The New York herald., 1879-02-10

of during the administration Of Mr.. Robcson matc-
rial the cost OF which at least 500 100000 In
Of the navy Is shown by Mr. Harris Of aassach
his report Of last year to have been at that me
follows:-
Member. Guns.
Ships permanently unserviceable. As GA
Sailing vessels UNIT for wur. ........... . =
Ships temporarily out of use........ q 200
Total In service. ID 22S
From the annual report Of Secretary Thompson for
1877 it appears that at the close OF Mr.. Robeson's
administration after all this enormous expenditure
there existed an indebtedness. unwarrsnted by any
Mr.. Thompson reported 10 Congress at the same
time that he had suspended contracts involving sew
Robcson subsequent to March l, 1877. without any
authority of law
WHAT nopEsoN's ADMINISTRATION cosr
The information furnished to the committee by the
present Secretary in regard to the in which
contracts have been made since 1870, the in
which indebtedness has been incurred and the
in which public property has been disposed OF shows
constant and almost ceaseess disregard and viola
sons administration there disappeared from the
navy register the names Of seventy vessels, OF which
hve wore lost at sea- were sold and the pro
proceeds paid to contractors, and twenty
destroyed by the order Of Mr. Robeson and the mate
tors II ths destroyed property. which cost the gov.
ernment 500 .000 s credited at only $50 OO
we ssss have an during eight years Of over
would certainly have yielded revenue Of $4,000 600
TO any prudent private individual In fact. tho gov.
subtrsctng from the annual appropriations for the
navy the sums applied to It's maintenance. It Is
n e
SOS 0o0.O00 applied to construction. which. II
applied to building war vesseis. would hsve given
ms seventy new vessels like the Trentonone OF the
best in the navy-s nuI(ber sufficient to have made
= navy st respectable and useful.
ILLEGAL Drs2osrrIoN OF PROPERTY
IDOuriDQ whether the laws fnr the
governments Of the naval service and protection Of
the governments interests have been observed the
committee say they constrained by the facts and
their duty to the Honse and the country to
that these laws have not been observed or
and violated: and they further answer that large
sums OF public money and large Quantities OF
pubic % property .h have asn. been illegally dss,
naval service. The report proceeds to point out
q number Of instances declared to be violations Of
law. among which are the disregard Of the law
Quiring supplies TO be purchased from the lowest
bidder and that requiring proposals to be sccompa
nied by written guarantee and sureties. which the
report states have been wholly ignored in eight
hundred and nifty cases. The provisions Of law
requiring that contrsct shall DO made unless au-
to its fuiment been violated In the contracts
made for the rebuilding Of the Monsdnock. Misnts-
nomah. Amphitrite and Puritan. The law forbid
ding advance payments in excess OF work done
prior to delivery OF materials has been disregarded
In the delivery OF material to Roach and Others
ExcEEDrNa APPROPRIATION,
Tho law prohibiting any department from exceed
ing the appropriations made by law is declared 10
have been dsrcgarded and the report goes at con-
aud in summing up the acts referred to the CON-
mittce say they deem IL to be their duty call upon
the responsible parties to Justice. The persons re-
ferrcd to by name George N. Robcson; W. w.
Wood. chief Of the Bureau OF Steam Engineering
com. chief of the Bureau Of Construction and he
pairs from 1871 to April. 1877; John o. Bradford.
paymaster general from 1873 to February, 1877 II.
watmough. acting head OF the Bureau Of Provisions
and Clothing from July, 1873. to March. 1877.
HIGH PRICES FAvonirIsM.
The committee considers at length the defence
and explanation rendered for these alleged violations
OF law and further On state that the testimony taken
parties the frequency Of whose names suggestive
Of avoritsn. and that mp to the close bf Mr.. Robe
sons administration low prices. while having their
the Navy Department. Boilers contracted for
with Mcssrs. Hunt. Roach and Gardner In 1875 and
Mr.. HINT. indeed, bssug paid higher psaess than
he had previously built for. and hts explanation
that the same high were paid TO othor parties is
doubt From 30 to ~ cents per pound for
boilers contracted to be paid to these parties,
when. II competition had been admitted, 1t is tho
opinion of the committee that the could have
been reduced to from l5 to 20 cents pound. But
perhaps the greatest loss is IN the purchase of live
OAK timber. y appears from. tho report OF Messrs.
Ienthall and 1shcrwood. and the proof of Chief of
bureau Rasby. that large quantities of interior tim
bcr have been purchased and allowed to rot from
posurc. This could not have happened IL the report
OF the contracts had been made to Congress as d.
Again. Il Is shown that N Mckay bought at private
sale the ship Delaware for S. aud that real
izine over $4,000 out OF material removed from
the ship. he sold the hulk for $4,000. Tho severn
WAS advertised to be sold. An auction was had aud
bid made which the Secretary did not confirm.
subsequently she IVES turned over TO John Roach at
fD.uO. though other parties wore anxious 10 know
OF tho Secretary tho price cskcd and willing 10
give more. The committee especially refer 10 the
report " Ohicf Engineer King IN relation to tho dts
position OF largo quantities Of "msteris NJ several
OF tho navy yards resulting In large losscs 10 the GOV
crnncnt.
WHO AnE TO BLAMx
Tho committee nnd that for the Indebtedness Of
the ~ the time the investigation begun and that
for tho unlawful sale and disposition OF largo
amounts of property belonging to the government.
and the unlawful disposition Of largo suins Of the
public money appropriated for the naval service.
w. Wood. late chcf OF tho Dureau Of steam Engi-
ncoring; Isaiah Hanscom. late chief of the Bu-
rcau Of Construction and Repairs. and tho
chiofs OF the Bureau OF Provisions and Cloth
ing from 1877 ~ March, 1877. are chiefly 70.
spoDsfblc By che lste chief Of tine Bureau
nouoh II 10 said that being acting chief alone during
tho greater part Of this time. he fclt bound without
contrary instructions from tho head of the depart
nent or the real hend OF the bureau, Paymseter DEN
eral Bradford, 70 pursue the policy OF his said chief
This being wouid tend greatly relieve him. The
committee recommend that the conduct OF Chief En-
ginccrs Stewart. Fithan aud Henderson. and pny-
master Russell be inquired into.
The report concludes by declaring that 10 is tho
duty OF the House to mark its condemnation OF the
illegal practices Of these former officers of the Navy
Department, and 10 invite the attention OF the Ex-
ecutive Department. upon which rests tho respousi-
bilisy of further action IN the premises.