TBE DAILY TELEGltAPtL tHILADELPIIIA, MONDAY, JUNE 11, 186G. OUU NEW MVY YARD. '1HE QUE AT AMERICAN DEPOT TOR IRON-CLADS. RoMc Gift of Philadelphia to the Government. ITS ACCEPTANCE BY CONGRESS. Speeches of Hon, W. d. Kelloy and Hon. Leonard Myers. Vt. E'C. rC, EtCU, JEtCt As our reader aw aware, the bill to aorcpt league Island 1 Jr n!1Taj purposes passed the House of Rep r' 8frn,t Li-vcs on Thursday lart. We present "belf J W tin telling and appropriate speeches or, our uppresentnlives from the Third nd Four t)j Duttrictg. The nreumenfcj put forth toy ourf jongrcspmcn, Meeer. Kellky-sdJ M?brs had 'reat weiglit, and no doubt secured this to our city. We will publish' to morrow e speeches of Messrs. Thayer and O'Neill. SrEKCfl OF MR. KELLEY. Mr. FpeftVer: I conpratukita you and the -,Honte upon the fact that the discussion draws 'to a close a discussion which, food as I am of Y the excitement of public debate, has not been 7 a pleasant one to hip: and that, sir, because an impression seem to have been created that tne Siieslion was a purely local one, and that the tj of Philadelphia had special interest in Its settlement; and again, sir, because the debate, in some part, has taken such a tharacter as could not command my admiration or that of any man who believed that adherence to truth - frraces discussion. Sir, as I said when introducine the bill yes terday, the city of Philadelphia did not make the tender of League Island to the Government of its own motion. In otl'ering it that city re sponded to the call of the Government, which, having sent a commission forth to report the best site for its purposes, had been advised that this was it, and advised by its commission to .- purchase what is now offered as a eift. The Government asked that Its great needs might be supplied, and Philadelphia tendered as a girt that which it sought to purchase. That is the relation of Philadelphia to this question. In no other aspect is It a local question. I In its simple lorm, Mr. Sppaker, the question is, will you accept as a git't'lhat for the want of which the country Is Buffering? And before j deciding that simple qucstiou, before you will prmit the Government to accept a favor for ' which it Iirs hfiTi hflTfrinor f'nr tnnrp than four vfifti-H. hpfnrp von will nprmit i i.n hpnnina the owner of the wet basin in which scores of its vessels now lie, it is proposed that vou shall send out a roving commission to inquire whether you can now or hereafter advanta geously establish naval stations at other points, and ii so at what points; and on the receipt of the report of that commission at the next session, or during the next Coneress? to go through the same controversy which w are now going through, and which the Thirty eighth Coupresa went through two years a?b. Now, 1 ask the gentlemen when thev come to vote, to vote directly upon the question at issue, which is whether the Government, while re'aining or selling it present navy yard at Philadelphia, may accept nine hundred acres ot land, and of land covered with water, known as League Island and the back channel. . Sir, the story of Baron Munchausen is not without value. With proper accompanying suggestions it may salely be put into the hands ot cuiioren. isut i nave never oecn aDie to regard it as an admirable model for Congres sional statement and discussion, and I feel that the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. liian degee) made no slight mistake when he mo delled his address of yesterday upon the exag gerations ot that satirical story. Pie told the House that we offered the Government three hundred acre9 of mud. Sir, the Coast Survey speaks veraciously: and here (pointing to a survey) is its report from the coast survey of .the nature and extent of the gift offered the United States by the city ot Philadelphia. There is a body of live hundred acres of solid . land which has been overgrown with huge ,. ioret trees, many of which still stand, and a -..channel three hundred feet wide extending .from end to end ot that five hundred acre island, and the gilt proposed by Philadelphia em braces both the island and channel from low water mark in front of tbe island to the west bask of the channel, including a sentry walk on the main land. And he who will can cal culate the number ot acres, and will find that what the gentleman calls three hundred acres , of mud contains more than five hundred acres ot natural fast land, and more than three hun dred acres of a wet banin, for which any nuval nation but our own would give millions, not of dollars, but of pounds sterling. Sir, it cannot but be well to have some regard for truth in setting forth the facts in the discussion of a great national question like thin. It is said that the site proposed U too remote from the ocean. And the gentleman from Con- , ascticut, in the spirit of Munchausen, spoite of it as being more than one hundred miles from i the eea. 8r, it is but seventy miles from the sea. He spoke of a steamer requiring tour days so reach the sea from Philadelphia. Sir, eight ; hours is the time of the average passage lor . aval steamers and lor the larger of the ordi nary steam craft of the river from Philadelphia to the oiling of the Capes. . ir,ftbe records kept at the Philadelphia Hos pital and at the Merchants' Exchange show that for forty years there , has not been one single day when the navigation