The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-01
BOSTON NAVY YARD RING.
PURCHASE OF coRDAGE FROM OUTSIDE MANU-.
FAcrURERs WHILE THE GOVERNMENT ROPE
wArv puMArNz TDTE

PURCHASE OF coRDAoE FROM OUTSIDE MANU-.
FACrURERs WHILE THE GOVERNMENT ROPE
WALK REMAINS IDLE.
BOSTON, Jan. 80, 1875.
few days since Admiral Reynolds, In a report
to the Secretary OF the Navy on the subject,
stated that no hemp cordage for naval use had
been bought In this country since the war. ana
furthermore that the bureau did not desire or In
tend to buy any, either OF hemp or wire, so long
as the ropewalk at the Boston Navy Yard can fur.
nish the requisite supply. which It Is uly capable
of doing while the navy is on peace complement.
To those who are familiar with the Workings and
transactions within the Navy Yard here the fore
going assertion Is accepted as
AN UNMITIGATED FALsEHooD.
It u well known that, since the war, proposals
for furnishing rope, among other articles for naval
purposes, have been advertised for in one or more
Of the Boston papers. Below are given few facts
In relation to the manufacture OF cordage the rel.
alive srr ength OF that made by the government
and that made BY outside parties, with some other
facts In regard to the working OF the otner gov.
interest ana give some idea Of how the peoples
money Is squandered. In the summer OF
Fdr to the and ss
OF comparative tests were mad a. the
we'll known new York firm was manufacturing
cordage Tor the government, and when the result
OF the tests was forwarded TO the department.
order was received at the ropewalk IRON which
we take tho following clause :-.In consideration
government manufactured cordage to That OF PR.
vste establishments. the department authorizes
,ns ,r inc % o S ana
workmen. Az the time OF the tests referred to
above some or the men NV who were out on saspen-
rom Wallis going into the Navy Yard at Brooklyn.
10 utann mi,
be made, which demonstrated the TACT that
GOVERNMENT MANUFACTURED CORDAGE
tured by private concerns. and called forth the
order increasing the manufacturing capacity OF
the ropewalk 800 or 400 per cent. IL was the
opinion oil those competent to judge OF Sucn mat.
tiers that at that time (ls6s, the department was
buying market rope, and 10 large quantities. II
the report would have been convradicted at the
time; but such contradiction never APP
GU; OF commission ut thus station. ali
the cordaEe on board that has not been
sea1 70 tne 10 al anu com
side" make. some OF this cordage has been seen
IN the cellars OF the ropewalk within lew
months, and there Is little doubt some or IL may
be found there even now. Those who are Ia.
miliar with the manufacture OF cordage can very
made rope and that made oy private parties As
late IS 1872 y cordage manufacturer from New
stated That he mad lust completed t a contra %
with the department. Tor sixty tons OF cordage.n
WITHIN snort time the team OF well known rope
manufacturers In Boston has been seen IN the
Navy Yard delivering several tons OF cordage.
WHY Is THISY
Unless It Is by the purchase Of cordage from out.
side parties, upon what other grounds Can the
fact OF the rOpewalk remaining fdlc so long be &C.
counted for This seems o very strange way Of
proceeding, as the department cannot but be
aware OF the test standard OF government rope,
purchases rigging oil Inferior quality IN open mar.
ket las c0nclusively shown by repeated compare
tive tests) Tor our national vessels while the gov
ernmcBt ropewalk Is lying idle the larger portion
OF the time. In consequence the workmen, manJ
OF whom have as IL were grown up with the estab-
lishment land It's special system OF manufacture,
which gives the government rope Its universally
acknowledged excellence and superiority, are QUE
OF employment.
the subdivision OF the navy yards into separate
departments has been productive OF much evil IN
this particular For instance, It may be observed
that the estimates and proposals of other bureaus
tvIz YARDS and Docks, steam Engineering, Ord.
nance. CONSTRUCTION, &c.) embraced cordage IN
the lists OF supplies called for 10 be furnished by
contract or open purchase. while there was an
abundance OF The article called Ior In the cordags
cellars OF the ropewalk, and sometimes de tertorat.
ing nom age, h4ylng been returned from vessels
alter cruise. Attempts to remedy this have never
succeeded q, as each bureau Is absolute in its an.
tnolty and jealously repels any attempt at inter-
Terence with the management OF its AFFAIRS. NIL.
ilons OF money that should be expended IN keep
ing our navy on q respectable fooAng are squan-
oered In the contract system or In the purchase
OF the thousand and one articles tnat could be
made In our navy yards. and thereby fostering a
8DeCulatlV0 mama mar nm