, 1876-05-18

naval service OF which they aro tho contro
have Furnished opportunities for tho vioiouf
practice Of political assessments. Commo.
doro Pn1nLE aud other naval officers lava
testified boforo tho Committee that contracts
and orders wcro approved In Washington for
| which thcro was no necessity md in direct
opposition to tho judgment Of tho officers It,
charge. The worry existence Of 70 many OF
those navy-ynrds has furnished provocatio,,
for occasional extraordinary expenditures up
on tho slightest pretext, such as Secretary
RonEsoN hos made twice upon rumora of
possible complications with Spain.
Tho only remedy for all theso abuses is
some complete and radical reform such %
Mr. W1l11s' Committee have recommended.
Ills proposed In the first placo to close all tho
Vineyards except thoso at Brooklyn, Nor-
folk, and Efare Island at oncc, and eventual.
" also that At Norfolk. This would eivo
ono largo navy-yard on tho Atlantic coast
and another on tho Pacific coaat, which
would DO ample for all tho necessities md
conventcnces Of the American navy during
profound ponce with all tho world. Tho
only legitimate uso OF navy-yards, 80 long as
this condition lasts, lis for tho repair Of ves-
sells md machinery, and these two yards aro
SO located "a to furnish casy accoss TO
vessels on either s;do tho continent. j. As
to tho othor navy-ynrds, II is proposed that
Norfolk (Vn.), Nttery [Mo) J, and Pensacola
(Fla) ahnl1 be retained and guarded ut ANAL
expense, 80 Tint operations may DO resumed
thore Immediately whenever tho noces-
sisy arises u This Ia the moro proper
sinco the location Of these yards is such
that thoy would bring tho Government but
comparatively small sum II sold. It is
difficult, howovor, with tho yards located at
Washington md Charlestown, Mass. These
ynrds arc now centrally located In the two
cities, and the property has become so va1u-
nblo TINT their sale would yield handsome
sum of money; nor is tlloir location 80
desirable from naral point Of viow that
thcir Abandonment would ever cripple tho
servico. It is recommended, and We bolieyo
properly, TINT no further appropriations DO
made for League Ialnnd tho Philadelphia
navy-yard, Tho Government might 40 oven
further and assure the complete abandon
ment Of this yard by disposing Of it Alto
gothor. It seems hard to loso all the money
TINT has been expended there hut this is
matter Of past mismanngcmont which
cannot now bo helped, and it is better
to stand tho present loss than to send
millions upon millions Of dollars of.
ter it. Iii. WILLS estimate TINT 1t will
require $G0,0o0,0oo mora to put League
Island in working condition Is probably not
exaggerated, sinco worry largo pnrt of that
sum viii bo necessary to dig out the Dela-
ware River 80 TINT the largest vessels can be
taken thcro.
Il theso recommendations be carried out,
thcra will be two hrgo navy-yards, where ali |
tho necessary work can bo concentrated st q
great saving An additional saving may also
ho mnde by nbolisl,ing the bureau system
and making tho commanding officer ut each
for tho management and e.
penditures. This change would hc tho surcst
remedy for The abuses that hayo oropt into tho
letting OF navy contracts, tho purchnso Of |
supplies, tho employment Of men, tho hours
of labor, tho number Of clerks, etc., otc.
There will then bo direct nnl personal |
accountability for the management of each
yard, md 1t will be within the power Of tho
Secretary Of tho Navy or Congress ut any
limo to ascertain tho cost of maintaining tho
Tnrds or doing any special piece Of work
md 1t will DO practicable and easy to enforce
my reform or rotrenchmont which shall be
demanded, for tile officer in charge will al
gays feel tho responsibility and cannot ahift
t OF on any bureaus. Legislation to accom-
'lish oil this should be promptly provided,
md VIC know Of no branch OF the public ser-
rico where legialation can save SO much pub.
ic money now or for tho future.