of the Delaware i by steam has been closed or impeded by ice, -and It is known to the commercial world that 'vessels take their supplies of water, with which they sail the world around, from the Delaware .at Philadelphia. And, sir, that river supplies . a large district ot Philadelphia with driukina; water through the public works of the city. And yet gentlemen are gravely told that the water were is DracKtsa, ana arguments aro ltBted upon an assertion at which even a Phila delphia lunatic would sneer. But more than this, as if to stampthe insanity that ruled the gentleman's hour, the House was BMUeian vuuiy void 4hat the whola United States jne in league asaiuat Connecticut, and especially a v gainst the iiiet sea-side village of New Lon li ni; that when the gentleman arrived hereto tai ts seat in this Congress he round that the fcta te ot Pennsylvania and the Navy Department had been organizing a mov onient tocxcludo him - from ' the Naval Committee of this House; but that he overcame that Sta-tt and the Depart ment; and aihieved a comma ."ding position ou the Naval Committee; and wit.h a want of gone rosltoy and candor for which I hvipe, Mr. Speaker, he will apologize to you, created' the impression, so far as his words could do so, that you had cted the partl-an, entered into tho conp';racv, sud appointed two mcrantrs from t'ennsylvanitt the Committee on Naval Affair' Sir, tho ntleman, well iuformed and studiou'8 of such m'ters as he Is, must have knon tha.t yon did but i'ow precedent in Ibis particular. When you tOcme Speaker you found that ther e had been oi,e member of the Naval Committee .rom Fhiladelv"mla. and one from the valley of .the Ohio, in Western Pennsylvania. Hon. John i. Verreehad been 1he member from Philadelphia, and the gentleman from Pittsburg, who now so ably represent.' that district (Mr. Moor head), was the other .to whom I refer. There vse e then fro."- New England two ieo:ber of the Naval Committee the gen- tleman from limine (Mr. Pike), and the gen tleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Elce), the accomplished chairman of the committee. Ihere wcie wenty-seven members of this House from New England and twenty-four from I'enn Mlvania. The delegation from Nw Emrland nnd the delegation from Pennsylvania, so nearly equal numerically, each had two members on that rommittre. Mr. 8peakcr, the gentlemen he. thus reflected upon you, ani who wor.ld '".press the country with the conviction that he 'j the vh-tim of a conspiracy, was added by you to New England's two members, whilo you gave Pennsylvania only wnas your preoecessor nan done one member lrom Philadelphia and one ficm the valley of the Ohio. The gentleman, in the ttilft or his whining ovjr tne wrongs (tone New England in his person, forgot that of mem bers ot the Naval Committee, as constituted by you, New hngtana Das on tor every nine mem bers, while Pennsylvania has one (ci but every twelve. But the gentleman seemed to be dis posed to mn amuck against the world. He ecemed to have lorj;otien that parliamentary proprieties were, or were likely to be, regarded by anybody when ho thus assailed you, Mr, Speaker, for not having more promotly seen his distinguished fitness lor the Naval Committee, and visited New London to invite him to accept a place upon it. Will it, as he asserts, take sixty or ninety feet of piling to render that island suitable for the erection of buildings? Commodore Turner, who has had charge of the island, and who assisted in building the fortifications at Fort Mitllin, on the couth bank of the Schuylkill, half a mile from it on kindred ground, has assured the com mittee that piles could not be well dilven to the depth ot thiity feet; that they would strike heavy boulders at the depth of troai twenty-live to thirty leet. The gentleman has also been asmred by the ollicer of the Coast Survey de tailed to superintend the boring of the island and report the results, with the scienliiic detail ot fact, and with the results confirmed by the statements of the proprietors of the heaviest works in Philadelphia, that League Island .would need no piling lor anv buildings or ma chinery except under 'the trip-hammer; Ibat you could build upon its surface, without driving a pile, work-shops or machine shops as extensive or heavy as any known within the limits of Pennsylvania. Yet In vie w of these facts rune into his ears by honor able gentlemen, he tells this House that League Island is a mass of mud upon which nobody would think ot building a barn. . Now, sir, let us look at what is proposed by the bill before us. I regret exceedingly that the gentleman from ConLeciicut would not permit tbe gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Eldridgc) to otler his amendment. Sir, there is no thought of maintsining the present petty yard at Phila delphia one duy after the material there accu mulated can bo transferred to League Island. But on this point let the Secretary of the Navy, the author ot this.project, speak for himself, in his communication ot May it, 1864, addressed to this House through tbe Speaker, he said: ''Having In view economy, as woll as the public necessities, I hnvo at no time recommended that the number of our navy yards should be fucieused on the Atlantic coast, but it is my deliberate opinion that no time should be wasted in establishing at a proper place a suitable yard where iron