The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-10

Uee s,y ,bc other The tine allowed IN N advertise
nsDi tbm timber ~ss sufficient Tor persons woo were
actual deaies N such timber, and who, IN making or
fers intended TO ply With 'bem or were ~ aoV oe
irse psepaied bur was muct 100 fp"rt tor any spent
tract 10 o.ner parties. rbese were the re-.soes
shh phnorccd toe Department. In yhe ey.fc' 20 Of s
h1ca eSop IN thus particular case ahd when ,n,rac,s
were executeo aPsprsd BY tue exper ,ca o,rer in
charge Of the Bureau as t.,r nm ,n
nsa,Ure bod proved highly tcooow sna bepe6a, 20
she government, saving 70 u probably abou, twenty.
five thousspd dollars, beycd wher cnn,d hnve been &C
con plitbeo by an open purchase.
hfer The ,oprscts bad bsen awarded 10 the 10 vest
hi dera qn.st'on arose To ~hoh applied prrcple
q decision had previously mode, that when the
ncpar advertised for upon certain terms
q the bidder applied 10 snbordioate oicer AMI
81 ,agor tersne NJ va,aocs
bos. advertised and regulated b,s accor lug
tie payment would entoros the advet tsetneut aai
lot tte a.,m.uc.s Of The subord,na. and toe "a.
smyrr,s tbvq obtained wond constitute no
pr@ld Of belief, he ause Unfair N other bid.
oe,s When, therefore, i. appeared that thoee
10 whom the contracts awarded had neither pcr
10, them, mterded tn perform them when they
hid but had acted npon information or assurances Oh
ten To IS toe Navy Yards fran subordinate officers AZ va,
with the terms ~ TIE advertisements the depart
asise Abe forfeited contracts sud instead OF por-
ebasrR contracting in open market OF Of the next
highest bMdns and charging tbe difference 70 the defn
Ig pariiea accf pieo contract with NJ STut for the
woolr the lowest bid, which WAS much low
thsp rte bios which had made eby saving The de-
}abH ng fo loss, securing the best terms for
Vie Po,eu meit, Ieqn,rrg him 20 accept ~ ow pfcs
Tor the timber be delivered n medatey time hal
Lous,nne il. TIE nep.r meDt did not advise
Of the actors ~ be should pnrsue
hut sppssed them, upsquvoosly az all times that the
lime az delivery, advertised would not be postponed
Tor tbe reasons have stated.
when can,e mo tho Department found system
established which commenced during the Administered
Mr. Fillmore, Of purchasing coal for the Of the
Navy by the nerumeD atty Of two coal agents oae for
onlhracie the other for bi,u ninous COAL WITH compcu
satiou i've per cent commission the OF purchase
and r8pspoi taton contracted by tho agent rnere
was also during Mr.. Elnore's administration, spcca
agency supply ing with coal tho East India and Pacific
s9usdrcps during the Japan expedition Messrs. How
land AfIinwal, OF New YORK. the special agents
ogreem,D, Of the cate Of April s. 1862 by which tn"y
were allowed ten per cent. comuassiors on tho pnr
obsse money, cost OF transportation, insurance and
other Unavoidable expenses, oedueuDg therefrom The
commissions allowed tho SCENTS for Supplying coal
within the United states. This agreement was
modified by DIR. Dobbm the 1l,n Of August,
losing the SCENTS 10 snip exceeding 900 tons
per month the agreeing 10 pay tbs cost OF the
coal, igbterage, carriage freight, prmage and demrr
rsge and commission oil SIX per ceDt On the cost Of the
coal including freight or transportation. roeir oon,ns
smountd TO s5oe7S 81, while the comnissions Of ali
other coal agens for supply steara vessels OF
with coal during the wDoe period from 1850 TO the pre-
sent time amount only 10 tho sun cf $9s5l 3d. and for
supplying the Navy Yards 10 the further Of SIS 1868 a.
