New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-19
A. NATTER OF OPINION.
CONCERNING JOHN RoAcTs DOLPHIN.
REPORT OF THE EXAMINING BoARD-PLANs AT
FAULT-THE SHIP SLOW AND WEAK.

sent the report OF the Dolphin Board of Examination to
Garland this afternoon with request
for his opinion TO whether the Navy Department Is
Obliged to accept tho vessel regardless OF specified de-
fects In his letter he says speaking OF the contract
with John Roach any attention attracted to the
singular looseness OF tho contract There was notable
absence OF effective stipuations There was however,
one positive requirement contained in the ninth section
intended to a certain minimum power which pro-
vided that upon her trial trip the collective indicated
horsepower developed by the engines under the pre-
scrioed conditions shall be $780, and maintained sue
eessfuy for six consecutive hours provided that in
case OF tho failure of the development OF this
power the vessel shall be accepted IL 1t can
be shown to the satisfaction OF the Naval Advisory
Board and the Secretary OF the Navy that this failure
was due neither to defective workmanship nor mate
rails" Six weeks elapsed he says before Mr. Roach
acceded to his request for second trial trip on Long
Island sound In the meantime an examination OF the
dealings of the department with the contractor and es
pecaly the in which the reserved payments hal
been surrendered to the contractor induced to select
three persons make thorough examination
for the purpose OF my ayiscmn to whether the
tract had been properly performed IA to defects In the
vessel. and the responsibility for the defects OBJ
served. II now desire TO be advised whether rep
rescntng the Government have my hands what ia
in the nature Of bad bargain or broken contract
Tie report demonstrates that the Government has not
got in the Dolphin what Congress stipulated for aud
what should have been obtained"
Tho secretary points the three general subjects
considered by the Board speed strength and general
workmanship ana says:
FHst.-As 20 speed The act of Congress under which
for ore dispatch boat "a recommended by the Naval
Advisory Boari" That b ,ard recommended the cor
speed fifteen knots" reference 10 the report
shows that for speed of fifteen knots smooth,
whter speed measured distance Of Scvrniern ana
on~hah or eighteen EnOts Is required similar vessels
ablo TO q speed ~ eighteen ALL even nineteen
WpFs q
mttee being M course Of construction by otter nl
ous. II may. therefore, br sai to nave bceh thr llt
expectation Of Congress appgOpriaug for the D"i
phn, considering the STATE oi the art That she ~oId
speed upon her triaL Her hgacst speed for hoars
VS. nitee. MOS "a. yen wa ~, o OPS I've ,f
at any time developed ant maintained t'r
six boufs the 2500-horse power required instead @.
these various trials Ia iieates something between
twelve and thirteen knots rs Der probable sea speed ia
secobd-As to her strength. The opinion Is EXPRESSED
by The Bond nat she has not the requisite stiffness
Thls opinion j. based upon tic vibration OF TIE p Wien
under way. and the yielding observed IA her hoos ana
small s1n ''' gaan1ity a" OF ps iron was loaded
Ia her forward her machinery to get ont OF ne
and her journals 10 heat Her last Two fi' accorh
T. the report were aceonpshcd 9hy Wiz s,ie''"S %
wafer pJarInc upon her Journals during thc tr,p'.
Ihiul-As 10 the S'ie' eh'ri'tss o. UT M'' ~, ~
yund Inspection now. Tho general Workmanship anl
nnsh IA criticised by thc Boald but ~ the contractor
has been steadily az work NJ Ihs ana expresses vn-
m-nes t. MAKE toe details satisfactory - rr =, no -
that matter without Legal hlV.ce
Mr. Whitney concludes b; asking what bearing upon
the qurson the circumstance that Government officials
supervised iac construction or AMI passed upon, tie
material used in the Dolphin VIII have and says; III
the supervision anI inspection taat has been had "a
bar 50 that The Department cannot back AMI examine
work passed ana approved by it, inspectors and hy the
Naval Advisory Board, thIt onts the consideration o.
the matter IS brr. how far Is ceoatracor r.
sponsbe for speed gth and general workman
snlp the yes.end what arc the remedies oil me Dc
plrtmcnt under the eircum.tinces !"
In IT. report the Boar. points out the dilhcnes a.
tending the examination ot completed vessel The
ca trneter o; the workmanship l. ~ large extent con-
ceae ana the quality OF tho materials use Is impossi
bic OF a..crainncnt wherefore such examination "a
this boad felt authorized 10 make can only develop
s,o defects s cannot be concealed" TIE report CON
tairs tbc following:
TIE Dolpbin il intended for iisTaieh boat She has,
an,l ntenici TO bays, very h'te odenVn p'Nri.
