The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-23

The first part of the printed evidence
taken by the Naval Committee Of the House
OF Representatives is before ms. 1t chiefly
refers to the Kittcry Navy Yard, and, though
only the preface to the great work Of the in
vestigation, is volume in itself 1t unravels
the fraudulent system by which the laws
relating to contracts are evadel and nulli-
fled. 1t shows the vilianies perpetrated
through ''open purchase" It discloses
the collision Of Chief of Construction
Hanscom, with contractors ; the purchase OF
worthless machinery at extrayagant prices
the debts contracted by the department to
be paid from future appropriations the
destruction of original bills for materials
furnished, and the making of new bills
with new dates to cover the transaction
the destruction Of a valuable ship, the Vir-
ginia, to provide work for men at election
times the breaking up and selling for old
iron, at private sale, of valuable engines and
boilers the trading of old and new iron and
metals by methods wholly illegal and
strongly tainted with suspicion.
The evidence of Commodore Howell,
Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks.
reveals the fact that the Secretary of the
Navy disposes Of the appropriations for the
bureaus, and does not even condescend to
inform them what he does with the money.
He also testifes that he is never called upon
to advise the Secretary with respect to the
building or the sale of vessels, and sell
dom for anything else. The Commodore
~ e
advisers of the Secretary Of the Navy. His
evidence needs no comments but the evil
which overshadows all the rest and which
concerns the American people most is the
political corruption In the navy yards.
established and sustained by the Navy De-
partment in Washington.
The naval appropriations are made from
year to year by the party in power-for
what? The people believe the object is to
sustain the navy as o means of defence to
the country. But it is not SO. That is only
the pretext for the appropriation. The in
terest the partisan politician takes in it is to
make the money subserve his own purposes.
The interest the Navy Department takes in
it is for personal and political advantages.
The patronage buys the influence Of the Rep
resentative, who may be an investigator OF
the Senator, who may become the judge
Of the Secretary when he is charged,
as at present, with crime. The evil
dence before us discloses the fact that
Senator Sargent held the defaulting clerk
Pinney in his place, and no. paymaster
could be ordered to that yard who would
not accept Pinney as his clerk. The
same is said of the clerk of Paymaster
Russell, in Philadelphia. Russell was re-
lieved after three years service, and the new
paymaster (Fulton), who was not allowed
to choose his clerk, declined the place and
Russell was reinstated. The evidence Of
Commodore Fairfax shows Senators Cragin,
of New Hampshire, and Morrill, and Hamlin,
of Maine, struggling to keep supernumeraries
employed at the navy yard, and striving, in
stead of reducing expenses, to consume tho
appropriations for the benefit of partisans.
One of these supernumeraries was o mem,
Der Of the Legislature of New Hamp
shire when Cragin was elected Senator.
Another was a member of the Legis.
lature, and held an Office in the navy yard
at the time of Mr.. Hamlin's election to the
Senate. The navy yard at Kittery seems to
have been divided between the republicans
of Maine and New Hampshire. the number
Of men employed from each State depend
ing upon the times of the elections. Robe
son and his tool Hanscom seem faithfully
to have responded to all demands from their
political friends, and to have appointed
whomsoever they desired, whether the work.
man was skilled or unskilled, convicted
thief or an honest man. When the report OF
this committee shall have been made from
the full testimony all men will be convinced
that the navy must be reformed and that il
is time for the people to demand that they
shall not be taxed to supply the administra-
ton with the means of purchasing its own
continuance in Office. The naval appropria-
tons since the war have been devoted to
that purpose.