ships can be made and repaiied." Aghin, In his annual report of December 5, 1664, he said: "It has never been the purpoo of the Department, in any of its tugirestions or recommendations, to in crease tbe number of our navy yards, nor to alter their local distribution. The yard which we now bave at Philadelphia is altogether inadequate to our present or lulure wants, it was proposed, thoie tore, to substitute anew one on the Delaware, in the vicinity ot Philadelphia. League Island, within the limits ot tbat city, if adopted as a site, must era dually aDsorb the wonts at tbe present yard, which would then be discontinued." Hear bis description ot what we want, which alter all is a description of League Island, and all the advantages which it embodies: "A navy yard, if we bave one for naval Iron work, should te established on fresh water, Tor this is essential to the preservation of iron ves sels, which cannot bo laid up m suit water during peace. Ready access to coal, lion, and timber U alto important, for those essential nrtlclus should be always available on the inland waters witiiout exposuie to an enemy Dy coast w ise trans portation. The vicinity ot a large city, where skilled artisans can be obtained without ditli eulty, and the facilities oi market and tenements are abundant, should be considered. A fouudation of gravel would, for the purposes of machiuoiy, be preieraoie to stone An extensive wator iromage must also be seemed. For such a depot and estao bsbment, wheie costly machinery and material would accumulate during years of peace, the advan tages of an interior location are nost manifest. These lavorable conditions are to be obtained no where e ee so completely as on the Dalaware river; and the pusitioD of Lague Island, w.thin the limit ot the city of Philadelphia, prebents probably a stronger combination of the points tbat are neces sary than any other location." But, sir, gentlemen say that the Secretary of the Navy is hot a scientific man. Well, ihen, let us turn from bim to one of the most tho roughly scientific engineers of the country. We sent the Chief Engineer of the Navy Depart ment, Mr. King, abroad to examine the naval stations of other nations. We also sent him along our whole coast to ascertain the capabili ties of our own land. Wbat does he say on tbe question ? I ask gentlemen who insist on scien tific information to listen to Mr. King, when, in structed by his extended travel and observation, he says: "For the location of such a vard we bave advan tages in our great rivers not possessed by any European nation. In an entirely secure position, far from the sea, in fresh water, and within easy reach of iion and eoal, an iron yard may borreoted. These advantages are weighty, and cannot be over estimated. Still we bave another advantage; the lire and tall of our tides being comparatively so small, wo do not require basin accommodations the moat expensive of European dock-yard constructions oil we need in this regard being a po.itioa afford ing ample wharfage, room. ''Location does not belong properly to the tub-jeot-matter of this report, but cannot be consideied entirely foreign to it, because it is tho first and most important consideration. Oiovernment oflicials in England and France were free in expressing tnoir opinions to me, tbat since the invention ot gi ns capable of propelling destructive projectiles several mile, and tbe construction ot armored ships, an iuiand location tor a gieat dock-yard becomes almost imperative. "Tbe advantages ot freBh water for iron vessels to lie in when repairing and lilting ont, is another point to be considered; tor it must be remembered that the adhesion oi barnacles, oysters, and mussels to tbe bottom of iron vessels, while lying still in sea water, is rapid aad excessive; in fresh water the iron is entirely free from them, "J be avy Yard in Philadelphia docs not cover as much ground as the basin water area in any one of tbe principal European dock yards; it baa only two covered tmilctug slips, with the necessary wood-workshops and storehouse, and is not pro vided with any stone docks or means of repairing rteam machinery," I will not weary the House by laying before it tbe volume of nu'ch information, but will pro ceed to show whv I think we ought not to adopt the substitute submitted by the gentleman from Connecticut. It 16, to borrow a legal phrase, a mere dilatory motiou. It is entered for the pur pose of delay, lor the purpose of keeping fie question open, ai d compelling a compromise between thoe who do not think we need addi tional naval stations, and thosf who think we ought to put one where my friend from New Yotk (Mr. Dodue) eaw the city bombarded with the short runge guns used during tho war 1812. That gentleman tells me that he was old ciioush to sit w ith his father on the family porch and see British vekEols bombard New Loudon in 1612. And this motion is entered to force a compromise by which the Government elinti not acquire un enlarged station at Philadelphia until Conercps coiibcnts to build another one at, that uif st expesett point of our count. While on that t ucftion let me answer a query put to in colKviMie by the gentleman from Illi nois tMi Moniton), whether there was not danger Mi at our iron vessels might be closed in at League; Inland by an enemy's fleet. The very ablo pamphlet entitled "The Advantages of League