The New York herald., 1878-12-16

CONSTRUCTION she interests OF
government would allow this); with the contracts
made with the American Dredging Company; with
contracts made with certain parties Shown in the
table before referred toy in the expiring months OF
the administration of Chiefs of Bureau Wood. Hans
com and Watmough and payments made to certain
parties in these same months for bills OF recent date
over other parties holding bills of longer date and
other matters of which they compelled from want
OF time to omit further mention. But more espe-
cialiy does the committee ask reference to the full
report made by Mr.. Lenhall late chief of the Bureau
or Construction and Mr. Isherwood late chief of the
the Puritan, which shows that in the contract
made with regard thereto by Mr.. Hanscom
the interests Of the government not duly
guarded and protected. and by the testimony of Mr..
Hanscom 1t would appear that the responsibility OF
his actions in regard to said vessel is not his alone
but that ii is to be shared with the Secretary OF the
Navy, Mr.. Robeson. An examination of this report,
an extract from which has been quoted. in con-
nection. with the following official tables.
vessels and disposition of their proceeds;
and second showing the amounts paid on the double
turreted monitors heretofore their original cost and
the amount that will be taken TO complete them-cx-
hibits painfully the cost of these vessels of and
in the particular instance of the Puritan warrants
your committee in the expression of the opinion that
the interests OF the government have been most sadly
neglected by those whose duty it to protect them
COST OF FIVE VESSELS.
Your committee cannot pass from this branch Of
their inquiries without calling the attention of the
House to the fact that these fine vessels-doubleur
reted monitorshave, as 1t appears from the tables
above referred to, cost in property for
which the government paid over $lOo0o.Oo0,
present estimates it win take the sum Of
s25ooO0O to complete them. exclusive Of machinery,
max making 9 aaeir m cost on ; an average over s4o9
that the ships destroyed were valued as old ma
terial.
But, again it is suggestively questioned that the
Secretary had no legal authority to destroy ship
rebuild in the name Of repairs, and after being built
the question OF their value in these cases is one OF
doubt; indeed so much so that your committee feel
warranted in recommending to the House that before
any further steps taken toward their completion
the propriety thereof should be submitted to board
OF experts Inc law requires (see sections l.5il and
3720 Revised Statues reports of sales and contracts
to be made to Congress This has not been complied
with. and by section 1.7SO this failure is misde-
meanor.
Repeating for one moment the facts shown by the
proof taken by your committee, the large body of
which, and that mostly relied upon by your commit
tee, is taken from official records and reports and
which submitted with and made part of the tes-
timony 1t is shown that all of the protective and
prohibitory enactments Of the law made for the
security and preservation of the public moneys and
property i'll the naval service have been violated.
whereby it is result that the people of the United
States now have comparatively mo navy; that vast
sums Of the public money and amounts Of public
disposed OF without any compensating benefits.
PROSECUTION RECoMMENDED.
In face of these millions OF dollars OF wasted appro-
prations with the number of ships and material dis
appearing from the service, shown by this testi
mony; with the law dsregarded at every step almost
with the treasury of the government involved in the
payment of liabilities of from three to millions
of dollars created by agents Of the government
inally wrong. and to call upon that department Of
the government clothed with the execution Of the
laws to arraign and bring these parties to the con-
domination which these laws may visit upon them?
Your committee deem this to be their duty and in
doing call attention to section 5,439, which is
follows:-
knowingly applies TO his own who unlawfuy sells
conveys or dsposes OF any ordnance arms ammunition
the United States furnished be used for the military
naval service shall be punished prescribed in the
cedng section describing the penalties for such oences
RESPONSIBLE PARTIES.
And in further discharge of their duty your COM
mttee say that for the existing Indebtedness Of the
Navy Department and that for the unlawful sale and
disposition Of large amounts of valuable property
belonging to the naval service and the unlawful dis
position of large sums Of the public money appro-
prated to the naval service George NJ. Robeson late
Secretary OF the Navy; "; W W Wood, late chief Of
com, late chief of the Bureau Of Construction
and repair, and James H. Watmough, late chief of
the Bureau Of Provisions and Clothing, are chiefly
responsible. There other agents of the govern
ment whose conduct in the public service deserves
to be inquired into by the Executive Department,
and they are Chief Engineers Stewart, Fithian and
Henderson. whose hasty examination Of material at
the Boston Navy Yard does not evnce very high
interest or regard for the public service; and Pay
Director Russell, hercinbefore referred to- and
alec the conduct Of the late Paymaster General
Bradford. .t
ss,.- PLEAS IN ExrTNuATioN.
1t is claimed and urged that the abuses for which
these parties arraigned existed with their prede
cessors. and that precedents should extenuate thei
conduct form excuse for their action. 1t is re
| piled by your committee that it is not shown thai
any Of their predecessors involved their government
in liabilities in excess Of appropriations reaching
from $3OOO09O to $1,000 600; and since the acts OF
1872 these acts required all naval property that
| could not be used advantageonsly in the service
! to be sold at public sale after public notice
| by advertisement. and prohibited any sale
in any other way; also that all money derived from
sale OF old material by such public sale should bt
covered into the Treasury and not used for the navy
until specially appropriated by Congress therefor
these and but these parties those arraigned in the
report) have been in power. It is not shown that
under any former administration Of the government
can it be, that large amount Of public prop
ery has been disposed OF private sale and by bar
| ter and exchange and the proceeds applied without
the authority of law: at any time under any gov
ernmcnt claiming the protection of law such an utter
| disregard of its authority.
Therefore. in the opinion Of your committee. that
| the law may be yindcaed and respect for its man
dates maintained it is the duty of the House to mark
its condemnation of the Illegal practices of these
mer officers OF the Navy Department. and to recon-
mend to the Executive Department or the government
the arraignment aud trial the parties herein med
before the naval and criminal tribunals of the coun
try to the end that IL upon such trial they found
guilty, they may be punished, and accordingly youI
committee submit for the favorable consideration OF
| the House the following resolutions
Resolved That tho acts and conduct of the late Secretary
Bureaus Of steam Engineering, Construction and Rcpa,
and Provisions and Clothing, in the sale and disposi
tracts and in Involving the IN ndebtednes.
and beyond the appropriations made by Congress
the of the deserve aud should
and condemnation md that in nddit"
abcttng therein should he punished the extent ef the
Resolved further That shall he the duty the Clerk Of
the House Of Representatives deliver certified copies
the testimony taken before the committees Naval AZ
~ tho United States and the Attorney General with til,
rice a hi, cas nat @ the parties shswn ty
regard the unlawful aud disposition of public prop
crty and shall be tried and punished prescribed