Year: 1868

Letter from Mr.. William Faxon, Assistant


Secretary OF the Navy.


From the Hartford Courant, June o5.l


The following letter from Mr.. FaxOn, Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy to the editor Of the Coura',
we have permission to publish, though 1t was not
written expressly for taat ,vns - ,sss


MY DEAR SIR--The Cosrant Of saturday did not
reach me until this morning, and l embrace the
earliest opportunity to thank you for promptly ex-
pressing your disbelief In the statements growing
out of the sale OF the rOnclads Caawba and One0ta
For your own satisfaction let me briefly explain to
that there Is charge OF stealing" against either
the Secretary the Assistant Secretary or the chief OF
the bureau who consummated the sale-it Is only OF
SO arranging matters as to prevent other bidders
than those who purchased the vessels frOm obtain
ing them Gne1 wTres % o dntsas want


These vessels, with six Others exactly like them In
every respect were appraised and advertised accord
that for these two vessels there six bidders and
of course the highest offer was promptly accepted
and the bidder n0ed 70 tom make % aPSs as s
the other bidders from any obligation expressed or
implied to stand by their offers. Nothing was heard
from the highest bidder, and as the department was
anxious to obtain as much as much q possible for
the vessels 1t notified the next highest bidder that
he could have them at his bid but he too failed to
respond. All the remaining bidders were then in
formed that II they desired the vessels at the prices
named by them, they must make deposit Of the re.
quired percentage within the time specified In the
advertisement and were distinctly informed, as ap
pears by the published correspondence that 'shoud
more than one party make & the deposit the boats n
amounts deposited by the others returned" The
only arrangement" necessary to secure the vessels
posed d BY By any one The bidder representing the
parties who ultimately took the vessels knew that tt
was object for him to put mp the money as he was
the lowest bidder, and he knew also that there
six other vessels as near like these two as the
buttons upon your coat are like each other
Swift Co. then came forward as purchasers at the
appraised value. The chief OF the bureau labored
long and hard to make them come up to the bid OF
one OF their associates but they would not give
IS, 900 more for the Catawba and 0neota than for
two others OF the same class In every way as perfect
vessels, which could be had at valuation made, In
pursuance of act Of Congress, by board OF which
Commodore Winslow, of Kearsarge fame, was chair
cngneers OF experience The department had no
choice TO the particular vessels to be taken. The
eight were exacay alike, and 1t would as soon sell
the Catawba and Oneota as any other two or any
other two as the Catawba and Oneota; and IL made
the sale and put in the Treasury three quarters
have not been applied for TO this day by any OF the
parties who think that they have been unfairly
treated.


and sold two vessels IL now appears, under an in
tmation given them by the department they might
have those built by them upon the same terms that
Congress- winter before last gave 10 the builders OF
two other vessels; and as certain parties had got
hold OF this fact and as Congress authorized the sale
in another way "cornering" operation was
attempted, and had there not been more vessels
OF the same kind then in market, possibly II
might nave Deen suCCessluI, anu kONcrnnncH
therebys have got more money. II did, however
receive the fun value OF the vessels and can to-day
contract to build new ones exactly like those II has
sold for the money has placed in the Treasury, and
have them where they can be protected with les.
expense and without exposing those In charge o
them to death by yellow fever.


II the purchasers are successful In delivering TIT
vessels 1 have no doubt but that they wall make
handsome sum OF money-and they ought 30. AM
one who will 90 into this 'extrasbazardous'' bust
ness, without the prospect OF very large retnrus
should have conservator over him. sincerely yours
WILLIAM FAXON.