Island," by a New England man, which has won the commendation ot Admiral Porter, Comaaodore Sibling, itvd Commodore Turner, end indeed, I limy ay, the approval of the whole navy, sh): "Dmir.g the last war with Great Uritain. Chest resr bay was bh esaued byaBmUb fleet lying at MDi '1' eu bay, i.nd Hew London was blockaded ly uuif Utt iying in Oujii's bay. Potti Ukm positions are still aval able to an enemy for that pur- roee, but there is no anchorage at the month ot tho Delaware, or nearer than the two places jut men tioned, where an enemy's fleet of iron-ciads can anchor securely, lhe diatuhtol water of the foreign Iron-clads ta too great lor them to anchor behind the Delaware breakwater. Consequently this nvor pos sesses an economical advantage for a n.ivy yard from ifsrographical position, which rendors large xpetidfitirct lor lortiucalioBS comparatively un eocisnry," bi'Kech or an. myitis. Mr. Speaker: My colleagues (Messri". Kcllcy and'O'Neill) have eo ably discussed the subject rmv under consideration; bave so strongly pre sented the numerous advantages of .League Island for the purposes of a national construct ive ship yard 'and naval depot for wooden and iron vessels; the vast resources ot the Stata of Pennsylvania, emptying as it were into its own lap, at Philadelphia, as rivers run to the sea; that I shall not long occupy the time of the House in adding some of the exhaustlcss argu ments in favor of this proposition. I shall be more than fortunate it -after this full discussion 1 may obtain the attention of the House for a short time: and still more fortunate if I can pro duce, ns I hope to do, some impression by the reasonings which are floating through my mind at present, and which convince me. I now call tbe attention of tbe members of this House to the character ot the bill, and what it calls lor. It Is a bill "to authorize the Secretary ot the Navy to accent League Island in the Dela ware river tor naval purposes." An attempt is made upon this floor to show that it creates a roving commission, aloip upon w hich to hang various other propositions, and thus drawing away your attention from the very question at Issue, to eftect by indirection what cannot be done dl'vctly. It is true that the ac ceptance of League Island is not to be perfected until the board of cflicers provided for in the bill shall recommend it. That was added by the committee, I suppose, lor the purpose of satis lying the delicate and sensitive minds of certain gentlemen who, year alter year, have been throwing out slanders against this place, at one moment alleging there was not suflicicut depth ot water, at another that there was too much ice there in certain seasons of the year, and who have started obections as ti the' character of the ground and theheiilthfulnessof the locality. Now, I ask the attention of any member who is willing to vote directly for the proposition in favor of League Island while I state to him tbat the proviso says noihing more than that if this cnmmiHf ton, on visiting this place, shall find these objections to It well founded, then, and then only, may the Secretary refuse to accept it. I should prefer to bave no proviso in the bill, but my faith in tbe advantages of Leatrue Island is so strong I have no fear for the result, and no apprehension, even, that the examination will cause any delay. I learned yesterday, for the first time, that the water of League Island is brackhh. Sir, in my district a district whose bhipbuild;rs planned and placed upon the waters the New Ironsides, a fit type of the workmanship and en terprise and success ot Philadelphia mechauics, worthy representatives of those who thirty years ao launched the sbip-ol-the-line Pennsylvania, with, even then, one hundred thousand citizens of Philadelphia and one hundred thousand from the surrounding country as spectators I say that' in my district we have the Kensington Works, whence a large portion of its citizens obtain their daily supply of drinking water, and they never before heard that the waters ol tbis stream shortly above League Island are brack ish. In my boyish days, when I used to swim near Ked Bunk, opposite to Lcamie Island, drinking in many a mouthful of water, I never tat-ted or dreamed that it was brackish. Still further, fifty thousand ships come to our wharves and go out again every year wooden ships, too, the most of them. They lie where the ice is more likely to be, where the water freezes and the ice gathers more rapidly than at any place below; yet they sail up and out j early ; and we never heard belore that vessels were locked up three months at League Island, so that in ca3e ot a war the vessels ot our navy, if stationed there, would be prevented for that length of time from getting at the enemy that might be ravaging our coast. So much for fact No. 2. Let me now call the attention of gentlemen to another statement which has been made, and which might, if uncorrected, mislead members who are strangers to this spot and straneersto the lacts of the case. Thev have heard the sren- tleman's rclerence to the mud and ooze, as he calls it, at tbat island. The gentleman from Connecticut knows how much ot truth and how much of fancy there is in his statement, for he has visited the locality. In 1690 this island was marked out on the maps, fast land; and lor years nud years there have been two hundred and thirty-five acres of