Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-10-15
The Report Of the Naval Board
Has Been Furnished
for Publication.
Sergeant McCauran viii Not
be COurtmartialed for
DisObedience.
Washington Gossip.
THE REPORT OF THE NAVAL BOARD.

THE REPORT OF THE NAVAL BOARD.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10. The report
of tie naval board appointed TO in
vestigate the cost of construction OF
the U. S. steamer Mohican and the
organization of the Mare Island navy
yard of California, has been furnish,
ed for publication. Regarding the
work of construction the board finds
that the original Mohican was placed
out of commission at the Mare Island
yard ia June 1872 A survey was
made of the vessel and the sum of
$lSS 500 estimated as necessary to res
pair her. The board find that BY
authority of letter signet by Naval
Constructor Hanson, chief of the
bureau Of construction and repairs,
dated Sept IA 1872, the new vessel
called in this and ali subsequent order
and references to the Mohican was
laid down from plans and specifications
entirely new and differing IN almost
every respect from those OF the old
Mohican The order by WAich the
present Mohican was commenced was
without any authority of law or legal
appropriation, al the board could
discover, and was simply ara order
from the chief of the bureau of con
struction and repair TO the commands
ant of. the Mare Island yard. This
order directed the rebuilding of the
Mohican and thereafter the vessel was
alluded to in the official correspond,
ence as the New Mohican.
The new vessel was launched in
December 1883, ut which time there
had been expended upon her under
the jurisdiction of the bureau OF cons
struction, and repair the sum Of
1898, 900. 1t is the opinion of the
board that tie work on the Mohican
was done in satisfactory manner,
and that the material used was of the
best quality. The board is of tho
opinion that the extravagant methods
pursued by the bureau of constraco
ton prior to 1883 were mainly caused
by excessive expenditures up to that
time
In the opinion Of the board the ex-
trayagant cost OF the Mohican ia the
department OF construction and re-
pair is to be attributed to the following
causes:
! First.-The high price of labor, which was
nearly 40 per cent greater than paid for the
same class Of labor in the New York navy yard
! Second The high price OF material when en-
| tered into the construction of the vessel
Third.-To the alterations made in obedience
to orders from the proper authorities.
| Fourth. TO the intermittant manner in which
| the work was conducted.
These causes were beyond the con-
troll of any of the naval yard authors
tiles.
M'GAURAN WILL NOT BE COURT MAR.
TAILED.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-The Star
says: Sergeant McGauran, of the sig
nal service, who got into trouble By
refusing to receive a colored man as
his assistant in the Office at Pensacola,
Fla, is not to be court martialed for
disopedience of orders, as was first
intended, He brought strong
influence to bear and succeeded
in having his punishment limited
to reduction to the rank of private
colored observer. who has been IN
charge of the Pensacola office ever
since he was assigned to duty there,
and vail shortly be relieved, as bis
presence in an official capacity is dis
tasteful to the citizens Of Pensacola,
and it is thought unnecessary to lnslsi
upon hIs remaining there. He would
not have received that assignment ~
the first place, it is now stated, haC
the fact of his being colored occurred
10 the officer making the selection