Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-13

This is the same price that was offered for
these vessels and can be furnished for the
same price to-day. The Miantonomoh armor
was bought in Europe. You allowed SILL
600 for each vessel. The price, S50,60l Is,
does not include bolts or putting on, which
item would be about $4,000. The steel
armor can be furnished to-day at less price
than was allowed for iron in the Sd of March
contracts, and l am prepared 10 deliver it at
less price, the steel 10 come from the largest
makers in the world. Now you want to
carry out your Sd of March contracts.
come forward and give figures and facts and
you storm and rave over them. You must
throw aside those pet contracts M sde with
out warrant OF law. L shall not critlcise Row
your acts in the navy department, but may
in future. have some twenty years expe-
rience in navy matters and know well how
you transacted your business. / am pre-
pared to establish all the facts in regard to
the cost 10 complete those ships before any
board of officers of the United States navy.
You will never get any officer OF the United
States navy to sanction those contracts I'M
less Congress so directs. In my letter of
March Goth, wherein l stated the appropria-
ton could be reduced some 500, 000-this
was for the Terror, Monadnock and Amphi-
trite. Since then L have made the cslcula
ton OF the cost TO complete the Puritan and
fud the whole amount of deduction upon the
Sd of March contracts will be 81 ,373, 02l 81,
if they are offered for public competition.
You cannot afford to do injustice and deny
redress. Justice has never been represented
as dog in the manger. | an.
NATHANIEL MCKAY.
1A-Copy.T
NEW YORK, February IS, 1882.
George NJ. Robson:
DEAR SIR-As You are one of the mem
bers OF the Appropriation Committee and
have charge OF the naval Appropriations,
desire 10 lay before you and the members Of
your committee some facts which l have in
regard to the cost of completing the four
ironclad vessels (now uncompleted at various
yards) with armOr plates of compound steel
and iron or with mixed eteel. 1 have all the
data and cost of the various kind of metal
from the best makers in the world, and hope
to hear from you. l shall lay all the facts
both kefare the Senate and House naval |
committees. l would be pleased to hear |
from you in regard to the matter, and to |
appear before your committee at any lime |
with all the papers / have in relation TO the |
subject OF costs TO complete the ironclads. |
Awaiting your reply, 1 remain, dear sir,
your obedieut servant, n. M'KAY.
[B-Copy.l
NEW YORK, March 20, 1882 |
Hon. George n. Robson, Washington, D. c.:
DEAR SIR trust you will pardon me for |
writing you the second letter in regard TO |
the ironclad vessels, but slnce L wrote you |
last have not heard word from you in re-
gard to them, and, thinking you may have
overlooked that letter, and supposing you |
would require some ideas about the cost to
complete them, as you have charge of the |
matter wish TO say that if you wish l can
inform you what The net cost will be TO ccm-
plete those ships with steel, and am willing |
10 do so. / can reduce the appropriation 1
some 500, 900 less than the amount called |
for by the board-'House OF Represents
tives, Forty-sixth Congress- second session,
Elk. Doc. No. 81, double-turreted monitor,
May IL, 1885," also "maps, forty-sixth Con-
gress, Elk. Doc. No. So, part 5, House OF Rep
double-turreted monitors" l
will here state that the amount is excessive,
and if / am allowed ] can reduce the
amount as above stated, and l hope 10 hear
from you in gard TO the matter before you
go too far with the appropriation bill. If |
the amount recommended by the board is
and put in the hands OF the
secretary of the navy it would be much bet
ter, as then the secretary will get all the
facts. / feel confident that the amount
called for BY the board will never pass the
Sena'e, the board was misled as to the
cost of the material. Awaiting your reply, |
l remain very respectfully, y. M'KAY.
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