The New York herald., 1870-01-21
A DASH AT NAVY YARD BglLi VESSELS.

To THE EDITOR or THE HERALD:-
have read with great interest Mr.. Dawes speech
In regard to the purchase OF League Island. 1 wish
to add my experlcnce-a practical mechanic In both
wood and iron. 1 have watched the navy with
much care. Inever worked q day IN the Navy Yard
In my lie. II did should CONSIDER myself UNIT
for outside employment l am confident that for
every dollar the Navy Department spends In the
Navy Yard, the same amount OF work could be done
outside by private establishments for fifty per
less than 1t costs In the yards.
For every ship they bulld In the Navy Yard two
ships could be bult In outside establishments for
the same amount or money, and am almost conf
dent taat two and half could Dc built and better
ship got IN private yard than In the navy. There
are more blunders In the navy and worse calcua.
tons as TO the displacement, speed aud per.
formance OF ship than there would be
In private shipyard. man who builds
ship IN private yard has his reputation at
stake; there Is no one man in the navy responsible
for the performance oil ship. naval constructor
may model MS snip, he is not allowed TO finish her;
he Is transferred to some other station; another
takes his place. Almost all the former constructors
WORK Is changed or thrown away which In many In
stances ruins the performance ot the ship. The
applies 10 the engineer III outside yards man
VINO models and designs his ship nnisnes ner In the
navy the man VINO modes her mas no control over
her guns or her armament, ana the ship is often
spoiled by oyerioading with 100 heavy guns. We
have spent during the war over $500 OJU, ana we
have not one IrsL class snip 10 show for that
vast expenditure, aud now the Navy Department
is asking Tor more money TO ouhd new
navy yard. l am confident that the government
ought to close up the navy yards and never attempt
tie construction OIL another ship. our navy KNOWN
rs man, by its works. Tue expenditure by tile gov,
ernment for another navy yard would be q complete
swndle on the public ana should not be allowed. Tue
government Can do all its work in outside establish
fnents for one hall and Duid hrst class ships, not
ships that can find no other port but the bottom Of
the ocean, like our Ircn-ciaa feet butt during the
war under Mr. Wees. All Other nations build their
ships in private yards. Our navy yards have now
millions OF dollars worth OF marine engines ana
boilers stored; houses, built Of iron, on purpose lor
their reception, which OF no value Whatever but
for scrap iron, wnlcn should be sold at Ouce. An
engine stamped with the name Built Tor the
Navy" condemns it Tor private use Tne govern
ment has also large macnine shops, that cost NIL
lions OF dollars; they wl keep Tor centuries; tney
are useful IN times OF war; tney should not be run
In times OF peace, as the work can oe done ut
seyenty-ive per cent less outside All those estao-
man who was discharged from the Navy Yard, who
made the loiiowme remark, He did not know what
they discharged INN Tor, he had not done any thing
Tor three months.n / have been told within few
months by good mechanics, who work IN tne Navy
Yard that they could not find work one naf the
In the yard, that they had done In privat establish
ments. These are facts. Tue COUNTY, saouln stop
all expenditures for navy at once. and let Us see
where we are. There was one change made by tAe
government In 1862 the alteration OF the screw on
M e 5S TIE expense was large s@sasn to
made with the dash OF the pen, without ever know
ing the results. Ali the propellers changed were u
complete faiiare, and the Ola ones mad to DC re.
placed, the ships ali redocked. AIN confident VITA
nay experience IN the navy, that the, cau0t butid
any kind OF vessel without continual succession
of changes both In engine amt hui irofu tile time
.ae keel Is lad until they leave the yaras, winch IN
ali cass>s spoiis the vessel and makes her unit for
what sne w8s originally intended. Mlat | paye
written i know ay past experience with the Navy
Department i viii say as all men OF my class aud
the country do that vSssei Designed ana puiis py
the Navy department Is o lann
NATHANIEL MCKAY.