Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-02-24

Messrs. Pike and Blame on
the Navy Department.

between NlessTS. iAe anu DiaHG "
which Some reference has been made in
TIE Boston papers:
Mr., Blaine. How much time is left
for debate, Mr.. Cha rman?
The Chairman. Three minutes and a
half
Mr.. Blaine. I had desired and intend
"a, MIR. Chairman, to speak ten or fifteen
minutes on this amendment, but the mem
bers of the Naval Com,pittee have con-
sumed the time to such degree that l
am deprived Of the privilege. Of the
five hours and half allowed for debate.
that committee has occupied more than
four; and since the gentleman from
Maryland (NIr. Davis concluded his re-
marks. four gentlemen have been heard
IN succession on the same side OF. the
question, mode of proceeding quite un-
precedcnted in this House, as am well
assured.
This discussion, sir, has been somewhat
at cross-purposes as between the geutle-
man who opened the discussion and the
four gentlemen who have in succession
replied to him. A specific proposition to
establish Board OF Admiralty was ill.,
ho luced by the gentleman from Mary
land as the effective remedy for evils in
the administration of the Navy Depart
mcns, which evils he proceeded to expose
IN caustic. scathing, truthful, aud de-
served criticism, spending his hour thus,
and devotins little time to the practical
merits and fitness of bis proposed reme-
dy. The gentlemen of the Naval Com
mittee. finding it easier to oppose Board
Of Admiralty with objections borrowed
from English experience than to answer
she charges of saort-comins and blunder-
ing in the Navy Department. SO forcib!y
put by the gentleman from Maryland,
have dexterously expended much Of their
time in exposing the ineificiency OF the
proposed remedy, and have thus skillful-
" avoided an answer to the great essen
tial points made by the gentleman who
moved the amendment. For myself, sir,
Hconfcss that l care very little for the
particular measure pending. l support
it because it proposes change, and a
change mast be reform. To adopt it is
TO declare that Congress is not satisfied
with the mode in which the Navy De-
partment has been administered aud to
reject it is in effect to assert that the
House of Representatives, so tar as it has
cognizance and COZ tcol Of the matter,will
advise the President that this Depart
ment shall be conducted in the future as
it has been in the past, and that the OIL
GERS of the Department may again spend
$4,000, 600 iu the construction OF twen-
ty iron.cad vessels that will not stay on
top Of the water
Mr.. Pike. The assertion is wholly ill.,
correct.
Mr.. Blaine. 1t may be denied, but it
has been proved. 1t is indeed matter
of public, general, aud undispated noto-
riety that twenty of these iron vessels,
built under the supervision of the Navy
Department. will not float, attieast those
that have been tried will not, and the
model is the same for the whole number.
Here the hammer fell.
Mr.. Davis of Maryland. Task unani-
NOUS consent that the gentleman from
Maine may be permitted to proceed.
The Chairman. The Chair cannot en-
terrain that proposition. as the debate in
Committee Of the Whole was closed by
order Of the House, and it is not compe-
tent for the committee to extend it.
Mr.. Blaine. move to ameld the
amendment by striking out the first line :
that will entitle nue. to the floor u few
minutes longer.
Mr.. Spalding. l call for the reading
of the amendment.
The amendment, which was read, was
to strike out the following words:
sThat the President, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate
Mr.. Blaine. l have stated fact in
regard to those twenty iron-cads which
cannot be coutroverted, and
Mr.. Pike. say the gentleman is en-
tirely mistaken in reference to the build
ing Of those twenty monitors.
Mr.. Blaine. They are not sca-going.
Mr.. Pike. They were never intended
to be sea-going.
Mr.. Blaine. ! say they will not float
What is meant by floating ? Is not the
phrase simple enough and plain eucagh ?
Mr.. Stevens. will say that an engi-
neer told me the other day hat not one
q them would float until s120, 900 more
had been expended upon each Of them.
Mr.. Pike. The first of them, lauach.
ed in Boston harbor, foatel three inches
out Of water on level, though she was
intended to float twelve inches. Others
foated high enough, and when altered,
make useful vessels.
Mr.. Blaine. Then the drst lost nine
iAches.-
Mr.. Pike. Sac ill.
Mr. Blaine. That is, she lost seventy
five per cent. Of that portion her when
was designed to be above water. And
tais, / presume. is tie best Of the whole
twenty! Well, sir, that is conccding the
whole case. Only three inches above
Water! Why, the chances are that she
could not be towcd mile in smooth wa
ter without sinking to the bottom
Oac or two other facts must notice
hurriedly. as l shall be Compelled to
yield the floor in a moment. Much has
been said by the members of the Naval
Committee abou. the speed of the yes.
sells built for what is termed the neW Ma.
w. One official fact is b.tter answer
to these allegations than anything 1 can
say. 1t is this /; that out Of ninety Brit.
ish steamers caught within . given peri.