solid land about which there need be no dispute. Granting to the gentleman that, in reference to the balance of it, or in building the wharves, it might be necessary here and there to drive piles, as it has been necessary to drive piles at every navy yard in the United 8tates and on a gravel bed they make a better foundation than rock granting this, however, beyond all dispute we have two hundred and thirty-five acres of solid ground, which the gentleman pretends to tell this House is all mud and ooze with all the sar casm imparted to a pungent wit and a fertile imagination I have disposed of fact No. 3. Mr. Speaker, I have often gone by steamer to Cape May in six or seven hours, yet I learned lor the first tune yesterday that it would take four days to go from League Island to the ocean. I pass from the Connecticut facts, liut even thete pale their ineffectual fires be fore the generosity of the gentlemen's amend ment and his holy horror "of the necessity of disciii-sing the merits of any site ln connection with the present bill. Neither the report of the committee, who, with others of this House, speak lrom observation, nor the opinions of the most distinguished ofheers of our navy, nor the statement of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, nor the constant urgency of tuo Secre tary himself, that we should adopt League Island as the site for a great national navy yard, have any weight with him; and the Secre tary is roundly rated because he has failed to become sectional, or to recommend a station simply because of his nativity near it. We found a navy yard of sixteen acres with no workshops which a Philadclphian is not ashamed to show to strangers; with no more than turn ing room lor a large wagon; with no proper machine shop or steam machinery for building and repaiiiug iron or iron-clad vessels or rolling iron plates; no capacity for casting ordnance or building powerful engines; and instead of a national foundry and workshop and navy yard, a place not half the size of the Washington yard, not a fourth tbat of Cbarlestown, not an eighth of the Kittery, or a tenth of tbe Brooklyn navy yard; while abroad the private dock-yard of the builder ol the pirate Alabama is more than ten t rues as large, and in England and France tbe chief Government navy yards cover, each of them, hundreds of acres of land In extert. We found the second city of our coun try with not a stone dock and a very limited water front, or wharfage room, or accommoda tions lor building and repairing wooden vessels even. The question with them was, and it is the question here shall this ship building city have more navy yard room, ard whilo we are giving it, shall we not bui'd a national establish ment worthy of the nation? not an additional ard, but by a transfer lrom one place to another withsupeiior natural advantages and greater area, erect one which will aid us to defend our ftlves. if necessury, ngaiust the navies of the w oi Id ? II you will turn to "Llpplncott's Gazetteer" you will find the lollowing descilption of New London: "It Is built on a declivity faoing tho south and east. Tho site being considerably encumbered wita granite rocks, It was not laid out witn any greut repolamy, though within a low years much bos been done in the way of grading and other improve ments to ovorcomo the original Inequalities of the siirlace." "The oiiglnal inequalities of tho surface!" And so New London, with its rocky sides rising from twenty, sometimes us hiirh as one hundred feet, did wot impress anybody very favorably Hlter tbey came to look at it for the purpose of a navy yard such us we now desire, and the gentleman acted sensibly in abandoning bis put lor a time, and endeavoring, amid lhe many, to let its dolecin pa out of the view of Mi ppu rcutly unfavorable Contrean. I have stated bow it was thai the site of Phlla- delphia came to be" sought for this purpose. I bave stated our national necessities in tnia mat ter, our local wants, which mean our national want; that scarcely an officer of the Navv ever recommended New London, and none "that I ever heard of recommended any one of these other places so gratuitously added to the bilL The very commission to wnlch the gentleman referred, said unanimously that for this purpose ot an Iron-clad Navy Yard, League Island was preferable to New London, and one of the officers of that commission has since said that be was mistaken even in recommending New London as far as be went. Why was that mis take made? Sir, it was a very natural one, At that time tbe battle betw een the Monitor and the Mcrrimac had scarcely been fought, certilnly not finally appreciated. These old officers of the navy scarcely knew what it was to test iron clad vessels, nor bad they yet fully learned the lon reach of our improved cannon. At that time Fairagut had not passed the forts near New Orleans and in Mobile bay: Fort Fisher had not been taken by Porter; we had not the light on tho subject that we have now. And so each year the advantages of League Island, and the disadvantages of the other proposed sites, have become more apparent. What, then, are tha characteristics which should determine above all others where tbis additional navy yard room shall be obtained by the Government 1 At the risk of repeating what has been better said by others, I cannot help re ferring to the two great advantages which League