New-York tribune., 1876-06-19
rrwvoRk DAILY TRIBUNE, MONDAY JUNE 10, 1876

Enough dust has been raised to leave III 'lo
popular mind very strong suspicion Oh o'i
runt;on and intrigue in the Department ny
which Mr.. Robson has at least not sunereu
and that is about the whole OF IL. -,
uoont;me. persons who are conversant WIN
,,o f,cts or reported facts concerning the de-
Gcency in the naval appropriation Ior 'no
current year, and the measures resorted 10 "
tide the Department over till the emu ol tho
fiscal year in July, are wondering why INC
Committee on Naval Affairs does not send Out
ia inquiries in that direction. 1t Is well known
:, certain banking circles in this city tiat
sroo Navy Pavmaster-Or Paymaster-Ge
prodford has been stationed in London, pay
mcnts have been made, not out OF moneys ap-
proprated by the Government ana deposi'eu
With the Navy Agent at London, as required
Inv law. but by means of drafts on Secretary
Robcsop by Paymaster Bradford, some at sight
and some on time, which have been discounted
in tI,is city. This is irregular and unlawful.
Since Paymaster Bradford has been on duty IN
London, some two or three millions OF .iiis
paper have gone through single bank III tiils
CITY. and in some cases where sish'
drafts have been forwarded to Washington
e,pbt. ten, and fifteen days have elapsed before
returns were made, and only peremptOry
demand for the return of cash or the draft has
brouobt the money. We do not understand
that the Secretary of the Navy has either
authority or right for this method OF DONG
business. The regular, and, we believe, the
only legal mode of providing for the disburse-
ments at the London Office, is for the uniteo
States Treasurer to deposit with the regularly
appointed Navy Agents-now Messrs Selglnan
Brothers g. Co.. London-npon the order OF
the Secretary of the Navy, the amount OF the
appropriation made for disbursement at that
point. and this amount is then subject to draft
from the proper officer. The appropriation for
the current year having been long since ex-
baustcd, there are no funds in the hands OF
the Navsl Agents mt London, In consequence
of which the New-York branch OF the house
of Seligman Brothers e. C0.-Nlessrs. >. O. w.
Selgman g. Co.-have been in the habit OF
furnishing and raising money for the London
Office on the Robson acceptances. WITHIN
the last few days we are credbly informed that
large amounts of this paper due July have
been offered to banks in New-YOIk at seven
per cent, the object being to bridge over the
fiscal wear to July 1 and carry the deficiency
on to the next year, and, very likely, the
next Administration. II is unnecessary To say
that this is all irregular and unlawful, and 1t
is of course unpleasant to feel that our Gov
ernment in consequence Of this offering OF
Robson paper in Lombard and Wall Streets
suffers in credit But we have excellent au-
thority for the statements we have made, ana
we presume the Committee on Naval Affairs
can with very little effort obtain the facts.
The general belief is th;t the deficiency
which the Department is cndeayoring to con-
ceal grew out of the Jay Cooke and Henry
Clews failures. II would have been wiser as
well rs more honest in tho Secretary to have
wade clean breast of the whole business
long ago. The Committee on Naval Affairs
cannot do better than inquire into it.