New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-04
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.

The House went into Committee OF the
Whole GA the Navy appropriation bill
Mr. DAVIS (Md.) spoke IN favor CT his amendment.
uron,sipg the establish nent Of Board VI Admirably y.
H. said that his for oHsr!ng 1t was that We
would have accounts with rte- nations TO ADJUST UAe
this war over. and because we should LVt DC de-
0e as 20 the strengh Of vessels or guns nor per-
shaded by newspaper articles into the befi that
great naval power This aHeLdinest was not INTRO
diced OH his Own Judgment. nor Mas II hastily drawn,
Int vas prepared after dcbernlion and consultation
with the first IaeD OF the navy.
Mr. SPALiIs0 said the Committee on Navel Affairs
and considered bib to establish Board O Admirably J,
hnd had concluded to report uafavorubly thereon.
Mr.. DAVIS said when he saw purpose to smother
that bill lie moved his smendment The changes al 9
made under the auspices OF the Secretary Of the Navy
and his irresponsible Assistant Secretary who was the
re ard actual Secretary Of the Navy. Tho result
ye were Taught ~ believe We were great naval power
While it was officially stated We Lad 81, vessels aud
1876 guns he maintained that In fact We had only 49,
vessels ard 0o9 guJs To efficiently engage with auy
foreign nayul power, II were declared 10
He condemned the double endcrs. machinery
all and spoke Of the nSees ncss Of otter vessels
in q contest with tfgtclass power. In prUpos ny
Board OF Admiralty he adhered TO the idea Of The unity
Of the executive surrounded by Responsible advisers
without whose recommendation and knowledge nothing
can be done; aud this Board he proposed should be
headed by Vice. Admiral FaTroFpt. Had such Board
been heretofors IN existence should have been hv
from the modification Of repeated failures ThD c0itcst
between the Monitor and Merr.riac was drawn
battle nobody whipped; and yet, witlolt consult
ing naval officers and obtaining the opinion Of
sona men, the Department, taking the model Of tbe
Aiontor-a cheese. box with two guDS-bad expended
Sla 900 600 on that type Of vessel The Lad
snoothed over Its idure In contracts. and hal wasted
the public money in it's eztrayagant experiments
Mr. RICE (Hass) said the gentleman WA most IN
fortunate in the aendmoIt he had submitted TO this
bin, which nothing more nor Ices than that this
Congress and the Nayy Department should throw away
oil he teachings Of experience a. home and abroad and
by taking r6irogrnde step place our naval affairs
where they century aso. The Committee on
Naval FAIRS several days ago asked leave to submit
ham ted Lei "A Of
utntary evidence on the sIbcca referred To by the
gentleman but the House refused tho request. The
examined all the facts and s,a.istics with
view to separating the wheat from the
chae end taking tho true from the absolute false. He
quoted British authorities TO show that ZACH Board In
England was unpopular. irresponsible. uncertan ard
insufficient tn provide for all tho exgencies Of war
Speakers iu Parliament aud articles In magazines bad
sscm was followed. foonded on individual reSonsi
bity. In our naval organizations each Chief Of Blu.
Ieau WAC direct rospoIss 70 the head OF te Depart
mert whovss not hamJcssd ~ the divided acbon.
The systcm proposed BY ths gentleman had boon tried
here over end over again. and bad heeh east aside be-
cause II had proved ine5cirat irrcs ponsible and m
certain. Tire gentleman had double purpose for he
discussed bat for chort time BIZ proposition while be
hsd devoted al laas hour In descantng on tie ls
and failures oi tie Navy Department. IL ives scarcely
uecessx remind tie House That when tho Rebellion
from the Chesapeake to the io Grande; tho Rebels
took two % the five nayyyaId. one OF them the
uio ~ Noio'hr tne most important OF eii
ri which they. captured zone ships, besides
Dver 0Oc pieces 81 heavy ordnance. Az That time the
ntio navy consisted OF 80 vessels oneha of them
n commission: only ~ we're left for service, nearly all
" which were on squadron abroad that only
oar ayaiiabie for home Sxyice Tie Secretary Of
he Navy. pressed b. toe necessity 81 the oase lad
altered ire most efficient vessels meet the instant
Of the war. Starting with four vessels
NV tho number was increased in nine months "a 226;
be next year TO between 300 and 400 he year following
$780, aad ct the end OF the fourth year tn 67i. The
essels bnih were built pap Of one size. or
VI ope pss - tue genernao bod rfstsd bpt fsr differ