Island possesses, and which none of these other places afford. These are, fresh water and dis tance from the sea. There bas been a little book sent to each of us, a very modest little pamphlet, advocoting New London. I suppose it was written by the mem ber of the last Congress I have alluded to. It si)8 that New London is as well situated as Cherbourg, in France, for a na'ional navy yard. Well, tbis is a most unfortunate illustration. Be cause Cherbourg is by the sea it has taken flf y six years to build its works and fortifications, at a cct of forty millions for the works and tweuty millions for the defenses, even with the aid of convict labor one basin, the "arriere de flot,n taking twenty-two years to build. And evc row it is admitted that with the modem long range guns vessels rtight steam to within three miles, lay outside the breakwater, and perhaps ruin if not reduce it, although tier on tier of casemates rise lrom tne water bristling with cannon. Portsmouth is on the Channel almost oppo site, and the English have spent $50,000,000 to extend and fortify it; serious arguments being made in Parliament tbat it must be abandoned on account of its proximity to the ocean live or six miles and not as near then as at New London. When it was found that missiles could be thrown for miles, the British went twelve miles up the Mcdway to build Chatham at an enormous expense; the three main advantages alleged in its favor being that it was not on the coast, but the defenses of Sheerness had first to he passed (as it is with us at Forts Delaware and Mifflin), that the river could be protected from the lands on either side, and chiefly that it was an island (St. Mary's) affording facilities for wharfage not on the main land. I need scarcely go further. Brest taken by the British as Nelson took Malta; 1'Orient, on tbe Bay of Biscay, with its five hundred guns trailed ready lor an enemy; Toulon, whose approaches are stronger than Cherbourg, yet with twice five hundred guns and immense for tifications to defend, tell us we must build a navy yard w here it can bo defended at little cost or be safe without other defenses than its ships, which may run out from its docks. So much for defensibility. I admit here that whenever it can be shown tbat we should build a navy yard, such as is proposed, within a few miles of tbe open sea, and the reach of modern ordnance: when ever it can be shown tbat salt water is better than fresh water lor iron vessels; or that the granite rocks ot New London can be cut down with little expense and be fitter for a foundation than hard ground, I will vote for New London. We do not want this site at Philadelphia selected unless it is lor tbe national benefit. Philadelphia, I believe, has among her popu lation a larger number ot return ?d soldiers who are skilled mechanics than all the inhabitants. male and female, men, women, and children, of New London. We have ottered this Island, a lree gilt, et i-ting over $300,000, to the Govern ment when it required and asked for additional accommodations, and it ought not to be refused. The London limes continually contains art verttsementB, sometimes offering as much as 10,000, lor the discovery ot some effective means for keeping iron vessels as clean as copper now keeps the bottoms of wooden vessels, upon the condition that no patent shall be granted for the process, but shall be open lor the use of the government ana tne public. Mr. James Beazlev, tbe chairman of the Shio Owners' Association of Liverpool, writes, "There is vnl.y the fouling against the iron ships, which none ot the patent? vet get over: for when thev do claim to have done so, it was the action of the tides in fresh water that baa cfeaned their bottoms," as at Calcutta. For Calcutta trade iron ships answer beet, and lor that trade half-a-dozen iron ships to one wooden one are used. One more relerence. John Uranthaoi, ot Lon don, ays: 1 Fouling is tbe difficulty with the Warrior: It is tbe iacubus that is on the minds ol us all ; that ships going to foreign o.imed, unless they can go straight liom one point to another and into fresh water rivers, must pecome loui." Fresh water, then, for a station is second only to defensibility, and Philadelphia was sought by the Government becaune of her fre6h-water scream, for in times of peace our iron-clad navy, as well as our wooden navy, can lay there and be cleaned withont any additional expense, and without the loss to which these ships would be subject at New London or any eligible place thus fur presented. There is an ingenious sug gestion in the modest New London pamphlet, namely, by ''providing means for taking .such vessels out of water when not required for im mediate service." Expensive as this would be, the notion is not an original one, as Admiral Spencer, in England, stated in April, 1864, in hie evidence belore the select committee oc dock yards. He Mates that as the bottoms of iron ships not only corrode if not covered with a composition, but get covered with barnacles and weeds even then, it would be a great advantage to place on pontoons all the iron ships not wanted for immediate service; "tor," said he, "us long as ships' bottoms are of irou, and un piotected from fouling as they now are, iron ships can never be said to be ready for service." No wonder the advocates of New London thought of pontoon?, or proposed to bring fresh