New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-08
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4 PROTEST from SECRETARY WHITNEY,

g,n Any INTENTION OF
,,r,yr,xe rxeiNEs. sHAFTI>G on AH0
xor HOSTILE To AMERICAN
70 the Editor Of f"e -. =, orror which
G.. Tur Ts,suxe has fallen INTO an erroi " hi0n
:. ~. re,aated great many times, ana again re-
- ,o-dar. Ii has frequently said tna' na''
$3.50 20 buv abroad the armor plate ana macu"-
- of naval vessels The exact contrary is 'no
80 .,d ,he record is not in such shape as to rest
mon nv atement. but is public record accesSio.e
20 anv one. Ny position has always been that IT
,vas nv duty to get ideas from any quarter; but
that they should be worked out By the shipouliders
an5 manufacturers Of Il is country. send you two
letters addressed by me to the Naval Committees
resnee,iyely. of the two houses upon this supjeci
last winter both of which were published AT the
time
First. as to machinery The House Naval Com
mittee on February 26, 1886, adopted provlso
authorizing the Secretary of the Navy TO Duy
abroad the machinery of naval vessei. on 'iie
9th scnt a letter TO the Committee winch was
real aud the clause was unanimously struck OUT
In that letter which was published, and copy OF
which accompanies this. said: i THINK our true
policy is TO borrow the ideas of our neighDors SO
far as they are thought to be in advance OF ours
and give them to shpbuiders in the shape OF
plans.r To save space, the letter may be summar-
Secretary TO have any discretionary power to buy
eno,,es abroad inasmuch as they could be produced
1, tins country by our engine builders, as well as
abroad provided we took the necessary trouble to
acauire the latest information, which prOpoSeu W
do As the exact contrary of this position has peeu
repeatedly asserted of ME during the last year on
the editorial page of TIE TRIBUNE, l request tSat
this correction be made.
Second as TO armor plate. Upon the 9th OF July,
1856, the Naval bill being in the Senate, l
wrote letter to the Committee as follows alter
referring 10 the clause with reference TO the rur
chase of armor): 1T is quite well known to be my
opinion that this country should be Independents OF
every other IN the way of producing war ships and
war material 1t aside from all questions OF COM
rnerelal policy Tue small amount of armor pur-
chased of recent years by the Department has been
obtained abroad but the present bill. If enacted
into law will enable the Department 10 oner 10
the competition of the domestic manufacturers
sufficiently large contract 70 induce the estaonsh-
neut OF a plant in this country for the production
of the necessary steel forsmgs for guns and OF the
pacassarv ar nor Ii is unbusInesslike not
10 utiIIzs the present necessary purchases TO en-
courage the establishment Of the required plant IN
this coun nv. and quite aware that II was the
expectation of the majority OF the House Naval
Committee by whom the bill was framed"
AS my position has been 1T all tim 5 perfectly
also You Will be CAD to know also that have not
confined myself to expressions Of opinion, but have
placed IA self IN communication with the people
able to bring about the desired result, and that III
all human probability the Industry VIII soon oe
domestlcated IN this counuv. 40 later than to-day
one of the largest steel manufacturers IN tins coun;
try and pubic spirited one too, sent me WORD
from sex bed that he wOuI certainly DE prepareu
TO bid to supply the arInor required that might
rely upon IL. There are two other large concerns
contemplating the same thing. FOR the gun sIeeI
for twelye-inch guns know shall have bids
The effort for domestic may tal. out II Goes
not took so and If IL succeeds. ! know you VIII
Congratulate the Depar meDt upon having done
something practical toward the accomplishment OF
o result OF 81 much importance TO the country
Respectfully yours, WILLIAM Z. WHITNEY.
Nary Department. Washington Dec 2, 1855.