REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION, &c. NAVY DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION, &c., SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith two copies of the annual estimates called for by your letter of the 4th August, 1859, accompanied by a report, with an abstract of the same. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. ISAAC TOUCEY, Secretary of the Navy. JOHN LENTHALL, Chief of the Bureau. NAVY DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION, November 30, 1859. SIR In compliance with your instructions, it is respectfully submitted that, for the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1861, the sum of three millions one hundred and forty-eight thousand six hundred and eighty dollars will be required for the pay of officers and men, in order that the number authorized by law may be kept afloat. For the repairs, equipment, and maintenance of the ships of the navy, which are building and afloat, the sum of two millions five hundred and twenty-three thousand dollars. For fuel for the navy, with the transportation and other expenses thereon, the sum of eight hundred and forty thousand dollars. For the purchase of hemp and cordage, the sum of three hundred thousand dollars. The increase in the estimate of pay of officers and men arises from the increased number of officers employed afloat, and the large addition of engineers, firemen, coal heavers, &c., at high rates of pay, rendered necessary by the greater number of steam vessels, and more especially of the smaller classes, that will be kept in commission. The appropriation for repairs, equipment, &c., is for the purchase of materials and stores, the execution of the work necessary to keep the ships of the navy afloat, in an efficient state, and to preserve those on the stocks. The sailing vessels of the navy are from fifteen to thirty-five years old, and require a large expenditure to keep them in a proper condition. These vessels, at the time of their construction, were as formidable as any ships of the same class in foreign services, but they cannot now compete with the modern steamers of a much smaller class. Of the sailing sloops-of-war, four of the smallest have been in service for twenty-one years, and cannot be made efficient ships-of-war without incurring great cost, which could be more advantageously expended in their transformation into steam vessels of small class and of light draft of water. These vessels are not of sufficient capacity to be used for permanent storeships on foreign stations, but some of the larger sailing sloops-of-war, which now require extensive repairs, could be converted into storeships, which are much needed at several points. In order to keep the authorized number of men afloat, and to have proper relief for the ships of the several squadrons, these sloops-of-war must be kept in a seaworthy condition, and they cannot be set aside. until more suitable vessels shall be provided to take their places. The sailing frigates of the navy now afloat were commenced some thirty years ago, and the two that remained longest on the stocks were launched in 1856. There is much material in these ship3 that is valuable, while in place, but they cannot be repaired as frigates, to bear an arinament equal to the steam frigates in our own or other services. Two of the ships of this class have been converted into heavily armed spar-deck sloops-of-war. The heavy guns which they can thus be made to carry, the greater comfort of the crew, and their ability to keep at sea for a longer time, compensate in a great measure for the disadvantages under which they labor in comparison with steam vessels; while a navy, composed of steam vessels, would be more efficient and more costly, still, in many instances, heavily armed sailing vessels can be usefully and economically employed. On the list of the navy are eleven ships-of-the-line, of which four are on the stocks. The live-oak frames of those afloat are represented to be in good condition, and, like the frigates, there is much material which is valuable, while kept in place, but owing to the change which is progressing in our own and other navies in the armament, as well as the introduction of steam, these ships will never be used as sailing ships-of-the-line. They can, however, be converted into formidable auxiliary steamships by razeeing. The Pennsylvania could thus be converted into a steam frigate with a light spar-deck, and the Columbus into a spar-deck sloop. There is every reason to suppose that these ships would possess good nautical qualities, and the Columbus is known to have been a superior vessel in that respect. The appropriation for the repairs and equipment of vessels was so much reduced by Congress for the present fiscal year that it has not admitted the usual contracts to be made for timber, and the constant repairs which ships afloat require will absorb the greater portion, if not all of the present supply, of oak, and a large portion of the pine. From this cause, the repairs of the succeeding year must be executed with green timber, and thus, in addition to the rapid decay attending steam vessels, will be added that arising from the use of unseasoned materials. Unless some store of timber is provided, from which the current wants can be supplied and new ships be built, the expense of maintaining the navy must be greater than would otherwise be necessary. The appended list will show what vessels have been repaired, and have had work executed on them during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859: AT KITTERY, MAINE. Frigates Constitution, Santee. Sloops Portsmouth, Jamestown, Dale. BOSTON. Sloops