The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-08-02
THE NAVAL COMMITTEES RE-
PORT.
A DIsGRACEFUL SHOWING
OF Incompetency and Corruption
in the Management Of the
Department.
OUR RUINED NAVY.


FRAUDULENT CONTRAors-JOBsA AND RINGS
IMPEACHMENT RECOMMENDED.
The Chicago Times of 1u stay publishes
q Geographic su nmsry of the report of the
naval committee which has been investi-
eating Robezon's conduct of that depart
ment, from which We extract the more
startling portions. The Times says of the
report: 1t is a most mastery summary Of
the evidences taken, and is q flsttering re-
suit OF some eight months srduous labor.
There Is not sil gle Gull cage In this entire
report. 1t is as interesting as any novel,
and its vari' pictures of complicated
thisvery will send psng OF envy through
the breast Of every rascal IA the country.
l. is signed by all the Democrats of the
commiEJee, and by Burleigh OF
Maine, Republican, leaving only
Harris, Hays and Danford to write a
minority report. Wb1ItborRe tried to get
his report in to-day aud WAS beaten back
by the Republicans, a suspension OF the
rules being necessary. the Repu blicaus
have decided to keep out all reports OF in
vestigating committees, ana they will
have this power unless the House stays
here long enough to have regulsr call of
the committees. The action OF to-day mas
decid, d ore thing-if the Democrats desire
to get sUy practical result out of their in
vestigations, they
WILL HAVE TO STAY HERE UNTIL FALL.
Speaking Of their lsbors, the committee
deplore their lack of technical knowledge,
which, they say, would doubtless have ex-
psdited their investigation and made it
more satsfac DRY in de all, and in addition
would have enabled them to have pene-
trsted the close corporation which evident
" surrounds and controls the sdministra.
ton of the navy department at the pres
ent time. Probably no fficer connected
with the public service possesses as much
power to reward a favorite or to punish
supposed enemy as does the secretary of
TIE navy. An Objectionable officer
is liable upon the mere order
OF the secretary to be sent to the
coast of Africa or put upon waitiog
orders. and the bumblest mechanic or daN
labOrer in a Davy-ysrd is wholly depend
dent for the means OF supporting his wife
ard children upon the pleasure of the
head Jf the department. That the officers
of the navy ard mechanics and laborers
employed in the navy-yard are conscious
o. this power in the hands of the secretary
has been made painfully evident to the
committee during the progress of their Ia
bcrs. There has been expended on the
navy from the time OF its organization up
to the fiscal year eDdikg on June 30, 1875
as appears from the reports of the score
tsrv ofthe treasury, the vast sum of $685.
779 925 81
MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF WHICH HAS
BEEN EXPENDED
between the year 1864 ard the present time.
the report comments at great length upon
the terrible TACT that We have one of the
weakest navies in the world and have ex-
pended more upon it than almost any
other nation. Admiral Porter, in his tes-
timony upon this subject, says: 81 need
scarcely say that the officers of the navy
who expect to take pant in any conflict
that may arise between our country and q
foreign power look with anxiety
fo- an improvement In our sh ps,
m)re particularly since the West
India drill made it apparent to tue young
est of them that our combined force OF
vessels Was incapable of a successful en-
counter with feet one-fourth as large,
built on modern principles. Indeed, one
such ship as the British iron clad Invinci-
BILE ought to go through fleet like ours
aud put the vessels hOrs du combat n a
sboTt time, for sne could run tnem down
heavy rifle guns" There ara pages of sim
liar testimony from everv officer OF prom
inence in the navy. After quoting from
this evidence
THE REPORT THUS RECAPITULATEs:
1t appears that In 1869. when the present
secretary took charge, the navy bore upon
its register 20S vessels; that by authority
oflaw eight sloops of war and two torpedo
boats have been added thereto, and ths
by purchase three more, tc-wit, the Dis
patch, Rsd Drsve and Sea Weed, have also
been added, which makes 2l6 vessels which
should now AZ ar on the register, but In
fact, according 90 the secretsIY's last 70
port, there are only l47, so thai III vessels
have disappeared, and counting up to Ct G
present time IL IS more, becauss several
vessels have been sold since ID scsmbeI
last. The committee have therefore TO re-
port to tue House the tact that The present
secretary OF the navy has expended In
money about SIG, OOO. 900; has used up OF
than 20 ships OF war minus
any proceeds paid into the treasury,
besides other material; has contrsc, ed liza
bilities amounting to several millions OF
dollars, and has to show as a re suit navy
whose condition is described In the testi.
mony OF it's chief officers already quoted.
Under head of Politicians in the navy
yards" the report saws. Ii Is well known
that the principal items of cost in the
building OF vessels of war are In the pur-
chase of mate rials and the employment Of
labor, being principally labor, and it is In
these items more particularly that there
has been
ExrRAvAeAEoE AND CORRUPTION
on the part OF those who have admins
tered the affairs Of our navy. The use Of
the navy yards Of the country as polirica
engines Is fact which, It Is admitted, has
existed Tor q great many years past. An
examination OF the various navy yards
upon the Atlantic coast has convinced
your eommiltee that fully 81 900, 600 per
snnum during election years has been
taken from the treasury for the purpose OF
corruptiDg voters o. the country, aud it
has haao dome willfuIlV in tha face of tt a