New-York tribune., 1885-10-21

we shall do for ward in which TO repair our
vessels, to say nothing of building" ..,o.. &c
Captain Peter lie FeVre is the superintendent VI
th Ocean Steamship COMPANY lie Is pronounced
Democrat, and voted for Cleveland. DO IcgdIu
the Governments conduct as poiitlcal petsecu
ton 2" he said. Ii is most con sclenceess FeIsc
cutioN. a burning shame the elect OF Whlch uP"i
every interest connected with luterha'i9Hnal ~ Cum ;
mercial intercourse will be most Scflous IN "a! my
this | am not pleading the cause OF MI' hoao
particularly chiefly. though think u snahcfu III
thing that the great American u9VeIHmIIhV, iVa 20
partisan reasons should deliberately set apout 70
work the ruin of a private citizen. But am lalh
ing of its effect upon the great shipping interest III
which all export and import trade is Vltaily con
cerned. John Roach had built up what was the ohIy
sbipbuIlding company which conld bulld Nessel
from the ore in America Almost the entlre com
merciaI squadron of this country was ms hahul-
work. The ruin of John Roach, when VIII ne pfac-
tically effected should the Dolphin be rejected
means the destruction OF the one place WheIe We
can build "a ship at such a contract price as W III
enable us to compete with foreign ships. Anybody
can see what the effect of that Will be on the iron
industry the coal industry. mechanics and trade
generally. That men calling thcmse Ives statesmen
can act the Administration is acting Is lncom-
prehensble
ais the Dolphin really good vessel"
There is no better dispatch-bOat in any Navy
have built eleven iron vessels, three on the Clyde
and eight here and have run, built owned and con-
tIoled IRON ships all my lfe so think know a
boat when | one. / am familiar. too. with
vessels of which the Dolphin is a tyne. have seen
her in motion during the trials, watching her per-
formance with the greatest care, and afterward
examined every part of her from stem 10 stern
with her plates off, taking especial care to cover
those points in her which were attacked by Mt
Whitney's Advisory Board. AS result OF that n-
veStigatiOn, pronounce her an excellent vessel in
every particular. Her floors, spaces. machinery
all her materials are the very best to be had. some
little things about her decks ght be altered with
profit, but they are largely matters OF taste AS AN
entirety. | have never better job. Her
materials are light. you know, so that her dIsplace-
ment shall he no greater than possible, bnt 1t Is
both admirable and remarkable how well they are
arranged to give her strength and speed Her centre
aais. hes pVp SAW =
is a sxteen-knOt boat.
In cOndemning her Secretary Whitney has
taken n stand which is nothing more nor less than
a public calamity. There is no mistake about that
He does so without having much as shadow OF
right on his side. He suspendS a legally constituted
Board of the most unquestIOneo eihciency 10 make
way for three men whose report all engineers ana
naval constructors laugh at. and VINO, II they are
not political tools who understand what thty
were put there for, act very much that waV ROach
has built eight iron steamships for our company.
which has paid him 81, 120. 900. lie never charged
lis a dollar for extras the contract price hiCh
is a most remarkable recOrd. and his work speaks
for itself | am not ashamed to take anybody
aboard these ships. In business dealings no man
could be farer and there is no use telling me ne is
dishonest incompetent. His work Is invariably
of the very beat quality, and know l. Mr. hltney
wanted to do the fair thing john Roach would
meet him all the way OF course, naval officers
cannot say all they think. but the whole Navy feels
indignant at Whitney for the course he has