The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-24

the Committee on Naval Affairs, upon the
Investigation into the alleged armOr plate
frauds The report was accompanied by
a Joint resolution, which was agreed To.
directing the Secretary OF the Navy To
have plates now on certain ships removed
and subjected to baIllStlc tests to deter
These are the plates I'm which defects
were shown In the investigation to have
existed, and the tests are suggested to
determine whether or not tney are up TO
contract requirements. Mr.. Stone asserted
that the Carnegie Company, while lust
as anxious for the investigation and tests
as the House or committee, had not been
accorded fair play in the Investigation
This aroused Mr. Cummings, who made
a spirited response, declaring that the
Carnegie Company Interests had been
more. carefully attended 10 IN the inyesti-
gatlon than had th9se OF the Navy De-
pariment, which had also he said. been
one or two private bills were passed.
and at lI0 o'clock the House adjourned
until tomorrow.
REPORT or THE COMMITTEE.
The special committee Of the House
which has been Investigating the charges
affecting the reliability OF ihe material
Tor the new ships furnished by the
Carnegie Company of littsburg, laid
their report before tEe House to-day. 1ne
report SHOWS that the contract with the
company covered period Of two years
and three months, from November. 1890.
10 February. ISIS. The amount Of armor
plate contracted Tor was o,GS tons, cost
ing S,f4l,G3D.
The report severely critlc.ses both the
United states inspectors and the con-
tractors The inspectors II says, were
not corrupt but the work Of inspection
Wds negligent and defective. The in
spectors assumed that the company was
watching its superintendeuts ana en-
plOyrs. The company, on the other hand,
relied upon the Inspectors asking In the
connection. "Nnat thet were there for?
Both company and Inspectors. the re-
port states, were culpable. The manufac-
ture OF afmOr Was going on night and
day Sundays included. The Inspectors
We're on duty eight hours day. Their in
spectiOn covered only tDrty-eight OF the
one hundred and siXty-eight hours a week.
The frauds are Charact teIiZet by the COM
mission rs crimes lor which no tine or
money compensation can adequately atone.
The commission don feel the necessity
Of drafting IL criminal statute, but the III
terests OF the Treasury, the lives of our
seamrn and the safety Of the nation de-
mIuds that such acts snail be severely
punishable in al persons connected with
them.
The efforts Of the company and Of its
superiute ndents. Cline, Corey and SchWab,
the report concludes, have been 10 sat
isiy the committee that the armOr IS
up TO the requirements Of the contract
spcctOrs, dOctoriug of specimens, plug
glng OF plates, etc. The disregard OF
truth AMI honesty which they have shown
before the committee render them un-
worthy of credence.
Ibr ofIv Ma, Al, determine the actual
condition and strength OF the armor Is
by subiectirg certain plates u the groups
passed boy fraud 90 ballistic tests. The
commission can go NO iurther mo thlS
Investigation without knowing the actual
btlllstic resistance of groups OF plat
passed by a test OF plates that did not
really represent these groups. These
tests should Dee made by the Government
IL the company will not pay the expense.
The COMMISSION have selected the plates
which, I'm their opinion, ougt 10 be tested.
They recO nmcnd that the money neCessa-
~ for such tests be taken from any here
tofore appropriated FOR the increase of
the navy. under the head Of ''armor and
armament
4 joint resolution Is presented, carry
Ing into effect the recommendation NJ the
committee The resolution was agreed %
by the House, and the report WAS ORDER
ed printed in the Record. as n document.
The resolution specific. plates 20 be- tested
from the MouadnDck. Torror. Oregon, In
diana. Massachusetts, and Monterey.
STILL so QUoHUW IS THE SENATE.
In most respects the session of the
Senate to-day was a close counterpart 90
That or Yesterday No business
whatever was attempted. even the
reading OF Wednesdays Journal and
the presentation OF a message from
the President having been prevented
by the fact that there WaS nO
quorum present and answering. ON the
TYli-call only thirty-fOur senators respond
81. but two senators came ia and had
their names recorded after the list was
made up Then tlcr" We're four Itepubli-
can senator's present who declined 20
answer when their mans were called
4 IA lIf row