The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-10


Robeson. material the cost OF which was at least |
tl0O0OO00O. In spite Of this largo expenditure |
the present condition Of the navy is shown by |
Mr.. Harris OF Massachusetts, in his report OF |
last year. to have been ut that time us follows
", N |
STR, permanently un.eryceahe ........ q o2t
Smps cmporariy out OF usc ...... ..-..... - 2pl
TOTAL ia service .....,.......... a. 22i
Total navy y.............. ............ii7 1907
From the annual report Of Secretary Thomp-
son for 1877. 1t appears that at the close Of Mr.
Robcsons administration, after all his cnor-
nous expenditures. there existed an indebted
ness unwarrantcd 10y any law. Of 81 0s3 5O325.
Mr.. Thompson reported to Congress at the
same timc that he had suspended contracts
involving several millions of dollars which
wcro made by Mr. Robcson subsequent to
March /. 1877. without any authority Of law.
The Information furnished to the Committee
by the present Secretary in regard to the man
ncr in which contracts have boon made since
1870. tho manner In which Indebtedness has
been incurred. and the manner in which public
property has been disposed Of shows a constant
and almost ccasolcss disregard and violation Of
| the law.
During the eight years OF Mr.. Robcsons ad-
ministration there disappeared from the Navy
| Register the names Of seventy vessels. Of which
| nvc we're lost at sea forty-six werc sold and the
| proceeds paid into the Treasury. thrcc wcro
| and twenty were destroyed by the order Of Mr..
| Robeson and the materials cut ny and turned
over or credited to contractors. II tins destroyed
| property. which cost the Government ono hum
| dred millions Is credited at only ATTY Millions
| we have an expenditure during eight years OF
posed 81 would certainly have YIELDED a rcvenue
| oi 500 900 900 10 any prudent private individual
| In fact. the Government received Tor II less
| than two millions. Now. subtrnrtng from the
annual appropriations Tor the navy the sums
| hryued 10 It's mhlnlrhhnc'' II u lounu that oNtT
| SCI 900 900 wore applied % construction, equip
| mont. and armament. This makes nearly t6j.-
| OOOODO applied to construction. sum wnich. II
| applied to building war vessels, woulI have
| given us seventy now vessels like the Trenton
| -one Of the best in tho navy-n number SUI
| ncent to have made navy at once respectable
| ami useful.
InGuiring next whether tho laws enacted for
| the government Of the naval service and pro-
| lection OF the Governments interests have been
| observed, tho Committee say they are con
strained by the facts and their sense Of duty 10
the House and the country 10 answer that these
the contrary, have been dsregarded and vio-
itcd md thew iurther answer that large sums
OF public money and large quantities Of public
property have beon illegally disposed OF In the
| administration OF the naval service.
Tho report proceeds Co point out number ot
instances declared To be violations Of law.
among which arc the disregard Of the law re-
quirins supplies 90 be purchased from the low
est bidder aud that recurring pronosnlS To- %. Ac-
which. the report states. ms been WhuUt
ignored In over $50 cases. The PROVISIONS 9i
|
unless authorized by law or under an nupro-
urution adequate to It's fulniwcut. HAY" boon
inr' Of he Monadn5ct Mlan,onomah. An.
| luritte and Puritan. The law iurhiddng nd-
vance pHymtnls in en- t "l T'@IG @ ui ~, i'i,i
ln the delivery OF material t. Roach anil othor-.