Tor usr illness Size lie abe To posses his quality
Ia AN weather and under all conditions ~ St. Ihr "a
Authorizing the construction 90 the DoDaih novldci "r
,el -ir,rd knots an hour \ 0lHf soI p."tt
moi 1ting fAs anilty make that speed clnliuuAi5 ~
.uch wratnor a. She may reasonably los called upon 10
cncVubtc would at tds day NOT answer INC purposes "'
That a boat OF her size should posscss this requisite
speed h Il absolutely iuls pens4Dic that che should nave
treat strengt ana suin,ss. Tue BlarJ Witnessed re.
performance IN smooth waters ot Long island soth
oa three Tue cpGdiiii is were l'ht "N'D"
blt toe speed ue not ia oNcrss oi hreh huus
an hour Tie vibration OF tc vessel when ,Ug'cici -
only That duty AMI test very pefeepiiple aa %
to demonstrate i.ai" ae sttsi' -, an.
nes.. The floors OF The engine room were opselV, 10
spng severely and thi- let u DC noted ocrhrrrd wh,
she subjected 10 nH,h rsN ncF'lV S,''y ,, ! ~,
ust be exported to encounter When actually engaseu III
| tile service wdieI Jis VAS in.endel H..
These facts needed CONFEDERATION. out cpIlp
wa. furnished the second Ot lhc uhslt'ts@lu H"H
trips. on tAat oec.ls.o" hhr after elan@ ~ al a
hot after sAort run -rNod 'eIoS ne - ~, 10
lie gun This p.n had given ~ ifpiDle gu INC lc''oLs
~ .u aud lie one 10 which Il doubtless due,
j. - found la the following iacs; ON the pesloa9
uu trial about ivry tons OF pix iron t"G he P
In tne forward part oi "a, snip 20 uin ~ o,- ,c
mora were added THIS occ1a'h AMI III 'V'i,s' 'v''
b1nteIs Even these s ght changes In the situation Of
vel shis seemingly sulcent 10 alter her silo 80 ''
In lusLeo 10 the contraction II i Wor, % "U 49,, 'o
| tae plans exhibited 10 tlo IloAII n,u , h . no
means provide a vessel OF adequate streRgta ioT Tue
Tor which tho Dolphin wa. INTENDED, :, a ,p IN ths
clear that the plans AT fanlt ann " carrier ol, n w,
hcst manner would ptoddco vessel 81 silne'ens
,rrnth vet Il seems the BOln tnht inc Dophih tx
hints lie gree Of weakness In eTetss OF WhAs Gu
prsperly be entirely attributed 10 me uev'ul" l.nm
Pb cs,,,r,ct among other things provides that pro
v,i, Ic ,asn for closing nre-rSonl matches and
other openings sufficiently tight To hln."n Az 49,. s
Are RON. and that the ships engines shall III tf"
tp OF six hours Indicate $500 mean morse lo"ci -
Wih regard t. the inst stipulation no attention see'
10 have given for it, proper ,ns nm
tractor alleging that such pressure Si o ,S h,f
the first trial by using t.rpIlihs , " LII re"a,d %
but owing to changes made ny tue boaiu WY. 49, 80
the blowers he could not got tne pe,sro s V ht \
evident that such an 1llescl ooN, .,i.,, y,,,o
makeshft nj best and couli hn o. no ptacuc Nt,nc.
first unsuccessful TRIP e5 ons. n the second
| n,r,aion her after crank pin became heated as
r.vonsly stated before the actual trlai ns. H ~, iT
rd ,eet don her engines Indicated Tor the pouu W sA
bours mean collective horse power OF --1J ai "" %
fonrti trial tho boilers making steam uuier hatn , %
| alone. tho hOrso- power developer " eHs'"'' N f
| was 1.GiS. . .eorto vern ,ua 10 by the
'rator ,,d His men t. show the utmo 81 power "heh
evald b. developed Her coal was OF superior, l a
hor engns and IN charge OF eEu W., ,r, ~
ant strIn. of water kcpt playing on INC
fo prevent heating short, her CONTINUOUS W, a.,
spects were favorable tlA n1s ,i;, Shen cSed
sctsI to have Xben In service, especially "H"n
upon TO run day after day nnder tho VarJins ri, "a
wind SEA and weather on the open o9V"u ~ sea,os
oi real value I'm determining the qualities VI se"o""
| vessel ..,,r,.rslin tho board ia
With regard 10 the general w ~ tSe FERNS Of
Inc ostract ami snseiacatons in many particulars.