New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-19
by the Committee and asked to come and give his views
ON the questions treated by Gen. Sheridan.
MAYNARD MANAGEMENT.


lFPOM THE REGULiR CORRESPONDENTS or THE TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-Mr Willis's Sub Com
mce on Naval Contracts, &C., has taken considerable
interesting testimony within the last few days. Among
the witnesses examined William ii. Varney, naval
constructor. now stationed at the New-London
Navy-Yard Mr.. Varney testified that lie was
familiar with the management OF the navy yards
Of the country, having been on duty at Boston,
NewLondou, Portsmouth, Mare Island, and
Pensacola. At Mare slanl he superseded Samuel Hartt
a naval constructor, Centennial duty at Pnila-
dcphia whom he found on terms OF great intimacy with
contractors furnishing supplies for the yard, aud
especially with iron company which Wac at that time
executing contract with the Government. One Of the
members of tlis firm nephew II the Chief of the
Bureau of Construction aud Repair OF the Navy Depart
ment and boosted that he would yet have opportunity
d" 10 make Iis pi ont Of that avyyard" Mr.. Narney
said that Hart alter lie superseded, made desperate
ndevOrs be retained aud assisted In mis- efforts
by the raetors and many influential politicians.
Finally he permitted To remain in the yard for GER
tain length of time.
Mr. Varncy found numerous irro CHARITIES in the yard,
such accepting short for supplies, failures 20
requ the supplies to be UP to the standard In quality,
charging work done TO- private purposes to accounts for
other spec purposes placing the OF persons on
scver, pay-rolls The time, SC, &c. lie found
also that extrtionat claims pressed one OF which,
amounting $4,000. Hartt attempted to secure the
payment OF, but prevented by the witness. Mr..
varney said that he removed persons who were them
selves dcfraud the GOvcrnm MT, and that the iron
company referred to at dsConuedts work except
apparently that Hart would be rrnsted On one occa-
son til gram received which was INTERPRETED 10
order Hart back ia his old position, wbcreupOn he
s,ned contro rrappOin;ed VINO had been removed.
passed supplies aud contracts and the non company
mentioned before at once resumed work. III turned 0ut
thai telegram had been misconstued rs 1t simply
ermtod Hartt in the yard. The witness then
continued his efforts 10 correct ihaitcrs
Ghe same abuses, Mr. VarDey said existed In other
yards. In Pensacola, certain timber was furnished
while he Acting Naval Constructor at that place,
which he refused to accept on account Of is ineionty
III quality and its shOrtncss in isuIc No payment oi
the bill timber legal in tie absence of his al
prova but III spte of this fact tie contractor rec wed
MS money, which amounted 10 many thousand dollars
At the Boston Yad in ease, the Government, oH
the cndation of one Of the constructors william
L. HanscOm, broi, OF the Chief Of the Bureau Of Con
structon Repair. purcbas d condemned nbcrbcnd-
ing machinery for 100000 although 1t vas worth rey
nothing except for old iron.
AT Portsmouth the witness testified, Griffith, form
erls publisher of The No,tcd Gazette has H. en- install
naval contractor AMI been engaged To buli yes
eel III .aci the Government has actually set him M III
business furnishing Lin with material tools and room In
tue Maynard IN which to do his WORK. Mr.. Vuney
enum lted other abuses OF similar character whch II
would reOet.tion to onum rate at length H. said
that val constructors wIo went into the yard compaia-
lively poor only few years ago. ana who had received
salaries not exceeding 5000 year .ach have by sonc
maancl process become We althy.
Tae witness gave interesting testimony in regard
10 the Government limb 4. He sad that
great quantity THIS timber IL &C. lar and OAK aud that
eryefal millions acres of have been I aeidc by
various procaltions of the President years ago Tins
timber Is not pro- ely used II Is largely appropriated
by Government off and others Who are ia 60 iusl"n
with them. 1he boundaries Of the serves are not well
Iaaf Ia Fnt al
Although the property il situated in several sHt- tue
Government agents fer tine of 1t are all located To-
etncr Foriia, draw t'i salaries aud 40 no dny the
amount paid 10 tnem poiis sim y a waste Of mon "
The head Of the Bureau OF Construction and Repair
Commodore isaiah H.nscom, has also been examined 10y
Mr. Willis at great length lie stuffed especially gard
ing the regulations and laws governing connats' tue
different kinds of contracts 'iff systems 0f pur
chase the sale Of condemned ss"is, tnc present con
d.tloA OF the navy, TIE 1hting capabilities and the po
Ideal innuenyc exercised the eat of thu
yards lie said that the navy has been entirely reno
waited within the pact lew years; that the Trenton Ia
superior 10 any vessel of tie kind IN the world That
Of TIC Monitors bu,lt during the war, II have
been raised five inches. that they are now
able to carry coal enough t. last five days longer than
before number OF sal r., ho said, have been entirely
rebuilt lie admitted hat it Is not lawful TO bud ves
sci wi;ho special appropriation. aId That the con
sruciio of vessels under The pretcse Of repairing
design wholly changed and cir is nothing old about
,hen except 81 the cd mat ral usrd In them. The
built M tls way Is about FS1JJ,OuO cdch
their If built of entirely material would b aoout
100000 THUS IL Will be seen that by OF the
law nearly 5000 900 has been spent on vessels
Cominodo.e HiuscOn sand that the mosrnt system Of
advertising leads 10 great frauds ar.iclcs purchased In
this way q morally ial short the STANDARD quality
About One-li of tie supplies Oi material used in his
bureau has been obtained IN ti5 way anJ the remainder
secured 10y open purchase, which simply means that the
his bos p'dPm nt and dscrcton-n0lh
.ng more. Commodore HaIscOln slil that no Specific
contract can he made for repairing vessel, 1t is Inn
possible 10 know the extent Ddtuc OF repairs NEEDED
until tie vessel in pieces. Wien asked whether
or not mach money Is wasted by beginning vesrcs he
fore the full Appropriation compete them Is made, and
leaving them exposed To tie ccmency OF the weather.
he responded Yes "A great many thousands Of dot
lars are annually wasted in this way and he added thai
the unsccoutable Hn,eawOrtiLcss OF "a snip
may b, explaine! by th,S fact.
tonmodure liaiscOm also examined In regard To
the political uses TO which n'IyI yards put lie admit
c this abuse IA universal ami, being questioned
did deny tile authenticity OF note written by Lin to
the comnandsnt of the Bost yard inquirng what mum
he could pat to work from certain Congress
siona districts, aud ulm ting that IL the wish OF
the Administration TO have GOOch and Frost ectel
Congress lie sad Justification OF this loer that IL
was Al private note aud not an official letter.
The witness also asked ia regard To the Griffith
contract referred TO ny Mo Varuey and sld that IN
SOME way $4,000 worth o. timber missing and tiat
webb. the contractor was rcslOeblc Tor the loss He
said that sale of CONDEMNED vessels, nnd the pres
ent SYSTEM results in loss She Government Of %
cent Of their value BY the efforts OF rings. the price At
which they are sold limited. When asked # II s not
possible that an upset" price be fixed, within
II per cent OF the value. and that this could prevent
FROM combining purchase old vessels at less than