Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-23
Senate.

Senate.
WASHINGTON, Feb. %. Immediately
after the reading of the journal the senate
went into executive session and confirmed
the nomination of Algernon L. Badger as
collector of customs of New Orleans.
Mr.. Garland called up the resolution
offered by him yesterday for the appoint
ment of special committee to examine
and report upon the methods of improv-
ing the navigation of the Mississippi river
below Cairo. Adopted.
The senate proceeded to consider the
naval appropriation. The provision that
part of the money appropriated for the
general care, increase and protection of the
navy in the line of construction and re-
pairs of any wooden ship, when
the estimated cost of repairs shall
exceed % per cent. of the estimated cost
OF new ship of the same size and like
material, gave rise to long debate. The
provision was amended so as to fix the
limit at 20 per cent. of the cost of new
vessel of the same size and like material,
and was agreed to-ayes SO; noes IT.
When the paragraph appropriating
100000 for the completion of ironclads
in accordance with the recommendations
of the naval advisory board was reached,
Mr.. Mcpherson reviewed the history of
ironclads and argued that no appropria-
ton should be made at present for the
completion of any of them, but that, even
if the money was appropriated for others,
the Puritan especially ought to be except
ed from the appropriation, because several
boards, composed of some of the best Off
GERS in the navy, had pronounced her an
entire failure.
Mr. Hale favored the completion of the
vessels, and called special attention to the
fact that the present secretary was not in
favor of completing the work under the
psrmissoryE contracts entered into by the
Hon. George M. Robson, as secretary of
the navy. These old contracts were dead
and nobody was seeking to renew or revive
them, and the whole question of finish
ing these vessels was in the hands of con-
gress. We had great need of such vessels
as those designed to be for harbor defense.
Mr.. Voorhees, said Mr.. Hale's appeal
might have made quite an impression if
addressed to those who knew nothing of
the history of these vessels
for the past eight years.
Eight years ago, under the administration
of Gen. Grant, these five iron clads were
ordered to be rebuilt, and how lmany of
them were on the water? Not one, al
though the government had several navy
yards, these iron clads had been ordered
into the hands of private contractors, and
kept standing through all these years, as
means of paying political debts, and levy
ing political assessments. Why, else, had
they been left so long unfinished?
Mr.. Plumb said one reason was that for
six years past congress had not appropri-
ated anything to continue the work upon
them.
Mr.. Voorhees, thought the senator was
mistaken. He understood $S,000,O00 had
been spent in rebuilding these vessels,
not senator upon the floor who could
make an estimate of what amount would
be required to complete them. This whole
business was scandal, an outrage and
crime, and it should be ended by ordering
the secretary of the navy to take the yes
sells out of the hands of the John Reaches
and other private contractors, and have
them completed in the government navy
yards.
Mr.. Mcpherson said the idea of the pres
ent administration of the navy depart
ment seemed to be to destroy the existing
navy SO as to give an opportunity for the
| construction of new one, involving a vast
expenditure and unlimited discretion in
the secretary of the navy; and, strangely
enough, the naval committees of both
houses of congress seemed to favor their
| course. Under a former administration
of the navy department gross abuses had
existed in the sale or trading away of
boilers, machinery, ETC., to favored con-
| tractors,a now provision was proposed
which would tend to revive the system.
| Mr.. Hale asked Mr. Mcpherson whether
he did not know that the secretary of the
navy was now so hedged around by law
that he could not sell a ship or engine, a
boiler or any component part of ship,
| except under safeguards which would rem
der impossible repetition of the abuses
alleged to have existed.
In the past Mr.. Mcpherson was unable
to see how any law could be more restrict
i've than that of 1877. Yet that had been
disregarded by a former secretary of the
navy, who made contracts in direct viola
ton of it.
Mr.. Ingalls, thought our old wooden YES
sells had been properly described by the
secretary of the navy as useful only for
naval exercises, for displaying the nation
al flag and for spectacular purposes, gen
orally. They were painted ships upon a
painted ocean," and money spent upon
them in repairs, beyond a certain limit,
would be wasted.
Mr.. Bayard said it was simple business
question whether it would be wise to vote a
million dollars to place engines and ma
chinery in these four double-turreted iron
clads. In 1877 the construction of these
vessels under contracts made by the pre-
ceeding secretary of the navy had been
suspended by Secretary Thompson, and
the cloud of suspicion then cast upon the
work had never since been fully removed,
though it had attacked unjustly he thought,
in some cases. The advisory board had
examined the question fully and reported
in favor of completing the ships and it
seemed wise for the senate to
be guided by their recommendation.
Mr.. Ingalls, inc uired how much money,