The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-08
CR00KEDNESS IN THE NAVY.
SOME INFORMITION TINT SENITOR
My FIND INTERES TING.
The Record OF Hayes. Nominee TO the Pay
mnstcr-tiencrniship- a Look ut Some
Things in secor Kobeson's Rotten Navy.

mnstcr.tscncrnishtp Look ut Some
Things in secor Kebesons Rotten Navy.
Testimony that was taken before tho
House Expenditures Committee on Naval
Affairs in Washington shows a corrupt
transaction in tho sale to the Government
OF ten lifcboats during Secor Robcsons
term az Secretary Of the Navy, and this
duplicates George +. Cutter. Hayes's nomi-
nee for paymastcr- General. The Senate COM
mittcc IL considering this nomination. This
testimony shows that n requisiton came from
the New York Navy Yard for the purchase Of
ten lifcboats. and that an order was sent to Cut
ter who had an Office at 20 Broadway. for the
purchase. Cutter bought the boats OF Oliver II.
Ingcrsoll. through one OF his supply jobbers.
and paid SIS 600 for them. without either adver-
Using for proposals or giving builders an OPP
portunity TO compete 1t was In proof that the
boats could have been built for IS 900, and that
the supply jobber, Raymond. who was n mem
Der of the notorious Cattell and Matthews Ring,
was to receive &c 900 OF the purchase money.
When Cutter was appointed pay agent he made
George Blood purchasing agent Blood held
4 similar position for time under Secretary
Wells, but was removed. an investigation show
ing that he had been engaged in getting COM
missions on puTehas,ss. Raymond. another . GO
mcnt and when released was forbidden any
ceived contracts through q. VI Creed.
Oliver II. lngcrsoll, from whom the lfeboats
south street He failed about two y years gu ago and
his business has been carried on in his wfe's
name. He has supplied a patent self-righting
built them himself.
on the oath Of July, 1874, two Of Ingersoll's
patent boats were delivered at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. They were built by John T, Smith
OF i0i Water street. and were OF iron. with air
tight sections and self-ncting, valves. Properly
M lA ehsa h.sAN q. Ian "a rnI al
Smith says that he built the two boats for 81 600
and was paid that sum. but the Government paid
81 500 apiece for them, n net profit to some one
Of $4,000. One Of these boats is on the Swatara.
Smith also built about the same time two other
boats. receiving $500. and these were sold to the
In the summer Of. 1876 Ingersoll obtained q
contract from the Navy Department for ten
cred on the LIST Of January, 1877. These were
built by Dreine Son OF Wilmington. Del. who
were to receive $500 Q piece for them. These
boats were metallic lifeboats, with air-tight
compartments. with valves in the bottom. The
holes, which ara intended 10 empty the boat
should II i'll at sea do not work properly. and IL
is probably on this account that Dreine Son
consented to take $3.50 apiece for them. The
boats we're not finished IN time 70 be delivered
Broadway and Woodbine street. BrooEyn.
yard for storage, by order OF de facto Secretary
Thompson. at lngersoll's request. Tho delay
| ment by Smith, who AYERS that the boats are not
| what they should be.
| Commodore, Ammen. Naval Constructor
amined the boats on the 18th Of September. 1877.
sstant Secretary OF the Navy. The report Of
this committee has not yet been made public.
through ut 81 $50 each, although they cost $3.50.
Mr.. Smith says that Engineer Henderson loft
order through InRrrSOl
| l575. for steam launch for his private use.
smith built it for $3.50. but Henderson paid only
s2 dPPssrso making qg the aSf tS
| will be- laid before the Senate Committee and
the House Investigating Committee. Some time
| paint. His usual price TO the trade has been
1880 gallon. 80 on. and even 40 on large trans
actions. The paint is said 70 be inferior for
| navy yard purposes one OF its ingredients is
soft soap. Even at sl.75 "a gallon 1t yields a
| good profit James Lockyer IA former en-
| paint from the navy yard last year were made
| and through Cutter the purchases were made
| in. Ingersol hastened to Washington and got d
| largo order. This paint, Lockyer says, was
sold to The Government az from 81 10 81 a
| c"ivcd. Lockycr cnrricd the requisltions after
they had been filed TO George Blood. Cutters
| purchasing agent. and be delivered them "a
| Cutter Lorkycr noticed that the acquisitions
| wer" not numbered. and knowing the price that
| was received and the ordinary trade price, had
| his susrieions aroused Ahnut sos Op1 worth ol
| this paint has been delivered and paid for 10y
| the department. on which the profit is not less
| than 10000. Lockyer says that Ingersol bought
| some barrels containing paint skins and some
| red lead from the Government at nominal
| went N making ths paint that was sold NJ from
| 81 To 50 gallon. No bids or proposals for the
| purchase OF paint We're advertised for. Anida-
Wits IL 10 the above facts can be obtained from
| the persons who know about them. who are liv-
Ing In this city, Still other transactions with
Secor Robeson's rotten Navy Department are