New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-17


chinery gets in smoothly -working order
The allegations of Mr. Whtneys Board that she Is
strncturally weak and that her " materials and
workmanship are bad" matters OF opinion IN
which the members differ from the regular boaru
which personally inspected every foot OF lumber every
pound OF iron every stick, bar rope ana rVeV 'na'
went in her. and which superintendent her consuuc-
ton The adverse opinion is prefaced too by the co
that the ship being completed and closed up no
proper examination possible, and the puDhc mus'
chose its Judgment between the opinion OF elsht men
who watched every detail and that OF three VINO ac-
knowledge that their ground Of criticism Is small
" hen Mr. Whtneys Board abandons general criticism
and confines itself to particulars it makes up long s'
of specific complaints which sound Formidable 10 lne
landsmen. but when translated into everyday Enghsh
will be found to refer to gilt stripes ornaments
mouldinrs and petty little things of a similar sort
Mr. Roach has said that he will guarantee TO make
every spe cc alteration suggested by this Board anu
vet not spend $4O0.
1t was upon this showing and in deiance OIL MS riRn'
full advisers that the Secretary wrote MT hoac con-
dernnng his work The contractor promptly shu that
if it was not right lie would make it night ana sug
gested that Mr. Whitney give him bill OF particulars
This the Secretary refused to do saying III cnee' '
he was not naval expert. Although tns iact nau AL
along been painfully apparent, Mr. Roach took ii III
representatives who should be naval experts to meet
Mr. Roach and together they would all 90 over the
shin contract in hand and examine the whole structure
from stem to STERN This also Mr. Whitney ieiuscc 10
do preterring to refer the matter to
Garland, who though not naval expert WIS p'cSIn-
ably prepared to give opinion on the case tiat "ou
suit the Administration.
Tn tn this time Mr. Whtneys experiments, trlaIS
and fuss had cost Mr. Roach more than S3ooOo' ana
the contractor felt himself in the presence Ot poca
cousI racy the motive of which was to marc cap'a'
for the Administration but the practical ehect "
which WAS his utter ruin When the decision OF At
torney General Garland came to hand STATING as te
legal advisor of the Government that Mr.. Roach had
no contracts at all and that he was responsible or all
the Payments that had been made to him, MI koach
saw no other course suspend business The next
day saw 800 American workmen turned out upon
the streets John Roach apparent bankrupt, ana
two immense establishments that hac PAD out
$40. 900 900 in wages idle and deserted.
The Administration aud its naval officer found them
selves then facing serious responsibility ana an
aroused public which hated oppression and injustice
and deman led honesty and fair dealiug The Dol
uhin instead OF being in the service where 1t belonged
and was sadly needed was tied up in New-l DIRK, ana
it was wholly uncertain when the almost finished
cruisers in waiting for winch large contingent OF the
NAVY had been lulc COulU DE SOl out VI tut
lock where the Roach assignment had placed them
In addition to this the destruction OF large industry
and the cessation of $4,000 of weekly wages were
land 10 the account of the Administration and the
Pre- sident together with bis whole Cabinet. began to
realize the extent of the bunders into which their
caecrness for partisan advantage had betrayed them
Mr. Whmeys policy forbade the acknowledgment
that he had bunde;td, and all his efforts were now
directed to shield the facts of the from public
scrutiny and to persuade the people that h. had only
done his duty as vgilant officer, and that he was
making the best of situation that was bad when tie
took hold OF it, Instead OF dealing with the situation
PROMPTLY and ting the asignees of Mr. Roach hall
way in an arrangement to finish the much-heeded
cruisers he has temporized and dubbed.
His first act was to declare that Mr. Roach had for
feited the contracts the ground that the vessels
were not conn leted within the time limit and that
therefore he should seize his yards and appliances and
finish the vessels as a Government work according to
the prescribed penalty laid down in the agreement.
But Mr. Roach replied that he could not understand
tho spectacle of Department Of the Government
holding him to the of contract that the Govern
ments highest legal authority declared had never cx-
lsted and the sssgnees suggested that Mr. koachT
wards were not now bis but theis and gave the Secre
tarv to understand that they wonC resist any effort to
ele than, Conferences were had and had again,
week to week not because it could not be settled in
ten minutes but solely because any fair settlement
vould force from the Administration the acknowledge
ment that it had been wrong. That what Mr..
Whitney as the Secretary OF the Navy strenuousy re-
sisted and is yet resisting and that ia what must
either be conceded the will 60 before the
The demands of Mr.. Roach and his assgnees were
simple They required that the Dolphin should be ac-
ceptsd and the cruisers finished by them AT their yard
under the old contrart arrangement The first demand
has been steadily refused ana the second was granted
with the Limitation that Mr. Whitney should be the SUI
preme authority in tho completion of the vessels This
point bong merely concession TO the Administrations
vanity, was not greatly opposed by the Roach as
sirnees but the Dolphin matter hung fro Mr.. Whit
new took "A vacation Mr. Roach went TO the mountains
to regain his health and two costly Boards of useless
examiners and inspectors and appraisers set about the
task of going over the Morgan Iron Works and the
Delaware River Ship Works to make MP list OF the
Government supplies there and to do variety OF other
| expensive rcd tape things that the assiGnees had
already done, while the old w0rkmcn OF john Roach
were benq tnrr out of house and home by their land
lords and skilled mechanics and shp-cnrpent'rS were
cleaning the streets in New-York and digging in
Chester and the idle Navy waiting ior ts ves7ei'
When Mr. Whitney came back and Mr.. Roach S
health permitted him to do business negotiations were
apain resumed The contractor offered 10 90 hnEcdl-
acly at work upon the cruisers and to settle the Dol
phn case by "A friendly suit at law handing over the
vessel to the Cove mcnt security for tie money ad
vanced on her be tiad up at the Navy Yard, how
ever and not to be used At recent meeting OF the
Cabinet this whole thing discussed. and 1t was
agreed consent TO Mr. Roacs suggestions provided
the Dolphin was delivered into the absolute chlrse OF
Mr. Whitney. At this point the negotiations hang ie
IL is not likely that Mr. Roach will consent to the pro-
vision lie may be excused for en- ertninng the snS
picion after the ruiu of his health h9 fortune ami his
great industry. thai if the Dolphin ia not bad boat
now she soon would be should Administration ur-
conditionaly get hold of her that Il willing to risk