has been paid Immediate steps will be taken
prepare the site for the purposes expressein the act OF
The war steamer building at Hoboken by the executor
OF Robert L. Stevens first authorized by the act OF
April a. 1912 1.-The present contract provides that Mr..
should build the his Dlan and de-
liver her to the government for the of S5s67T "a;
and that after the of $500 900 should have been paid
ON account, she should be examined by board, and
if she could be completed for the balance of the appro
pration, then it should be paid This balance of $780,
III s4 has been appropriated by Congress to enable the
department promptly TO- make the payment when it
should be due On the 18th Of February 1856, board
appointed and in their report of March a. 1856,
they estimate that in addition to the OF $500 900
already paid there will be required the further of
SSl2 ,033 6S to completes the vessel The balance APP
propriated August 1885, remains therefore in the
treasury ss.tl3ri t,gg,-rtrJ ,y. = BIN s4 a ,.-.
Mr. Stevens and his executor have expended upon the
vessel the Of $7O2 1855 37l It is proposed by
the executor that the balance of the contract
is to say, the of SS6717 84-be paid to him from
time to time equal amount in work and materials
shall hereafter be put upon the vessel the same being
secured to the government by pledge Of the whole As
the vessel is already virtually owned by the government,
and will be of little value unless completed is deemed
proper invite attention to the inquiry whether 1t
not be expedient to authorize the application of the bal
ance In aid of the Of the executor and in the mode
proposed, to the accomplishment of the work. yps1
The Naval Academy, at Annapolis now under the
charge Of Capt Blake the of Capt Goldsbo
rough in the administration Of this important and deli
cate trust il in oushng condition. 1T is to the navy
what the Military Academy is to the army institu
ton not merely of great utility, but of Indispensable
cesty without which, i'm the present state of science
accomplished and efficient corps of officers could not be
secured There attached to It, for purposes of
instruction, l76 acting midshpmen. At the close of
the last academic year l5 graduated and SO have since
been admitted. .. ..s Il s.
The report Of the last annual board of inspecting Off
speaks in terms of high comnendaon of the discp
line and police regulations of the institution of the
formance Of the students in field artillery and infantry
tactics in the exercise of the great guns in battery and
in shell and shot practice at the target of the adma
BILE requirements of the graduating class and of the
cessfu management of the academy now no longer an
experiment 1t also proposes some deserving
earnest consideration and others which in due time ought
to be carried into effect. >'"tN I
The joint resolution Of March g. 1867 directing the
Secretary of the Navy medals to be struck and
presented to Dr. Kane, his officers and men, have been
unable to carry into effect because Congress accidentally
omitted to make appropriation for that object aGt
When entered upon my duties in this department
found naval court of inquiry already organized under
the act Of january 49, 1851 Defining important that
the investigation directed by that should be brought
to early conclusion, immediately organized two ad
dona courts These three courts have prosecuted their
labos with great assiduity The result in many cases
has been presented to you. As to all those in
which the courts have recommended restoration to the
active list, to the service transfer from furough
to leave pay you have approved the action of the courts
and when you shall have presented corresponding nom
nations to the Senate you will have done to them all
which this act has committed to your discretion AAs to
those in which the courts have recommended
change the action Of the President whether it be that Of
approval or disapproyal will not vary the result but
leave the parties san quo II there had been no in
quiry. The President having no power TO change the
state of any person already In the navy except by dis
mssal by promotion with the advice and consent Of