New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-14
NAVY-YARD ECONOMY.


worth seyenty-fve per cent. of their hrst cos''
and not fifty per cent of the amount that Is ex-
pended on them before they are three years Old
Our Navy ards also are managed with great waste
The advocates of a steam navy are pushing bust
pess into our dockyards and will not rest content
While there is single sailing ship to be supplanted
bv n screw steamer. We shall soon see our
sailing frigates and soops laid up in ordinary, to
rot as our line-oft attic ships now are-not one of
them being fit for sea--wbile the steamers alone
will be commissioned. Millions of dollars will be
spent in effectng these changes, and the 5000 men
EMPLOYED in the eight Nayy-Yards of the Union
will have plenty of work in future. Not only
so, but the cost of maintaining an efficient Navy
and none other is worth baving-is increasing every
wear. 1t costs more now than ever before TO send
a given number of guns to sea, because the guns
cost more, and the demand for higher rate OF
speed renders the use of steam inevitable 1t used
TO be estimated, when canvas was exclusively used,
that every gun on board ship-of-war In the
United States Navy cost from s., 600 to Sc, 600;
the cost is now nearer $25, 900 in screw steamers
of 40 guns, $50 600 in steamers of IA guns, and
$4,000 in steamers of guns. Nor can we see
that this state of things is likely to be modified
by any new Inventions; on the contrary, improve
ments in the means of naval warfare seem always
10 result in increase of cost.
Now it has become notorious that our Navy
Yards, where about $4,000, 900 is annually spent
for labor alone, have become mere political ma
chimes where idleness, INSTRUMENTATION, fraud, ia
voritism, and neglect of duty prevail. The foremen
of the various trades employed are the Jealous rep
resentatves of the COngressmenof the surrounding
districts They select the workmen in their depart
ments, and have few or many as they choose. AT
least one-third of the money laid out in the Yards
il plundered by the spoilsmen of the dominant
party. 1t is not fair wages. The employment
of inferior mechanics and men of no trade in
the place of good workmen, is common
abuse. Master-wOrkmen absent themselves at
pleasure, leaving quarter-man In charge. Why
should MT theyl They owe no obligations to the
authorities of the Yards their office is a sinecure
the honey in the carcass Of politics. Fair play
in the division of patronage is of the laws not
enacted by Congress- that is faithfully executed at
Washington, and which settles any difficulty grow
ing out of the remissness of master-wOrkmen to
their duties.
Who does not see that work must necessarily
be performed at a .ruinOus COST under these
circumstances7 And yet no remedy is pro-
posed Private builders and their workmen
have clamored for the construction OF national
ships outside of the Navy-Yards; and some
persons have thought We should get cheaper
and better vessels by adopting contract system
with observation-disclosures. We believe there is no
chance for improvement in this direction unless the
Coyernmentcan bemOre faithfully seryedthan it has
been by its own officers. 1t is true the Emperor of
Russia sent here, aud one of the finest steam
friqates that ever foated, was built for him, but
his agents were men of practical knowledge, who
knew what they wanted, and that they would be
held responsible for their conduct. The eOnstruc-
ton of the General-Admiral does indeed prove
that private builders in the United States com
pete with the world in the building OF battery ships,
not only as to quality, but as TO prices but we bo-
lieye the building Of national ships can be as
well done in the Navy Yards under proper system
Of labor.
But how? 1t is simply to do as Mr. Webb, Mr..
Westeryet, and other builders do, who make any
money in their business. We want the system OF
job work, which is in use everywhere except IN
establishments conducted and supported by the
public money. Its something more than time that
is wanted by an employer. lie wants work.
Then why not buy work instead Of hiring time
Herein is the secret of the difficulty of getting ships
built and repaired at reasonable rate in our
Nayy-Yards-the labor is all paid for by the
day This should be changed The various jobs
into which the constructing Of a ship may be
subdiyded should be thrown into the market TO all