The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-02
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

0-NI'NI VASHIN1i ON UeSHAI CHES.
WASHINGTON, April /, 1878.
Ex-sEcRETARY robson BEFORE MR.. WILLIS,
INVESTIGATING coMMITTEE--ExpLANAT1o
OF HIS CONTRACTS.
Mr. Robson, ex.Secretary OF the Navy, appeared
before Mr. Willls' committee this morning and de.
tailed the circumstances Of the contracts Tor the re.
pair OF the double.turreted monitors He said that
warned by the experience Of the department. in tho
virginius AFFAIR, he bad in 1874 recommended TO the
Appropriation committees OF Congress that tho
douole-turreted iron-clads OF the Miantononah
class be fully repaired and put into con.
diuon for active service when needed:
shat In compliance with that rccommen daton Con-
gress turned over az that session old appropriation
OF o0O previously made Tor another purpose to
repair those vessels with tho understanding hat tho
remainder should be done out of the current appro-
prations made from year to year; that on this au-
thory he had undertaken the the contracts
for the nrst work these lips wcre com petcd and
paid or that the second contracts for the plating OF
the ships, being dependent upon the current appro-
praton. werc made expressly subject to appropria-
tons. and the work was paid for OF thcm as far
as the appropriations held that the fact that this
work was % being dono reported regularly Con-
gress every year and they wore urged make tho
proper appropriations; that the last Congress
failed, during successive years. TO make tho nee.
essary appropriations; that, as this hap.
pcned. the department rctHed the ontractors that
II would not have the appropriation necessary for
their pay, and that all the work at their own
risk and subject TO such appropriations as Congress
would mako that tho contractors had embarked their
money and capital In this necessary work,
authorized and commenced, before stated, and to
protect themselves they obliged to proceed with
II, and that they had not received their pay simply
because Congress bad not appropriated the money
necessary to complete IT,
Ho also stated that the order of March g. 1877 was
not for tho making OF now contracts with new con.
tractors but simply order auth orzing the old con-
tractors, who had already embarked in tho
work and in whose YARDS tncse ships WERE
to continue their work and flash IL
at their own risk, II thcy so desired;
that this work could not BIO properly done by others
because II was already In tho hands OF these parties
and tho ships were In their yards. and no others
would be willing to go without money This order
had the express approval OF the Attorney General and
In his opinion, was just, proper and necessary, and
was made by him before he went out, express
purpose OF assuming oil responsibility OF situation
himself aud not imposing 1t upon his SUCCESSOR that
II this work nnishet the country would have
these Gvc doube-turrctcd monitors In good condition
at less than II would build great seagoing
ironcad and that thcy with tho fifteen
iron.cads and our torpedo system would be a good
protection 10 coast and powerful against any
which could Cross the ocean and enter our harbors
and would be sufficient for tho defensive purposes OF
peaceful nation In short that this was com.
menccd with the express sanction OF Congress and
had been carried on with thor knowledge and paid
for TIL appropriations had stopped that II wanted
10 build up the strength OF the navy tho ships should
be completed; II not, then they might be stopped;
that the contractors great ship builders OF
tho country, employing thousands OF work men, and
they we're mon far above aoy ,dca OF wrongng tho
government, and they ought to be paid
THE SUBSIDIARY SILVER coIS--wHAr GENERAL
BUTLER PROPOSES TO DO ABOUT 1T.
In tho evening session Of the House Mr.. Butler OF
Massachusetts,, gave notice that next Monday, II he
could get the floor. he would move suspend tho
rules and adopt resolution nstructipg the Commit
tee on Banking and Currency to report forthwith a
bill or bills
currency OF the denominations Of tiny ana twcnty-
Two conts aud tho withdrawal Of tho subsidiary silver
coin oil the same denominations now In circulation
fast as II may be received at the Treasury aud pre-
venting any further ISSUE thereof
Second-ProvidinR Tor the printing and issuing OF
$40 600 900 OF cea tender ocs OF tho den tons
Of g. 81 50 and SIS, be paid from the Treasury
the expenses OF the government
lilo pictured the inconvenience Of the subsidiary sill
",
approaching idiocy, had caused tho fractional cur
rency to DO taken out of circulation In relation to
the latter part OF the resolution IL SIMPLY In.
tended to bring small notes INTO circulation, as grave
complaints being made about the dcarth Of such
bills tnroue bout the country.
THE vIRGINIUs AFFaIR--ANswER OF THE PRES
IDENT TO RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE.
Tho Message OF the President sent to the House OF
Representatives to-day is accompanied by documents
In reply to the inquiry whether General urrel and
other persons responsible for the execution Of tho
persons taken from the virginius have been
tried by tho spanish authorities, In accord.
anco with tho protocol OF November 90 1879
In response to a letter OF Secretary Evsris, dated
March 81 1877, Minister Cushing says his i'm oppression
was confirmed Of the good faith Of tho Superior
Council Of War 10 prosecute shs matter, but that tho
sowness Of proceeding In all State trials is
provcrbial In Spain. lilo mentions several cases
in illustration Of THIS fact, among them the case
Of the assassins OF General Prm. The proceedings
IN 1871 are still pending So are those
instituted In 1872 against the persons who attempted
TO assassinato King Am ,dco. These delays the
subject OF frequent complaint Spain among law
writers and tho newspaper press. Tho corrcspon-
dcnco further shows that General EurrIel died on
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