The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-12

objection on the part oil gentlenen VINO nave IN
view the benefit of some other locality. It
strikes me, sir, that the House would not act
with its usual iudement aud discretion ii IL
should adopt the latter course.
Rut sir A substitute Is proposed by the gentle
man nom Connecticut; and here let me say
that upon it's face this substitute would appear
10 be a very fair and equitable proposition; and
If this were an dei,np y, new Sard gueds0n a5d
the change of the site Of an existing yard, there
would appear to be a great deal of fairness ia
that substitute. But u gentlemen will but re-
fleet a moment they will see that the PROPOSE
tion of the gentleman from Connecticut is de-
, lusive in its character. II would result merely
in an indefinite postponement of this questions
that is all. IL proposes rowing commission to
examine all the waters of the United States tor
an additional navy yard. That is not what the
Secretary OF the Navy desired or recommended
to this House. That is not what the Naval Com
mittee of this House have recommended. They
have recommended the acceptance of League
Island, which Is offered by the city Of PhIladel-
phla as a muniicent gift to the Government,
that the present navy yard at Philadelphia may
be removed thther. They do not propose the
creation of an additional navy yard, but the
substitution OF Mnew one for an existing one.
Suppose, sir, that you appoint your commis-
sion You do not by this substitute, give the
commissioners any authority or power to act.
You leave the matter all at loose ends as it has
been heretofore. year or perhaps two years
hence that commission will make report.
More probably they will make two reports or
three reports, perhaps as many reports as there
are members of the commission. Then how
much progress viii you have made in reaching
q decision upon this question: None what.
ever
Besides, sir, as time goes on, new sites not
now thought of will be clamorously pressed for
consideration. AT first, SIR the proposition to
select League Island was met by an applica-
tion on behalf OF New London, urged by the
gentleman from Connecticut, who so well re-
presents the interests Of his constituents.
sprung up IN all quarters. We have sugges-
tions for new navy yards all along the coast.
Every member thinks that his State must have
question is made the occasion for q general
scramble for a new navy yard. Sir, hope
this House will not give lts approval to any
such measure. Very sure am l that the
city of Philadelphia, ii il had been supposed
that her munifcence would be met by such
a general scramble, would have been too
proud to make this offer to the general Gov
ernment.
SPEECH OF MR. oNEILL.
Talk to me about New London harbor! Why
the gentleman's substitute for the bill reported
from the committee and his whole argument
means New London, and nothing else. Sir, in
the very entrance OF the harbor there is rock,
which one OF my iellow-traveliers, and | pre-
sumo from his knowledge OF the locality one of
my friends constituents, pointed out to me and
told me was so bad that it would take all the
pow der in the country to blow it to pieces, and
that it had always been considered an obstacle
to the commerce of the place. This, of course,
must be removed, and many others, perhaps, if
you would locate navy yard there. These pro.
jecting rocks and the hidden ones are indeed
dangerous TO navigation, and l find in news
paper published only three or four weeks ago
an account OF an accident which happened to
vessel either in coming in or going out, by run.
ming on to this rock, and steam vessel at that.
II was one of the New London line OF sound
steamers, the State of Maine. If one of your
large and powerful steamers cannot avoid such
an accident in ha1bor to which 1t makes fire.
unpnt naval Vpggpls
occasionally coming into New London, to escape
such dangers?
The members of this House who were men,
bers ol the Thirty nth Congress will perhaps
recollect the discussion that then took place
upon this subject. The gentleman from Con-
necticut now but repeats the same tenor of aIgu-
ment which he adduced then. He made the
same attacks upon the commission which was
appointed by the Secretary of the Navy; he
made the same attacks even upon some members
OF the committee of this House, which was ap-
pointed with view TO consider this well as
all other matters relating to naval affairs. He
attempted to hold up to scorn and suspicion the
motives of the commission of naval officers who
examined the subject and reported upon it, and
questioned, as he does now, the reliability of
their acts because they happen to have been
born in certain portions of the country. Now,
are these the arguments by which to convince
this House2
VIII read you the names of this commission,
and show you how near to Philadelphia or
League Island they were born, and how much
their local lnclinations and feelings could be
likely to affect their judgment. / find by the
Navy Register that Commodore Stringham, now
rear admiral, was born in the State of New
York; Commodore Gardner was born in Mary
| land; think Commodore Van Brunt was born
| in The State of New York but l have not had
time to lind his name in the Register; my friend
| from New York tMr Pcrgen) informs me that
| he was bOrn in New Jersey. l am pleased to be
| corrected. 1t is not important to this argument
where they were born, but 1t is one of the petty
| means used here to create prejudice against
| the minority of the commission. These are the
gentlemen who signed the majority report
| much 10 the delight OF my friend from Connec-
tlcut. Not one OF them however, was a Penn
sylvanian. Engineer Sanger was also with the
| majority. Massachusetts, claims him as one of
| her sons / will not stop TO discuss him. my
| colleague (Mr. Kelley having already done that
| And assert boldly that il had time to look
over that report could prove from it, TO the
| satisfaction of members OF the House that in
| every requisite for naval station for the build
ing of ironclad vessels, for their repair, for their
| armature, and in all other necessary respects,
| the majority of that commission have given a
| report In favor of League Island. do not mean
| to deny that the bottom of the Delaware river
| is muddy, as they have said, but mean to say
4 that in all the requisites for naval station and
| especially for a navy of ironclads propelled by
| steam, League Island on the Delaware river Is
| the best and safest point upon our coast.
Sir, l find appended to the report OF the mi
| nority of the commission-and am sorry to go
| over this ground again, because believe these
| reports were FULLY discussed in the last Con-
| gress-the name OF Commodore John Marston, a
most worthy officer of the navy; an officer to
| whom the graVest responsibilities have been in
| trusted at various times; who has commanded
| ships and commanded fleets; who, 1t has been
| charged by the gentleman from Connectcuts, is
| from Philadelphia, but who was born in Massa-
| chusetts. Only one of those six gentlemen, men,
| bers OF that ommission-Protessor Bache-was
| q M PnIIlOPlDlla.