New-York tribune., 1889-12-26
CREDIT FOR THE NEW NAVY.
TO BE GIVEN TO JOHN ROACH RATHER THAN
TO HIS Prosecutors.

10 GIVEN ~ JOnN hOsNhf
TO HIS Prosecutors.
TO Ae Edftor or Ths Tribune.
sir: The time has fairly arrived when tne memorS
Of John Roach should be relieved from the SHADOW
cast over IL by the late Administration The influence
Of Mr. Roach as an exponent and illustration OF the
wisdom Of Government protection to home industries
challenged the malignity of the tariff trlmmers, ana
the Navy Department, under secretary whitney, hau
the credit OF crushing Mr.. Roach, through the exercise
of methods deemed impossible under our FORM oi
Government.
was. during the times Of which speak the per
sonal counsel Of Mr.. Roach, and through MN maze
familiar with the various indgnities he was sub]ec'eu
10 by the late Secretary of the Navy all those nameie
annoyances which are included In the geherh eA
preston Of the insolence OF Office eliminating IN
the nressure which forced him TO an assignment
Now that the work which he accomplished In the
ldnc of the cruisers Boston, Atlanta ana Chlcago'
and dispatchboat Dolphin has proved his mato'leSs
powers as a shipbulder, common justice demands uiav
some action be taken to vndicate his name anu
properly expose to public contempt the authors OF MS
wrongs
AT the time he entered into the contracts TO oniu
those vessels work in his yards was rather sach' o
said to me: - don't see any money in building these
ships, but / may keep my yards open ana above all
give employment to my men in the undertaking."
remember all instance where he sent for ME for
an opinon as TO his liability for the death OF work
man killed at his shops / advised him that nc was
not liable lie voluntarily settled consldersoe
amount upon the widow His care for his worhmeh
was dominant feature. Their saddened presence al
his funeral was a melancholy tribute
lie said TO me one day: You remember our con-
versaton i'm reference the contract for the cruisers
They now say-the Administrations am trying 10
rob the Government because l could not have ui-
dertaken 10 build them honestly at the price agreed
ons He then added "I can foresce that the pur-
pose of the Administration is to crush me- Anu
they did crush him. His work survives we all re-
member the great stress that was made over Ihe
" structural weakness of the Dolphin. she mas lusU
returned from a cruise around the world, WIN the
fullest commendation OF her commanders. we nave
recently dispatched the Chicago, Boston and Atlanta
as a squadron of evolution TO Europe We are PROUD 70
point to them as worthy models Of promised Navy
and the man who sent untimely grave the great
builder of those noble ships appropriates TO MIN
self the credit for the work. .a
The ships were contracted for ana nearly coihplctol
bv the Arthur Administration. Nothing was uohc
favOring them BY Mr.. Whitney. ON the contrary, nc
thought to their completion frustrated by IorSns
Mr. Roach into an assignment. And now, Wheh Jhese
magnificent vessels sail from Our shores, TINS man as
ssts i'm speeding their departure, ana mlsapproprahs
honor he was incapable of destroying. . -
Mr. ROach's work is his iustihcatlon III IS t1he MS
prosecutors receive their dues - e,,,,,.,n
New-York, Dec. 90, 1880.