Iue law prohlhiiinE any drp"rtm,ht from rN-
r"rilng th' Hpprupii iatluhs uhde iY iNW u
i"'lHrrd 10 hayo been DE- CARRIED. ard
the report gore on at eon-idrrah', ',
longth asserting similar disregard OF law. ari
in summing up the acts rci-rrrd 90. tho COM
m.tinc say thoy dcem 10 90 hr rtlcr duty t1 cal
uuon the proper department oi IN" Hov'rhment
to bring tho Responsible PARTIES TO justice. In'
pcrsons rri"rr,d y ey ycnnqn nnnr "re & 'in,9rSe orc, vi;
Steam Fngineering from March. 1873. 10 Fob
ruary. 1871; Isaiah HRnscom, Chiei ot tno
bureau T79srIHSo4 InSn az fsndrpI Tp aS
General from 1873 10 February. 1871 J. II. Wat
mough. acting head Of IN. BnreaM ol Provsslons
. The Committee considers nj lTngth the dc-
/; fence and explanation tendsret for these nj.
legged violations Of law. anil further on say that
/ thr testimony taken will show that high prl ''s
, have been paid to certain parties. thc ire
o'ii Mr. 'Robcsons administrator low prices.
d SS not sds the radc sSS Of Re Sayy
: | Boilers We're CONTRACTED tnr with MessrS. Hunt
W6iR 2fisR lad PrSyae i in 3S years % boforr Mr. Hunt
> | indeed. being paid higher prices thAn he hai
2 previously hullt for; and his explanation thn'
. ! The same high prices were paid 10 other pnr-
!, ties is no doubt correct From 30 To- ~ Sc. per
. | pound for boilers was contracted To- be paid t.
- These parties. when Il competition had been nd,
/, | mitted IL is the opinion Of the Committee that
Z The cost could have br"n reduced To from Is t'
9 n Gs9Is tho purchase p1%hhS Dp o live ook timber Il ap
r pears from The report Of Lenthall 4 Ishcrw9od
large auantties of inferior timber have beer
q purchnsed aud allowed n rot from exposure
= This could not have happened II the report o
the contracts had been made 10 Congress ~
a Amin. L is shown that n. Mckay bought a
nj a ali Delaware 81 3.
Il that after realizing over t2O.OOO out ot mate
q rial" removed from the ship. he sold the hulI
4 Tor $1,000. The Severn was ADVERTISED To BE-
- sold An auction was had and Il bid made
n which tho Secretary did not confirm - Su9se
"a quenuy sho was turned over 10 Johh ltQaci n
~ 500 600 though other parties wern anxious L
II know Of the Secretary tho price asked, ana wer
,, Tns Committee especially refer 10 the repor
~ Of Chief Engineer King in relation to thG DO
IA position OF large quantities Of material n
= several Of the navy yards. resulting in larg
~ losses 70 the Governnient. .,-,,
N Tho Committee lind that for the Indebtedness
r. Of the navy ~ the time tho nvestlSalion begnn
NJ aud that FOR the unlawful sale and disuositioi
H. Of large am9unIs oi pr0pGrf oe3hEing 10 '
,o large sums of the public money approprlgte'
or tie aa s9rSce Xy; G%G?FG MR. n R2bSoH i E G
"a Of the bureau Of Steam Engineering; lsnial
Hanscom. late Chief OF the Bureau OF Construc
ii Proysions aud Clothing, from 1879 TO March
n, 1877. are chiefly rrsponslble But ihe late Cne
" OF tho Bureau Of Provisions and Clothing Pay
id master General WatmOugh. II II said. bonn
nj acting chief alone during the greater pm
as Instruct ons from the head Of the department O
's tho real head Of tha bureau, PnymVstcr- Genrrf
M Bradford-to pursue the policy Of his said chic
,I This being So would tend greatly to reey
hn | him The COmmittGe recommend that tho con
", du't Of Chinf Engineers Stewart, FIthian. an
~ | Henderson, and Paymaster Russell be Inquire
re- | into , 40,
~ | thu duty OF the House 10 mark its condemni
c lion OF tho illegal practices OF these former on
he | Gers OF the Navy Department, and to invite Ill
Ia | attention OF the Executive Department. upo
no which rests tho responsibility OF further actlo
" in the promises.
hV Ex-Mayor Powens Funeral.
Tho body Of Samuel s. Powell, lato Trensur
ot Kings County and exMayor Of Brooklyn, was burt
-a from the Washington Avenue Methodist Ohuieh hro'
~, Ivu Yesterday afternoon Thcrs was large nttendan