This special agency abolished by Mr. Dobbin in 1854
There has been other change the sys,em except
only that in pursuance of the policy expressed the
Of Of September 2s 1850 Of giving preference
American productions have caused anthracite coal 70
be sent from Pennsylvania MINES by American vessels,
chartered by the Department. and without any special
agency, to the East India. Pacific, and AL other
foreign stations where could be delivered ut greater
than that OF foreign coal delivered tie places
This bas caued increase OF purchases Of coal in this
country, but has proved most decidedly economical
and beneficial Improvement, rs will appear by detailed
returns which are now probably before the cemms,ee
occurring without any increase Of TO tne government
what rs deemed tho best coal In the world for war
s,eamers--the anth,a coal of pennsy lvania. No
change has been msde the bamiDous coal agency
any IN that for anhracee except that the otmcr ageA
fr m Aas a arr Of fclr AR fTOtO
mt, was succeeded by Dir Hunter the present. agent
whom appointed in May last, upon the most reliable re
conmeB datons leaving him 70 The discharge OF his duty
upon his own responsibility. was not aware unl the
present Investigation that he had employed another
pe'ssb 70 aid hln--aowlng hi@ TO share in his CON
want Of attention on bis part. IL vas well known
N the Department that the navy suppied with coal
Of tho best kind and quality for naval purposes at
than formerly al what deemed in the bureau
be pIces and that the bills passed under tho rnspe
ton and required the approval OF faithful and
vRiapt officers Of the govern ment who
slant practice Of nstung inquiries into the reasonable
Of prices and OF refusing payment when they were
excessive j. not now the opinion OF the bureau after
full inquiry that the price PAID So ST per ton Of best
anthracite coal for steam purposes screened selected
delivered at the vessel In Philadelphia, has been
siye or unreasonable
The Department has al times left both these agents
for the purchase Of coz PERFECTLY free in the discharge Of
their duty, upon Their owA responsibility, with such
sisrsnce as they might chocae TO employ at their
own expense, subjco. only TO tho checks which exist
on sLipboaId and ut the naval stations, where II is
the cuty Of the proper officer TO report any dcdcen
cy IN quantity or qualify ana also to the constant superv
The chiefs Of the bureau under whose orders the
purcbases made and by whom the bills must be exa
mined and approved before they can BIO passed. Both
nose high ocers enjoy my entire
hot only IN their capacity but in er vigilance and up
DeltEess.
should DO very willing To give full details Of the action
OF the Department in reference 10 the navy yards and TO
the for steam machinery for vessels of war but
bs no evidence hns been transmitted to me on those
suec!s shat content myself with brief general stae
mtbt.
The system by which tho navy yards are managed is
the came which found established when came into
Office, with some improvements. The commandant OF
the yard Is responsible for its general conai,ioD
II is bis duty to correct or report any abuse
which may come to his knowledge Ho recei YEA oil Or
oe,s hom the Department, and is authorized TO use
the proper mrans TO execute them II order is giyen
thai vessel be built repaired, or other work done
be dnecs the employ meDt Of the Axes the nun
Der " DO employ ed without Interference by the Depart
ment He IL authorized and required to dismiss any
workman, and to report any master for neglect
CONDUCT When master is thus reported to the Depart
ment investigation is ordered he led witnesses
ale examined and the testimony returned to the Depart
meDt for its acton Tho master has the selection Of the
men, subject TO tho app OF superior officers aud ia
held responsible for them and the work by them un
der hs charge and has therefore, authority to dsmiss
well in the navy yards generally, although thore is
greater difficulty and embar :assment in the Brooklyn
yard, rom the superintendent population OF the great
adjucent cities, pressing for employ meD& and resort
ing 70 all legitimate means to OBTAIN 1t. This dill
c ca % nG' Mov ,rs M 1y any system that
from tie neshbOring Congressional DISTRICTS they mast
be selected by some they should be aelccted by the
master workman, who is responsible for them eu6jec
indeed, to proper restriction and supefvison aud this
master workman must always feel and have 70 Contend
with the pressure Of vast numbers seeking employment
and especially during periods Of commercial dsress He
Is aso exposed to the accusations Of dismissed and disa
pointed worknep, and the scrutiny OF viai!ant con,
Peuiofs seeking h place. and If there be any well found
ed charge against him s quite TO kuo 1n
to the officer whose duty s to inquire There has been
no report against any master workman of any of the
Atlantic navy yards ence have been in the Department.
except in five cases--one for alleged misconduct
seve'a. years ago, which was fully io4estigatsd
by my predecessor; ono for intoxication, which
has been investigated and followed by a new
appointment; one for temporary insanity, where
and producing certificate from his phy sician that Il
would not DO likely to recur and tho other two cases
recently, ior neglect OF duty, which have been uvesu
gated aud the returns having just in will sosn be
disposed Of These are the only instances Of charges
presented g the pietashs, And X there be any ore
scented 10 the committee which have not been nree,rsd
70 we Vosnmsndsas Of The navy yard, and oppor.
tuny given to the parties implicated 70 defend them.
at laae f,,I