The Portland daily press., 1885-06-27
THE DOLPHIN AND.MR. WHITNEY.
Ex-Secretary Chandler Frees His
Mind.

Ex-Secretary Chandler Frees His
Mind.
The following communication regarding Seere-
tary Whitney and the Dolphin appears in the Con-
cord Monitor over the signature Of ex-Secretary
Chandler:
Secretary Whitney says that lest his "spirit Of
resentment should make him unjust he asks the
Judicial judgment and advice of Attorney Gen
eral Garland concerning the contract for building
the Dolphin. He first states the question upon
which he thus seeks q judicial OpiulOn as follows:
"Whether have on my hands what Is In the ma
Again he states il in This way: ..The uuestion
which desire answered Is, whether the Depart
ment has In the matter 2 BAL bargain simply
which as between the parties IL must stand to- or
has II broken contract emitting II to insist upon
something better?"
If this Is what Mr. Whitney does I'm order to es
cape from his spirit of resentment" what would
he not do If he let loose his rage instead OF
bly, restraining t7 His submission of the ques-
ton IS as just as was that Of the LecOmptOn Con-
stltution in Kansas. Voters could say they would
take the Constitution with slavery, or that they
would take it without slavery; but the dose OF the
Constitution itself they must swallow Mr.. Whit
ney has already, in his acknowledged spirit OF
Glll, resentment preludged somebody The Attorney
Roach or the designers of the Dolphin. one
or the other the Attorney General must certainly
his letter. Surely Mr. Whitneys sense of Justice
is marvellous; his sef-eOntrol is absolutely saint
ly. No one could possibly believe that tie good
man is possessed by spirit OF resentment unless
he so frankly asserted himselfl
MIR. RoACH's RESPONSIBILITY.
1t is as clear as the sun at MONDAY that Mr..
Roach is responsible only for good workmanship.
The law Of August 3, 1882, authorizing certain
ships and creating the Naval Advisory Board, pro-
yided that neither of the vessels should be econ
traeted for or commenced until full and complete
thereof
It's parts, including the hull, engines and boilers,
slan have been provided or adopted by the Navy
Department and shall have been approved in
writing by said Board, or by majority Of the
Navy"
lnIs provision of law was complied with, and
Mr.. Roach bid upou the designs Of the Navy
Department, aud, justly and properly, was com
PEELED to guarantee only good workmanship. He
guaranteed neither speed horsepower nor any
thing else, except that the materials should be
FIRST class and Of the very best quality" and well
and faithfully put together according TO the plans
and specifications Of the Department and under
the inspection Of the Naval Advisory Board
There is no "loOseness of the contract" nor Sab
sence OF effective stipulati0us," as Mr.. Whitney
asserts, but all the provisions are to be found
necessary to carry out the fundamental idea upon
which the contract was based, namely. good work
on Mr.. Roaeh's part applied TO the Departments
designs.
If, therefore, the contractor has built the ships
according to the specifications of the contract ne
| has fulfilled his engagements. On this pOint-the
general character OF the wOrkmanship-Mr. Whit
ney informs the Attorney General that although
| the general workmanship and finish are criticised
by his new Board, yet as the contractor expresses
willingness to make the details satisfactory as far
as he is able, the Department can deal with that
matter icithOut legal ddrice so Mr.. Whitney In
| effect asks the Attorney General that he has a
bad bargain on his hands which he cannot get rid
of, but the respons sbty for which will falf upon
the designers OF the ship. In other words, Mr..
Whitney is hunting the Secretary of the May and
the ADVISORY Board who designed the Dolphin
| and made the contract for her construction. His
persecution Of Mr. Roach, however deadly is only
Incidental; his spirit Of resentment is directed
mainly against his predecessor in Office and the
| Advisory Board The latter cannot speak a word
| OF defence except 10 Mr.. Whitney, nor make any
| utterance public without his consent. The for
| mer, however, can.
SPEED AND STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS.
Mr.. Whtney's points, upon which he really in
insists, are only two: lack Of speed and structu-
| raj weakness.
Mr.. Whitney says that the act of March 8, 1886,
| authorized Zone dispatch boat as recommended by
the Naval Advisory Board In its report OF Deeem-
Der 20 1882" and that the Board had recommend
| ed such vessel Ito have speed OF fifteen
knots" The Dolphin made fifteen knots ON her
trial trips In the Sound and on the ocean, but Mr..
whitney, having omitted to order heavy sea to
prevail, says those results only indicate twelve or
thirteen knots sea speed; that in order to have
enteen and One-half knots on her trial trips; aud
that therefore contract has been made which
does not secure the results expected by Congress.
