The New York herald., 1870-01-19
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1870.
THE PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD.
the House resumed the consideration OF the bill for
the transfer OF the Philadelphia Navy Y ard to
League Island.
SPEECH or MR. DAWES ON NAVAL APPROPRIATIONS
AND GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES.
Mr. DAWES, (rsp.) Of Mass, made On argument
against the passage Of the bill He showed that
under it, 1t could have been forced through under
the previous question, the Secretary OF the Navy
could sell three millions Of property at private sale
at the Philadelphia Navy Yard to whom ne pleased,
when he pleased and on what terms he pleased the
only obligation on him being that he should obtain
the approval Of the President, who from the nature
OF his duues could pay no personal regard or at
,'o tary Of the Navy could sell the properly to
any personal or political friend on any terms he
poses as ne pleased on League island. lie did not
why, In regard to League Island the represen-
tatives Of me people should be relieved OF the duty
knew full well that the navy yard mad TO be re-
moved from Philadelphia, and ne assumed that ultl.
mately 1t would 60 to League Island. That was a
nxed TACT; but other Things were fixed facts, Also
ana one OF them WAS tnat the passage OF this bill
involved an immediate expenditure, lndepenaent OF
hon dollars. The engineers report to the
secretary Of the Navy three years ago
high enough above high water mark to be beyond
the encroachmcns OF the tide the whole area OF four
nundreu acres WOuiu nave 10 Dc raseu between nine
aud ten feet. This would require four and q half
millions cubic yards OF earth, ana would pre-
tend that that would cost less than nifty cents
yard, making ali aggregate OF two and quarter
millions. mol shop could be transferred 10 League
Island until the surface was raised, unless tney
wanted to have the navy Yard carried TO sea- He
knew that estimate Of eight hundred thousand
dollars had been prepared at the Navy Depart
ment for League Island TO follow this Dili I.
He asked the House to consider whether there
was an absolute necessity for undertaking this
work NJ this time. was the Treasury In sucn
abundant funds as to undertake ltf IL became the
representatives OF the people TO answer that queS-
tion. This was . time OF peace. There
pressing necessity for the enlargement OF the navy
yards. The British navy depended ON private ship
yards. Ninety per cent OF all the WORK done for the
British navy was done In private navy yards Adj
miral Porter mad recently stated before OF the
tion fnterests-that the government had spent
$4S5, 900 600 Tor navy during the war, and that
there was nothing TO show now FOR that expendt-
ture that we really had no navy and had suggested
the building OF merchant marine oi iron screw
steamers as substitute.
Mr.. DAWES went on to call the attention Of the
House the estimates furnished for the navy yards
Tor the next fiscal years. US foows-To Portsmouth
N H., $577 ooo against $50 900 last year; to Boston,
S747.34l against 100000; to New York, 4633,5ll
against $l0O, ,0o0 to Philadelphia, $1l1 9s5, against
325 0o0 TO Washington, SS5l776, against $50 O0v to
Norfolk, $25s, ,3i2 against $40 600; 70 Mare Island
the Navy proposed besides the SsOo,O0O for League
Island, total expenditure or 81, COT 3oA against
S46l, 900 last year. The estimates did not usplre
him with much confidence, although the Secretary
promised TO effect saving OF In the arti.
Gle OF coal alone which had only cost $50 600 for
the last two years. That was an achieyemen
In mathematics which found q parallel only
In the achievement OF the Postmaster Gen.
eral who proposed TO save So, 900 year by
the abolition OF tue franking privilege. While the