water from a reservoir "at an elevation ot about one hundred feet" to till docks, with far iron clads when not in tervice. Now, Mr. Speaker, I have been somewhat dis cursive in these remarks As I stated at the commencement, the ground was well trodden : the arguments were well-uigh exhauoted. But before I close I must again impress upon the Houpe wbat is upon my own mind and heart, that the bdl now before the House asks for the acceptance ol League Island, not tor a roving commission. It simply provides that whilo the Secretary of the Navy shall accept this locution, be must fir -it be satisfied that the statements which have been made with reference to tbe un suitableness of that location are unfounded in fact. We ot Philadelphia know that they are unfounded, and hence we are not afraid of a lull and impartial iuquiry iuto the fact. The proposillon is not for a roving commission, nor one to which an examination of other sites can be appropriately attached, and thus -postpone, perhaps till another Congress, the demands of our liuvy. Other places have heretofore been examined and found wanting. I beg gentle men, then, to iccollcct that in voting for this bill they vote simply lor the selection of this site, provided competent naval officers shall find that tho charges against it are unfounded or unimportant. Gentlemen have had laid upon their desks documents which show that a large number of riioniiors have lain all winter In tho buck chan nel of League I.-dand, and soma of the largsjt In front of League Island, and the ice has not dis turbed tucm. 'lliii ioo does not gather there as uii eh m st the Philadelphia yard, and tho gen tleman did not demur to the addition of four acres to tbat yard. Mud I Why, sir, we neard or mud aiong vne Delaware front before our city was extendei; but when wharves were built it was found that there were no mud eccretions. Of course there may be mod in the river sometimes, and it Is all tne better lor tbe vessels mat noat mere. Draught ot water! Why. sir. vessels like the Cathedral, that could not get into New Yolk in a storm, have come round and crossed the bar at Philadelphia, as tbe naoaiut came in ana went ont, crossing the bar. It Is contended in Europe that heavy draught vessels are almost useless. The Great Eastern lias hardly one dock In England to which she can go. The vessels of our own navy, the monitors of the Passaia class, d?sw only eleven and a half leet of water; the wooden iron-clad coast steamers and block ading vessels only twelve feet. Tbe New Iron eidts, the greatest success of Philadelphia, draws sixteen if et or water, wnne tne r rencn (Voire draws twenty-eight, ana tne untisn Warrior twenty-seven, and they have fifteen vessels drawing twenty-six, twenty-five, and twe ntv-four feet, respectively. These could not follow wheie our vessels can go, up the Delaware. StM another advsntage. I,- Jtr. Speaker, ns has been well sain, Pennsyl vania is rich in her mineral resources. I do not care to go into an eiamlnation of data or parti culars, or to repeat what has been so well illus trated. She manufactures fifty millions worth o' iron a year. She sends to market, principally through Philadelphia, almost untold amounts of coaJ. Her forests abound. Her fresh water is there. Philadelphia bas shown herself more worthy than to have a fust and handsome oiler thrust aside without cause. I would not speak of her services during the war, for all bore a noble p:trt equally In it. It is no discredit that the place from which my Iriend comes bas only twelve thousand population, while we have near seven hundred thousand, and sent one hundred thou sand troops to tho field. But there were good deeds done In Philadelphio, not yet tor gotten by oor soldiers who passed through it, which might well make gentlemen pause who contemplate a refusal or postponement of the request made by her forjiaval aud national pur poses. We have the iron, coal, wood, oil, fresh water, defensibility, skilled labor; all the requisites; more, we believe, than can ever be found com bined elsewhere. At least let not these be a drawback to our success, nor bring a single regret if by this our act tbe city where liberty was first proclaimed to the nations shall become one of the chosen spots whence it may be do fended in all coming time. COAL. ONE TRIAL SECURES TOUR CUSTOM. WMTKBY & HAMILTON, LEHIGH, SCHUYLKILL, AND BITUMINOUS f . COAL, IVo. 035 North MMW Street, Above Poplar, East 8UK-. 62 JAMES O'BRIEN, DEALER IN LEHIGH AND SCHUYLKILL COAL. BT TBE CARGO OB SINGLE TON. Yard, Broad Street, below Fitzwater. Eas constantly on hand a compefent supply of the atove superior Coal, sai'able for family use, to which he calls the attention of his friends and the public generally. Orders left at No. 206 Sooth Fifth ctreet, No. 82 South Seventeenth street, or through Despatch or Post Office, promptly attended to. A SUPERIOR QUALITY OF BLACKSMITHS COAL. 78 5 B ENDER'S COAL AND ICE DEPOT, 8. W. CORNER OF BBOAD ADD C1LLOWBILL 8TRXET8, Offers tha celebrated "Wert Lehifh Coal from (he Greennood Colliery, Move. tgn. and Heater Blue tT'SOt l.uttt6 60. A)so. the very nuDerior Hobiivlklil tiual. from the Keeve Edale Colliaiy, Hut ilze, Ml. All other sizes ( All Ccal warranted and taken buck fiee of expense to the onrdiaoer. n not as represented. Also, tne Coal for teltta ii not lull weight. 