Mr. THAYER. I decline to yield to any further interruption. I have answered the gentleman’s question, and the House are able of judging whether the reasons assigne are such as entitle them to the indorseinent of their judgment. If they are not, then they go for nothing; if they have reason and common sense in them, their validity or strength cannot be impaired by anything that may be said in regard to the source from which they come, or whether they be official or unoflicial. “6. Another consideration of the highest importance is the susceptibilityof LeagueIsland for perfect defenseagainstforeign invasion or domesticinsur rection. The channel of the Delaware.although affordms’a suflicicutdepth ot'watorat all times.is so narrow and tortuous for a distanceof 100 miles aboveits mouth. that aship in the hands ofany other than an experiencedpilot. especiallywith the buoys removed would have the greatestdifficulty in IBMhlniPhlIllAelphill at all. If the presentdcfenses should be considered insufficient.a single martello tower on the edgeof the channel, mountedwith an iron turret like that of the monitor would command the approach to the island from the sea morecoin letely than Fortress Monroe commandsHampton ends or Fort Sumter the harbor of Charleston. A succession of such towerswouldcostle ssthan spy one of our large coast fortifications. So far asstationary defensesmay be relied on. there can hardl boany system more efficient than this. The islan, is even more susceptibleof defenseagainsta domesticinsur rection, beingcut off from theRonnsylvania shoroba deep natural moat 50 feet in width. N oassaii t could be made upon it exceptby vessels, in which, of cpursc, the Governmentwould havesuch a supe riority that no attempt to capture the yard would ever be hiizarded, evenif wesupposethat the mate rials for an insurrection ofthut kind would ever be fou"nd in the vicinity of Philadelphia. LeaguTche accessibilityof coal and iron commends Island very strongly to our favor. Situated at the junction of the Delawareand Schuylkill riv ers. it is the natural enfrrpdtof the whole anthracite coal trade of the LU.S.s. The steam power necessaryto the maintenance of amodern navy is here obtii' able at the smallesteost. I’cnns 'lvania ifnotpos. v"inrth u lar:;estironresonrcesto efound in the coini ry.ccrt;iinly hasihriseresourcesin byfar the higheststate of development and in closeprox imity to the sea board. Philadelphia is the great iron mongering metropolisof the country. Her furnacesand shopsare numberedby100s.lier arti ficers by 1000s and her capital invested in the production of iron iy millions. “B. The island is below the bendon the Delaware, and hence mainlyout of dangerfromice gorges.from which the iresent yard suffers to a considerable extent: an yet it should be remarkedthat the river Delaware is seldomclosed by ice, the only point on the Atlantic wherefresh water can beobtained that is not closed 2 or 3 monthsin the year. "9. it is to beobserved also, that the insulsrposition of the proposedyard will effectuallyostopeor rupt speculationsin real estate so farasthoGovernment property is concerned. It will be impossible for jobbers to besiegeCongress.with any degreeof plausibility or hopeof successto buy the adioining ots at laliiiloiis prices; and I caa hardly conceive of any other than an insular position which will debar the tribe of speculatorsand lobbyistsfrom all chancesof Sllffttr'lrfllal saiiltupon the Treasury. “10. The selection of this site for a navy yardwill save to the Government just the sum at which the presentyard in Philadelphia can be sold. the estimated vsluo of which is $1, 800,000.” Now, sir, these are the substantial arguments in favor of the measure. These are the oints on which the authorities upon whom this case is accustomed to rely have long since come to a definite and satisfactory conclusion; and hence this measure has been repeatedly recommended to this House by the SecyNavy. It is now recommended by the Naval Committee of this House, Now, sir, allow me to suggest whether it would not be better that those gentlemen who have given no particular examination to the facts upon which this question turns should abide by the delib erate judgment of the official persons upon whose responsibility these recommendations rest thanthat they should act upon a mere sug EESIZIOD ofobjection on the partofgentlemen who have in view the benefit of some other locality. Itstrikes me, sir, that the House would not act With its usual judgment and discretion if it should adopt the latter course. But, sir, a substitute is proposed by the Gentfrom Connecticut; and here let me say that upon its face this substitute would a pear to be a very fair and e uitable proposition and if this were an entire y new question, an a question of an additional navy yard, instead of the change of the site of an existing yard, there would appear to be a great deal of fairness in that substitute. But if gentlemen will but reflect a moment, they will see that the proosition of the Gentfrom Connecticut is elusive in its character. It would result merely in an indefinite question, that is all. lproposes a roving commission to examine all the waters of the U.S. for an additional navy yard. That is not what the SecyNavy desired or recommended to this House. That is not what the Naval Committee of this House have recommended. They have recommended the acceptance of League Island, which is offered by the city of Philadelphia as a munificent gift to the Government, that the present navyyard at Philadelphia may be removed thither. They do not propose the creation of an additional navy yard, but the substitution of a new one for an existing one. Suppose, sir, that you appoint your commission. You do not, by this substitute, give the commissioners any authority or power to act. You leave the matter all at loose ends as it has been heretofore. A year or crha s 2 years hence that commission wilI made a report. More probably they will make 2 reports or 3 reports, perhaps as many reports as there are members of the commission. Then how much progress will you have made in reaching a decision upon this question? None whatever. Besides, sir, as time goes on, new sites not now thought of will be clamorously pressed for consideration. At 1st, sir, the proposition to select League Island was met by an application on behalf of NewLondon, urged by the Gentfrom Connecticut who so well represents the interests of his constituents. How is it now '1 Why, sir, rival interests have sprung up in all quarters. We have suggestions for new navy yards all along the coast. Every member thinks that his State must have “a finger in the pie.” Our action upon this question is made the occasion for a Generalscramble for a new navy yard. Sir, hope this House will not give its up roval to any such measure. Very sure am Ipthat the city of Philadelphia, if it had been supposed that her munificeuce would be met by such a eu eral scramble, would have been too pron to make this offer to the General Government. The gentleman’s speech has perfectly accomplished, no doubt, the purpose for which it was made. Mr. S maker, in walking along D street yesterday, I saw a very singular sign. I was for cibly reminded by that sign of the s eech of the Gentfrom Connecticut. ask the Cler to read it.