Mr. whitney says that, although the evidence
| Is meagre, his Board are of the opinion that the
Dolphin has not the requisite stiffness" The
tible" vibration of the vessel her trial trips tho
springing of the floors of the engine ROOM and the
neatlng OF the after crank-pin. These are absO-
lutely all the facts given by the Board to Justify
their charge OF structural weakness
The foregoing concise but correct recital Of Mr..
MnltneyS points shows on its face the absurdity
of presenting them to the AttOrney-G enera as the
basis OF any legal opinion. They are equally fu-
tile as an exhibition of the spirit of resentment
| of Mr.. Whitney against the Advisory Board and
took possession of 1t.
| The first law autlOrZfnQ new qhina yvaq that ~
August 8, 1882, and it prescribed that they should
have the highest attainable speed" The second
| law, that of March g. 1888, authorized the dis
| patch boat as recommended by the Advisory
Board The department. and the board desired,
| hopes for and estimated fifteen knots sea
| speed and will probably get it, But II was no fun
danental condition of law that it should be reach
ed II lt mas not been attained, no one should be
asSaled or destroyed therefor. High speed re-
| quires great displacement unless almost the
whole available space in the ship is given up to
machinery and boilers: This was not Intended in
| the Dolphin which is to be a small cruising ship
| and as such combines other qualities besides
speed
Undoubtedly there was "perceptlble vibration
when Commodore Belknap observed her at the
highest speed she attained. Did he expect her to
stand as firmly as he win find the Naval Observa-
1 tory when he has done his present masters bid
| ding? May not Commander Evans have had vi
brations not due TO the motion Of the ship? The
| Dolphin was intended to be as lightly built as
| possible consistently with prudence, in order to
| OBTAIN the highest attainabe speed for cruiser
| Of only ], 300 tons displacement. She was not
meant to be put to that speed as a naval vessel
except In emergencies, nor to reach it without
'perceptible vibration" 1t is possible that she
may require additional Strengthening, bat ii will
take more evidence than the meagre quantity
contained in the report Of Commodore Belknap 10
| show 1t. III she does, the Secretary of the Navy
should again lay aside his spirit of resentment
| and put in such braces as may be needed
| THE ADVISORY BOARD AND THE GUARANTEES
The character Of the Naval Advisory Board
| which designed and supervised the construction
| Of the Dolphin and the other new steel ships OF
| he for
| attacks of Mr.. Whitney and Commodore Belknap.
Rear Admiral-Shufeldt, the first president, Rear
Admiral Edward Simpson, the second and the
other eminent and capable naval officers ON the
Board are not TO be thus summarily disposed Of
Mr.. Henry Steers, one Of the civilian members OF
the Board, and renowned designer and builder
OF ships, gave special attention to the Dolphin He
| designed light fleet vessel, and did not expect
| she would make her higest attainabe speed with
OUT Ipereeptlble vibration Mr. Steers and the
| minds about the Dolphin if Mr.. Whitney will take
| ms paddock on their mouths Does he intend to
on the question whether he has on his hands bad
Uargaln or a broken contract?
The course pursued by Mr.. Whitney to demon
| strate his preconceiyed determination that the
Dolphin should prove a failure is wholly without
toundatlon IN either law contract or common
sense. IL was never contemplated by any human
| being that the Dolphin, Immediately on her com
| pletion, should be subjected to extreme speed
/ tests Of her machinery 1t is most unwise and in
furious to press TO the top Of their speed at once
| after their completion and the beginning of their
1 operation new engines, Wnlcn VIII last, II
well used, from thirty to fifty years. The inten-
| t0ns OF the Navy Department and Advisory Board
on this poiut were clear, and carefully expressed
]. Upon the completion Of the Dolphin she was
to be tested upon trial trip, and if tie hull and
| fittings were found to be strong and well built
and IN strict contract, drawings and specifications
| and the horsepower, If below 1900, found not to
| be so by reason Of defective workmanship or ma
terialS, she was to be primarily accepted and all
| payments made except SS 600.
| ii. II within four months the engines should be
| found to be defective, either in workmanship or
| materials or from any other cause than fair wear
and tear, the contractor agreed that he would at
| his own expense repair them to the entire salts
| faction Of the Secretary Of the Navy.
| Ill. AT the end Of three months after the pre-
| ninary acceptance, final trial is to take place,
| and If no weakness or defect in the Eull due
| either to bad workmanship or materials, shall ap-
pear, then the vessel is to be finally accepted and
| the SS, 600 reservation paid.
Is there here auy "lOoSenesS OF contract" or
| absence of effective stipulatlons?" For four
| months the contractor guarantees % make coed
| any defects which may be developed in the ma
chnery; at the eud of three months there is h. ba
final trial 'under conditions prescribed by the
Naval Advisory Board aud approved by tie Sec
| retary of the Navy and all weakness or defects
| IN the hull are to be made good; and for both
| these agreements the contractor and bis suretieS
stand hound, and the Government retains de-
| pOSt of $4,000.