1 1(1 Sua JILLWAIID A WINEBIlfiNER, WM. M1LLWABD, S. S. WIAEBBENEB. MACHINEBY AND MANUFACTURERS' SUPPLIES, No. 118 MAEKET Street, PHILADELPHIA, PA. AOKST8 fOB TUB CALK OF Cotton and Woollen Machinery, . Dealers In Manufacturers' S applies of every do. soription. Oak Tanned Leather Bel tine:, AND MACHINE CARD CLOTUINQ Of lett Quality end mnnnfnotnre. 4 26 Sinrp JOBEltT SHOEMAKER & OCX, WHOLESALE DRUGGISTS, MANUFACTURER, IMPORTERS, AND 3KAL10R6 IN Palnls, Varnishes, and Oils, No. 201 NORTH FOURTH STREET f 16 8m N. t. CCItNEK OF BACK WALL PAPERS AND WINDOW S1IADKS and Blinda. Fino ansoittnent always on hand. A bo Preventive of Hump Wal a In DwellliiKS. Taper Hungers etui to all parla of lhe country. II. A. BURTON, Hi I7trt Ko. 115 N. FOURTH Street, above Arch. ALL PAPUR AND WINDOW RHAPK3. H F, BAI PLRHTON A HON. iWaOt' Me. 8M BPKINu AI(IEM Bluet. OU R NFXT OOVICnNOR-CL"VMi:R Oil OKA RY. aa mar be chosen totother with tiio KVEM1NG TJtLEKAPII. NEW VOlilt CLIFFEK, Etc., ir.bj be obtained aa usual at 1 vhvuliucuuu NEWS-STAND. IS O roer of BF.VEJITIl aad C HESNtl'f Htroet THREE (IKNEKAL AGENTS WAhTEf TO act In imr.ortaut looatlona foriho New YorK Accl tirntal Inruiame t'ouipeny Xetivemcnol ciioil a tilrtss, aptilv to Hi ASK C. ALLEN, UrumU oilke iu. C1IK8NVI Htmit. Aaply avio. t il WATCHE9, JEWELRY ETC. - . ...rrn -r- a r tj f DIAMOND DEALER & JEWELER ii nra, BfBi.ni m hilter WARE, yWATCHESaad JEWELHI EEPAIBED. JlgCjiestnnt St.,Pnllj. Owlnirto the decline ot Gold, sis mad a area d action in pries of hie Urge and well snorted stock Dibmondet, Watches, Jewelry, Silverware, Eto." The public are rcapectfnlly invited to call and examine, oor ttock before purchasing eiiewbere. SILVER AND PLATED GOODS, OF THE Most Superior Workmanship, AT TUB NEW STORE, 704 ARCH STREET. No. The nndrrrtKned (late of Hie fnmoua Roger Broe Manufacturing Company) respect' nil announce that they lmve opened a new and ncantliui store lor the mo ot SILVER and FLATt'D WAKE, at No. 104 AKCK Street. Our lung experience as manufacturers will enable ua to keep nothing but flrt-clan Goods, and tliore Ttho niny patronize our a:orewitl find our plated goodn far eupeiior to any ever Imported. And our oua toaiera n ay rely on the gooda being precisely whutther are represented to be. ft 2CS BOWMAN LEONARD. WATCHES, JEWELKY, &o. MUSICAL BOXES. A full apeortment of above pnodn constantly on band at modeiate prices ihe Musical Boxes playing lrom 2 to 10 be autitul Airs. FAER & BROTHER, Importers. No. 824.CHKSNUT STB RET, llllemtl-Jrp Below Fourth. G. RUSSELL & CO., No. 2a North SIXTH St., IHTITE ATTENTION TO THEIR FULL STOCK or FINE WATCJJES. . JEWELRY, AND FANCY AND PLAIN SILVER WARE OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, isaes II I O II JEWELRY JOHN BliENNAN, DEALER IN DIAMONDS, FINE WATCHES, JEWELRY! Etc; Etc. Etc 2C Ko. 18 8. EIGHTH 81HEET, Pliilada. . i ' GROCERIES. TEAS REDUCED TO $1, AT INGRAM'S Tea Warehouse, Ko. 43 S. SECOND Street. EOASTFD COFFEE REDUCED TO .10 CTS. ' at IS ORAM'S lea Warehouse, 1,0. 438. SECOND 6 tree t A fiC. BEST MILD COFFEE, AT INGRAM'S rx. J Tea Warehouse, Ko. 43 8. SECOND Street. TEAS AND COFFEES AT WHOLESALE prices, at ISGRAM'8 Tea Warehouse, Ko. i d. SECOND Street. Try them. GREEN COFFEES FROM 22 TO 28 CT8. A pound, at IN ORAM'S Tea Warehouse, No. 43 8. SECOND Street Try them. 110 Bin LIQUORS. CUESKUT GR0YE WHISKY, No. 225 North THIRD Street. II anything vuavranted to piovi' the absolute purlH ol thia Wliidky, Hie lolloping certificates should dolt. There is no alcoholic stimulant known commanding suck eciUiU-iutiaticn t lini such blth souicesi Puilapeli iiia, September 9. 18M. We bave carefally tested tbe sample of t'HfcSNCl GROVE WHISKY hit u you send us, and flnu that K contains koke or tbe i-oibokoiu sibbtakcb known aa ytsiL oil, v nub is the cliarucurittlo and injurious tat kiedlent of the whiskies in general ue. BOOTH, OAURKTT CAM AO, Analytical Chemists New York, September 8, lHi, 1 have analyzed a sample ot CUKSNUT OHO VH1SKY received from air Ibarles Wharton, Jr.. od Philadelphia: and having carelullv teated it, I sua p'ensf d to state that It la eutlre y fkeevhom poisohoT ob DKLfcTK liiors substances. It la an unusually pur ana line-tiavored quality ol vthtsky. . JAMLS U. CHILTON, M. D., Analytical t'bemls . , . EosToir, March! law I bave made a enemleal analysis of commercialism pies ot CliK.KKUT GROVE WHISKY, which provest te free ficm the heuvy Fusil Oils, and perleotly sore an nnadulterated. 'I he fine flavor of this whisky is derive !iom the (rain wed In manufacturing It Respcctlully. A. A.HaYK3,M D.. btate Aieayei, Ho. ltf Boy Is ton street. NATHANS & SONS, I M P O R T E R S OP BRANDIES, WINES, GINS, Etc. iSro. No. 19 North FRONT Street. ruiLAUEU'niA. . IfOSKB HATBADB, BOHACK A. NATHANS, OHLAHDO D NA1HABB. 119m JST A B L I SII ED 1 7 9 5. A. S. ROBINSON, French f late Locking-Glasses, ENGRAVINGS PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS ETC Manulnoturer of all kinds of r.ooltirs-Glass, Portrait, ami Pic ture lrames to Order. No. 910 CHESNUT .STREET, THIRD DOOK ABOVE THE CONTINKStAL, PniLADI.POIA. 8 ic RATIONAL BASK (JF THE REPUBLIC, Ncs. 809 and 811 CHESNUT Street. (Organised under the "National Currency Act ' Maich ). 18416.) A regular BAMUKU UIMIS ES8 lranaoted. DEP08H 8 received upon tbe most liberal (era. a. Efpectal attention given, to COIXSCUOXrf, 6 7 18t
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers