The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-22
THE NAVAL INVESTIGATION.

EX-PAyMAsTER GENERAL wATMOUGH IN REPLY
TO THE CRITICISMS ON HIS ADMINIsTRA-
TON.
WASHINGTON, June q, 1875
Ex-Paymaster General watmough has made the
following statement relative to his administration
Of the Bureau Of Provisions Clothing OF the Navy
Department.
sIR-My attention being this day June ISL drawn
to the pub ication in several papers OF Pay Drector
Thomas Il. LOCKERS report TO the Secretary OF the
Navy regarding the administration OF the Bureau OF
Provisions and Clothing while was acnng chiet 1
ask thar the following reiutatlon OF the charges pre-
ierred may appear IN your columns
The report as IL staads was intended to do me tho
greatest possible injury. Mucn That IS therein set
forth is utterly without foundation 10 fact aud the
whole u tissue OF gross Misrepresentation The
which tho report dwclls so largely. had prevailed
with my predecessors until they had taken the shape
OF custom when came into the bureau, and were
continued Tor lack Of funds to advertise
The question OF those sales SO unjustly commented
upon Drvatc and confidential" was fully explained
in my circular o. August T. 1876 where II proven
that the transaction private QUO the stores
delivered ~ the chaser official ordCr
the cant oil the Navy Yard wnere the articles
all designated and the request Tor privacy
emanutcd from the Bureau OF Provisions ana Cloth
ing, but was simply required by tho purchaser an
act OF justice to HIMSELF no merchant IN disposng of
goods ever wishing to have the cost OF the same
known.
Mr. LOCKER also states ssthat Secretary Thompso
suspended contracts made by me-" which is utterly
untrue, as nothing OF the kind over Done In my
bureau. On the contrary revoked an order to the
Msson Mills for 20, 900 yards oil flannel winch was
not made up, ana which thought, under the duc-
ton OF the navy, we would not need.
Again, no asserts " that In the beginning OF my n
term proper gave 10 the agent OF the Mission Mills
order Tor 1888 SO worth OF clothing" which Is
also untrue. only gavo an order to receive art,-
Giles contracted Tor IN August ana October OF the pre-
vious year, 1876, stipuating that the prices l had
made unsuccessful atempt to reduce might remain
al the rates agreed upon al the date the order
given.
Furthermore, he says ''that certain deliveries
hereunder continued to be made regardless OF the
Secretary's order, whereas said DELIVERIES were the
same goods ordered August and October OF the
year previous 1876 and OF which bills aud full
count were handed Secretary Thompson when he 1rst
came into oflce.n
Many oil tho charges IN Mr.. LOCKERS report are
fully explained in my letter 10 tho Secretary, pub
lished In the speech OF Hon. b. A. Willis before The
House, June D, 1878, which letter Mr. LOCKER Ii
pleased to ignore, though all the facts and figures
II were copied from books OF the Bureau OF Provisions
ana Clothing
am quite prepared to testify that my administra.
ton OF tho bureau was conducted with the same
honesty Of purpose which has heretofore credited
10 me In the thrty-iour years Of naval life And
In full proof OF all the statements contained this
letter refer directly TO the Chief Clerk oil the Bureau
OF Provisions and Clothing VINO cognizanJ OF the
facts ms herein set forth by NO.
JAMES II. WArMOUGH
Late Pay master General United States Navy