The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-18

pended upon them and the amount OF money rc-
CURED TO complete them. together with the original
COST OF the old material supplied u the contractors.
VII aggregate over 81 600 each or over SO 600
for the whole
ports supplied. by Secretary Thompson show that
regular and proper contract made Tor the
struction OF the new vessel any necessary steps
taken TO guard the pubic interests The contractor
managed everything, and the vessel Is pro-
nounced by the abesi experts In the navy TO be .
failure
OFFICIAL CONCLUSIONS.
Tho following isa summary o. the conc usons Of
Chief Engineer sherwood and Naval Constructor
Lentha under date oil une 1885, IL regard TO these
vcssels:--
fira Neither plans specifications drawn for the
adopted TO ascertain whether when Quilt she would snk
iron clad was thus put the hazard OF chance
seoa-Ihis vessel as lar as constructed and finished
practicable maze her efficient meaning by that term
equality with foreign iron-eads OF the same size and
Mi,dNo measures we're taken to protect the govern
10 securing efficiency Tor her when bniit unnvted pro-
plans specidca GUS dedriton the kina quantity
quality Of work . e done 70 build an nneserbsd yes
posas were Al accepted Inquiry competition
ment The general sta,emen, that the New puri
s ss was. e ro e bon nee sass .s ss
indicate the details Of construction to the
that were same type
a. ass e ns sna
cost the study and Of every part nor
nave contracted tor such vessel, except after public
Tie which The New Puritan bull. fla
exhibition Of ignorance and culpabc careless
'''' JOIN isSiMAI Naval I cosssrac,o s sy
b. +. IsHERWOoD. Chief Engineer. U. s. ~
plMINuTioS or STORES.
Tho committee lud that except IN the sin gle item OF
1.-Two oak timber there has been, owing to tho system
OF barter ana exchange conducted by the department
stores on hand during the late Admins
tration q Tho department. In spite Of the
inn and a mn chaepd
The committee ind that vast quantities OF mac hnery
aud metals, and other Materials large proper
ton OF which could, Ia the opinion Of experts, have
been utilized by the government, were condemned
sold TO favored contractors al the prices OF old
materials. II appears IRON an Uical report 10 the
department by Chiet Engineer J. W. King that during
the nd IN nistration OF Secretary Robson forty new
Messrs. John Roach and II. g. Gardner, VINO
large contractors for boilers and machinery with tho
department, and during the same period contracted
with the government 10 supply almost tho Identical
number OF boilers Mr. King states that the govern
ment's loss on thirty Of these new boilers which
sold $685., GSl. the amount realized beng only
SIS Pas. Mr.. KIM further says in his report
There been question as to the proprctv or
selling condemned materials stores &c worthless Tor use
c,cs Tor be made
tubs Or old scrap TO be worked into new metals, &c
s Ba ns boilers old
ess for the contrary they were new and stored In
aud Tor evera years many Sf precisely tho same kind
We're supplied o5 10 s from cruises with 'nc
Ii any proof needed the thirty boilers sold
naval vessels he found BY examination the
boilers in tho Colossus st on the stocks at the Now YORK
PROVISIONS AND CLOTHING.
Eiohth-The committee lind from the statistics Of
the Bureau OF Provisions and Clothing, supplied by
Secretary Thompson, that provisions which were
known to De merchantabie were sold with view Of
supplying that bureau with money II Is shown
that by this bureau large quantities OF valuable
stores were privately and sometimes conhdchtialy
sold to coutractcr-W!lliam Mstthews, OF New
York. The entire amount OF sales 10 HIM amounted
to about 100000, Tor which he paid tho govern
ment In hing mig pr cesabout thirty per
&C ut of the Of the goods sold him Secretary
thompson has supplied 10 the committee very able
and careful report by his assistant pay director Loo
per- under date Of May IL, IN regard 10 tho irregu-
Jarities IN THIS department.
REPORT DIRECTOR LoopER.
The following are the most important portions Of
this repart-
have respectfully to report AS foows:-The Official
upon the subject show that during The
ford aud Acting rsynaster General James IT. watmough
repeated and varied Irregularities IN It's
ministration. frequent absence OF due regard tor
ard conformity law Especially this the with
ments supplies IT, sales o. public property ala,o
sn a s S ii ss ting 81
rnng them we're not Known Or thy ws,s 10.
law, o. son.y INVITING s,mpssa by advertising
ss aiss same ana
have boon, SO TAR as the bureaus own distinctive
se%e. Sa, Wholly ai
Mere bureau orders commonly given and without ad
vertiscment. without possibility OF competition, without
legal contract, sometimes without need ana without
sufficient funds nader the proper appropriations and this
done with regard to larger well smaller
ns o 81 % OWL ,g Chief
Watmough made Illegal barter exchange or
public property to enormous extent all along curing
the Of lsf@IJ and part III 1875. ana that OF
.oeds thereof required by law with gard
thing, condemned clothing covered into
the by hin but were. except rihe covered
This done not ~ pnbc anctou without public ad
vertisemen and without possibility OF competition u
done privately and with single individuals. All this
was violation OF the then existing law. some Ut tbs
thus disposed OF were sound ard and
OF navy when sold the bureau, simply
'olan and "coniemncd and unit Tor ISSUE Inn
points sold they Tor certain agree
upon prices, o: them shipped directly 70 the
chaser Tue bureau alone arranged hxog the prizes OF
sold and purchased exchanged articles Tho
officers had nothing TO do with the matter, any
board, and tho officers in had simply obey
orders and aud receive tue articles
bureau curing this lime thus Disposed " *5JJytI ~
of NIL kinds CHS amount includes sale
and exchange o. barter sy Mr. sraaiqri a .aisi 81
cceds Of which went Into the Treasury, re-
qured by law but, as stated into tue bureau
Necessarily these sales and exchanges Involved much
and great confusion indsinife quantity o ine
articles bad and Indifferent we're prosred by this
barrau payment TO be made IN case In improved
bills: AL clothing. &c and settiemeni to
be made direct aud considered
hdcntal" SO that articles under appropriation
IL be held and paid for sometimes In and some
mixing and conloundns everything connected with the
matter II finally resolved Itself Into exchange bar
~ stores large scale Al this clearly was 10 poet
violation OF Law aud especially OF certain 0 the well
articles for the better government OF the navy
The republican members OF tho committee had
nothing 10 do with the preparation OF tho report