The daily gazette., 1882-06-26

work to the extent of $207 900 on the new
Puritan, still under the pretence of REPAIRS"
although the real Puritan was still In exist
ence, and remained In existence there nearly
year thereafter. In February, 1876, the
original Puritan was towed to Roach's yard
and broken up. The 81 ,974 900 ship was
turned over to Roach for destruction on a
three-line order, which was q three-line lie
The department now directs that the Puritan
be turned over to John Roach for the purpose
of beipg rebuilt by him Mt his yard In Chester.
l. HANsooM.
So the construction of the Puritan ordered
by Robeson and undertaken by Roach, went
on at Chester without the authority of Con-
gress. 1t was in no sense the peoples ship
it was solely the private enterprise of Robe
son and Roach. The work had not been
ordered by any officer of the government
empowered to order it. No legal contract
had ever been drawn. No means were taken
to protect the governments interests. There
was no plans, no specifications, no definite
engagement as to the quality of materials
and work, no competitive bids for doing the
work, no penalties or provisions to secure
the proper and prompt completion of the
work. The job of building a S2,000,0 600
ron-clad was simply given by Robeson to
one of his friends at his friends own terms
and on his friends unlimited proposals.
w nat Sbuiu HuNG Dctu ShIGGbcu HUH SUCH
an arrangement, even had 1t been effected
with the most honest and patriotic of inten
tions
When the Grant administration went out,
Roach's boat, the Puritan, had cost
S49l ,030. On the last day of that admins
tration Secor Robeson, in impudent VIOLA
tion of the law forbidding contracts in ad-
vance of appropriation, made an agreement
which he styled contract, to pay Roach
S991 642 for carrying on the construction Of
the Puritan. That was one of the illegal
contracts suspended by Richard W. Thomp-
son few weeks later.
The present condition Of the Puritan is
what it was when Thompson's s fear of public
opinion blocked the dishonest game of
March 3, 1877 According to the estimates
Of the department as now constituted it will
cost 81 $50, 900 to finish her. What she
would be when finished we can only judge
from the reports of three boards of honest
men, experts in shipbuilding, who have
examined the monstrosity since Robeson
went out.
On June ~, 1877, board of naval officers
of Which Rear Admiral Mullaney was presi-
dent, went to Chester and examined the
Puritan. They reported that the principles
of her construction and the weight of her
armor were such that, if launched,
| licI SuHWhit WOulu bC udll-
an-inch under water. Later, a
| second board, of which Commodore
Stevens was president, confirmed the report
of the first board and condemned the worth.
| less vessel.
On June 4, 1878, Naval Constructor Len
thall and Chief Engineer sherwood re-
ported "The manner in which the new
Puritan was built is a tlagrant exhibition o
gross ignorance and culpable carelessness
| The vessel, as far as constructed, is tota
| failure, nor can any changes now practica.
| BILE make her efficient"
| As in regard to the Puritan, the illega
contracts made by Robeson just before
leaving office pursuance of work upon the
other monitors were suspended. The
| Amphitrite lies unfinished at Whining
ton, in the yard of Harlan, Hollingswortl
u Co. The terror is at Philadelphia, in tn,
yard of w. Cramp II Sons. The Monadnoel
is at Vallejo, California, in the hands o
Phineas Burgess The Puritan is at Cheste
and the Miantonomoh is at League Island
For the completion of the five ships the fol
lowing sums are asked by the Navy Depart
ment, by Secor Robson and by the eontrac
| t0rs.