St. Landry democrat., 1885-06-27
goAcH's DOLPHIN.

Yenrort of the Board of Examiners-Lhey
Declare That She Does Not FIJI the Bill
Secretarv WhItney's Dllemma-He SUBJ
,,its the Question of the Governments
Responsibility to the Attorney General
WASHINGTON, D. c., June l9.-Ehe
Secretary of the Navy yesterday trans.
mitted to the Attorney-General copy OF
the report of the Board which recently
examined the new dispatch steamer Dol
nhip, with a request that the Attorney
General advise him what, upon the law
applicable to the case, is his duty IN the
nremises. The Board, in their report
consider three general subjects: speed
strength and general workmanship.
First. as to specific Board says the
Low authorizing the construction OF the
DOLPHIN called for ''sea speed OF n1teen
knots ner hour,' and adds: "That
hoa+ of her size should possess this
requisite speed, it is absolutely indis'
nensable that she should have great
STRENGTH and stiffness. That the Dolphin
has not the requisite strength
and stiffness to enable hef 10
make the speed require"
nnder the conditions she must De pre-
nsred to meet, admits OF no DOUBT IN
the orinion of the board" y" Ihey say
that during her trial trips, under mos6
favorable conditions IN smootn water
the speed attained was not in excess
of fifteen knots per hour, result very
far from promising ike speed on Tue
sen under conditions she must always DC
ready to meet in actual service.
AS to strength it seems from Cne re-
mort that the evidence upon this sublect
is somewhat meager, and rests consider
aoIy upon opinion in the absence OF
sufficient sea trial. The opinion IS tnaI
the Dolphin has not the requisite stlH.
ness. This is based on observation OF
vibration of the ship when under way,
and the Welding observed in her noors,
and the effect of an unequal load as seen
when small quantity OF pig iron was
loaded on her forward, causing her ma
chinery to get out OF line ana hef journal
to heat. The last two trials, accorolnS
to the report, were accomplished ohly
with streams of water pouring upon hef
journals during the trip. Inese Iacts
seem to indicate to the Board great
structural weakness, to what extent only
q SuIlclelb Seb LIlol VIII
The general workmanship and finish OF
the Dolphin is criticised by the Board,
but the contractor has been steadily at
work at this, and has made the Dolphin a
much better ship than the Board found
her on their first inspection.
Secretary Whitney, in submitting this
matter to the Attorney-General,o observed
that the Government is not securing
what it expected and had right to eX-
pect from the construction of this vessel,
and asks whether the Department has IN
the matter bad bargain, simply, which,
as between contracting parties, 1t must
stand to, or has it broken contract en-
titling it to insist upon something better!
In this connection he inquiries "What is
the effect OF the circumstances that the
construction of the Dolphin has
been supervised by Government
officials, who from time to time
have approved the materials
used as we'll as the Workmanship, Ii
this Government supervision and inspec'
ton is bar so that the Department can
not 60 back and examine work passed
upon and approved by the Naval Advisory
| Board, that" the Secretary adds, tends
the consideration of the matter. Ii II
is not bar, then he asks, how far Is the
| contractor responsible for speed, strength
| and general workmanship, and what arc
the remedies of the Dc partment undel
| the circumstances.