Constellation, Levant. Steamers Roanoke, Colorado, Hartford, Narragansett, Pensxli. Seminole, Mohican. Brig Dolphin. Storeship Release. Receiving-ship Ohio. Frigate Sabine. Razee sloop Savannah. Sloops St. Louis, Falmouth. NEW YORK. Steamers Wabash, Niagara, San Jacinto, Susquehannah, Brooklyn, Iroquois, Harriet Lane, Wyandott, Mohawk, Sumpter, Mystic. Storeships Relief, Release, Supply. Receiving-ship North Carolina. PHILADELPHIA. Frigates Congress, St. Lawrence. Steamers Lancaster, Richmond, Wyoming, Crusader, Pawnee, Ans costia. Receiving-ship Princeton. Sloop Plymouth. WASHINGTON. Steamers Fulton, Water Witch, Arctic, Anacostia. GOSPORT, VIRGINIA. Sloops Cyane, John Adams, Plymouth, Preble. Steamers Richmond, Lancaster, Dacotah, Crusader, Fulton, Despatch, Water Witch. Receiving-ship Pennsylvania. Coast-survey ships Hetzel, Crawford. WARRINGTON, FLORIDA. Sloops Saratoga, Savannah. Steamers Fulton, Despatch, Seminole, Pensacola, Metacomet, Arctic. Coast-survey vessels Vixen, Walker. MARE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA. Sloops Vandalia, St. Mary's. Steamers Saginaw, Massachusetts, John Hancock. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. ISAAC TOUCEY, Secretary of Navy. JOHN LENTHALL, Chief of Bureau. REPORT OF CHIEF OF BUREAU OF PROVISIONS AND CLOTHING. BUREAU OF PROVISIONS AND CLOTHING, November 17, 1859. SIR: In obedience to your instructions of August 4, I have the honor to submit the inclosed estimates, statements, and abstracts, marked A to O, both inclusive. QUALITY OF PROVISIONS, ETC. The provisions and clothing of the navy continue to give general satisfaction to the officers and men, a conclusive proof that they are of the best quality, and that the inspecting officers are faithful and vigilant in the execution of their duties. STORAGE AT ASPINWALL AND PANAMA. All squadrons on foreign stations have been supplied promptly, except in a few cases of slight detention of vessels at Panama and Aspinwall, where a large number of ships had concentrated. No conveniences for keeping stores at either of those points were had until August last, when the store-ship Warren was stationed at Panama as a coal hulk. Incidentally she gives storage room for a moderate supply of provisions, &c. At Aspinwall, where the need of a depot is greater, it has been deemed expedient to keep a cruising store-ship, until a permanent store vessel shall be stationed there, or a storehouse procured. ASSISTANT PURSERS. I renew my recommendation to create the grade of assistant pursers. The number of pursers allowed by law is not sufficient to supply the calls for those officers, even if all, including those who are incapacitated by age or sickness, were to be ordered to active duty. There are but twelve pursers now unemployed, and there are sixteen vessels in commission, the commanding officers of which are doing the duties of purser, in addition to their own, thus incurring increased labor and responsibility, without any increase of pay. The duties of purser in two receiving ships are done by navy agents on shore. BASIS OF THE PAY OF PURSERS. The basis of the sea pay of pursers is not only different from that of all other officers in the navy, as well as army, but it is uncertain and continually changing. The sea pay of all other officers increases with length of service, while that of pursers is governed by the class of vessels to which they are attached; and a purser of forty years standing may find himself serving in a brig or store-vessel, the annual pay for which is fixed by law at $1,500, $300 less than his leave of absence pay! The improvements in naval architecture have entirely changed the character of the rates of vessels. Thus, the Mississippi, which, for many years was classed as a "steam frigate," has degenerated into a first class steamer," and the pursers who sail in her hereafter will receive one third less pay than the one who was attached to her at the time of the passage of the law fixing purser's pay. Vessels of the same class are essentially different in all the attributes which should determine a purser's pay. Thus, the Cumberland has more than twice the tonnage of the Dale, and her complement and expenditures are more than twice as great, yet the pay of the purser is the same in both, as both are rated "sloops-of-war." The Lancaster, of eighteen guns, two thousand three hundred and sixty tonnage, and three hundred and eighty-five complement, is for the purposes of the purser's pay, upon a par with the Narragansett of eight hundred and nine tons, mounting three guns, and having the complement of one hundred and twenty-five officers and crew. The pay of the officers and crew, and the annual expenditures of the first are as more than three to one, when compared with those of the smaller vessel, yet the pursers of both receive the same pay. Some of the "sloops-of-war" now in the navy, exceed in tonnage, complement, and annual expenditures, several of the "frigates" in service at the time of the passage of the law fixing purser's pay. That law has not been changed, but the great improvements subsequently made in the power and efficiency of ships-of-war have had the effect greatly to increase the labor and responsibility of pursers, while in many instances, it has essentially diminished their pay. PAY OF CLERKS AT YARDS. I again renew my recommendation to place the clerks of pursers at navy-yards on an equality with other clerks in the same yards, whose duties are not more responsible than their own. At present the law allows them less than copying clerks or common writers receive in every navy-yard. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. ISAAC TOUCEY, H. BRIDGE, Chief of Bureau. Secretary of the Navy. |