The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-03

TiHiam L. Chandler, E.r-Secrefary Of the
NARY, Gets litter His Successor ia Office.

Nary, Gets litter His Successor ia Office
The New York Tribune publishes long
letter from William E. Chandler, ex-secre-
harry OF the navy, reviewing the letter oil
Secretary Whitney to the encouragement
asking for his opinion in regard to the
proper course for him to pursue in the
matter of the acceptance or rejection OF the
new dispatch boat Dolphin" Chandler s
letter is very caustic in its wording and
charges that the present secretary OF the
navy, while closing the mouths OF the naval
advisory board, is making the dolphin"
matter pretext to cast a slur upon the
management OF the naval department UNI
der his Chandler 81 management Tor polit-
ical purposes. He alludes several times
satirically to Whitney's expressed lear lest
he be governed by spirit OF resentment
in the case He says: "Mr. Whitney has
already. in his acknowledged spirit OF re-
sentiment, prejudged somebody. The at
torney-general can only say which is the
criminal, Mr. Roach or the designers OF the
.Dolphjn'-one or the other. The attor-
ney-general must certainly join Mr. WHIT
nev in condemning if he answers his let
ters." Mr.. Chandler adds: ut 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 adj
visory board, provided that neither OF the
vessels should be contracted for or com
menced until full and complete detail OF
drawings and specifications thereof iii all
its parts, including the hull, engines and
boilers, shall have been provided or adopt
ed by the navy department and shall be
approved in writing by said board or by q
majority of the members thereof and by
the secretary of the navy. This
provision OF the law was complied
with and Mr.. Roach bid upon the designs
OF the navy department, and justly and
properly was compelled to guarantee only
good workmanship. He guaranteed neither
speed, horsepower, nor anything else eX-
cept 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 depart
ment and under the inspection and super
vision Of the naval advisory board. Ihere
is no looseness of the contract nor absence
OF effective stipulations, as Mr.. whitney
asserts, but all the provisions are TO be
found necessary to carry out the lunua-
fundamental idea on which the contract
was based namely, good work on Mr..
Roachs part, applied to the departments
built the ship according to the specifica-
lions of the contract, he has fulfilled his
engagements" Further on he says: I'm
other words Mr.. Whitney is hunting the
secretary of the navy and the advisory
board who designed the Dolphin and made
the contract for her construc, ion. 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 lat
ter cannot speak word OF defense except
to Mr.. Whitney, nor make any pubic Ut
terance without his consent. The former,
however can. Mr.. Chandler proceeds by
saying that while on her tour the Dolphin
made fifteen knots an hour. Neither that
nor any other definite speed was required
in order for the vessel to fulfill the speclfi-
cations, and that the vibrations were to be
expected with the vessel going at top speed:
He refers to the high character OF the naval
board as worth something in considering
the question: and adds: 'The course pur-
sued by Mr.. Whitney to demonstrate his
determination that the Dol
phin shobld prove failure, is wholly with
out foundation, either in law, contract or
common sense"