Mr. KELLEY. I must decline to yield any further. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate you and the House upon the fact that the discussion draws to a close a discussion which, fond as I am of the excitement of public debate, has not been a pleasant one to me; and that, sir, because an impression seems to have been created that the question was a purely local one, and that the city of Philadel hia had special interest in its settlement; an again, sir, because the debate, in some part, has taken such a character as could not command my admiration or that of any man who believed that adherence to truth graces discussion. Sir, as I said when introducin the bill yesterday, the city of Philadelphia ‘d not make the tender of League Island to the Government of its own motion. In offering it that city responded 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 gift. The Government asked that its rent needs might be supplied, and Philadefphia tendered as a gift 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 should not have engaged the attention of the House again had the question atissue been the question generally discussed by gentlemen. Were we in quest of sites for new naval stations such a commission as is proposed would be proper. But gentlemen inisstate the question. The Gentfrom NewYork, Mr. Runonnd and the Gentfrom Ohio, lMr. SPAIDING, | as well as the Gentfrom the Litchfield district of Connecticut [Mr. Hon DABD] each in turn, as others had done, have said the question is whether a commission to be appointed shall examine but one site or several. Sir, that is not the question before the House. The question is, will you accepta gift from the city of Philadelphia which will enable you to sell the little yard you have there and with the proceeds prepare equal accommodations on ve times the level surface which it embraces, and nearly 100 times the water facilities? That is the question. Or it may be rendered thus: you have 3odd iron or other vessels laid up ina natural wet basin, from which they may be ejected at any day, or you subjected to a heavy rent; will you aece it a title to that basin so that they shall be there by virtue of your title to the property? Or thus: you have 20 acres of land with a wharingo insufficient to accommodate 2 vessels end to end; will you accept a more favorable site, with whnrfuge to the extent of more than 5 miles, on land of precisely the same character of the 20 acres you now occupy, underluid as it is at a depth of from 20 to 25 feet by heavy boulders and coarse gravel? In its simple form, Mr. Speaker, the question is, will you accept asa gift that for the want of which the country is suffering? And before deciding that simple question, before you will permit the Government to accept a favor for which it has been begging for more than 4 years, before you will permit it to become the owner of the wet basin in which scores of its vessels now lie, it is proposed that you shall send out a roving commission to inquire whether you can now or hereafter advan tageously establish naval stationsatother points, and if so at what points; and on the receipt of the report of that commission at the next session, or during the next Congress, to go through the some controversy which we are now going through, and which the 38th congress went through 2 years ago. Now, I ask the gentlemen when they come to vote, to vote directly upon the question at issue, which is whether the Government, while retaining or selling its present navy yard at Philadelphia, may accept 900 acres of land, and of and covered with water, known as League Island and the back channel. Sir, the story of Baron Llunchausen is not without value. With proper accompanying suggestions it may safely be put into the hands of children. But I have never been able to regard it as an admirable model for congressional statement and discussion, and I feel that the Gentfrom Connecticut [Mr. BRAN DIZGEE]made no slight mistake when he mod eled his address of yesterday upon the exag gerations of that satirical story. He told the House that we offered the Government 300 acres of mud. Sir, the Coast Survey speaks veraciously; and here [pointing to a survey] is its report from the coast surve of the nature and extent of the gift offere the U.S. by the city of Philadelphia. There is a body of 500 acres of solid land, which has been overgrown with hu e forest trees, many of which still stand, an a channel 300 feet wide extending from end to end of that 500 acre isl and, and the gift proposed by Philadelphia embraces both the island and channel from low water mark in front of the island to the west bank of the channel, including a sentry walk on the main land. And he who will can cal culate the number of acres, and will find that what the gentleman calls 300 acres of mud contains more than 500 acres of natural fast land, and more than 300 acres of a wet basin, for which any naval 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 this. It is said that the site proposed is too remote from the ocean. Antfthe Gentfrom Connecticut, in the spiritofMunchansen, spoke of it as being more than 100 miles from the sea. Sir, it is but 70 miles from the sea. He s oke ofasteamerre airing 4 days to reach t 6 sea from Philade phia. Sir, 8 hours is the time of the average passage for naval steamers and for the larger of the ordinary steam craftof the river from Philadelphia to the offing of the capes. The gentleman also read from what he said was a Philadelphia paper concerning the brack ish water about League Island and in front of Philadelphia. It was from a paper which, let its imprint be Philadelphia or where it may, was printed, or at least got up, if not printed, at some point very remote from Philadelphia, and most probably cast of Philadelphia. It spoke of27 miles of miasmatic marsh land south of the navy yard, and of the brack ish water there, and 'ct the gentleman tells us that the river is closed with ice for 3 months in every year, notwithstanding the fact, as he asserts it, that the water is so brackish. Sir, the records kept at the Philadelphia Hos pital and at the Merchants’ Exchange show that for 40 years there has not been one single day when the navigation of the Dela ware 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 of Philadelphia with drining water through the public works of the city. And yet gentlemen are gravely told that the water there is brackish, and arguments are rested upon an assertion at which even a Philadelphia unatic would sneer. But more than this, as ifto stain the insanity that ruled the gentleman’s hour, the House was substantially told that the whole U.S. are in league against Connecticut, and especially against the quietsea side village of newLondon; that when the gentleman arrived here to take his seat in diis Congress be found that the State of Pennsylvania and the Navy Dept had been organizing a movement to exclude him from the Naval Committee of this House, but that he Overcame that State and the Dept, and achieved a commanding position on the Naval Committee; and with a want of generosity and candor for which I hope, Mr. peaker, he will apologize to you, created the impression, so far as his words could do so, that you had acted the partisan, entered into the conspiracy, and a pointed 2 members from Pennsylvania to the ComNavAffrs. Sir, the gentleman, well informed and studious of such matters as he is, must have known that you did but follow precedent in this particular. When you became Speaker you found that there had been one member. of the Naval Committee from Philadelphia and one from the valley of the Ohio, in western Pennsylvania. Hon. John P. Verree had been the member from Philadelphia, and the Gentfrom Pittsbur, who now so ably represents that district, [Mr. Mooniimn] was the other to whom I refer. There were then from NewEngland 2 members of the Naval Committee the Gentfrom Maine, [Mr. PiKE] and the Gentfrom Massachusetts, [Mr. Itics] the accomplished chairman of the committee. There were 27 members of this House from NewEngland and 24 from Pennsylvania. The delegation from NewEng land and the delegation from Pennsylvania, so nearly equal numerically, each had 2 members on that committee. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman who thus reflected upon you, and who would impress the country with the conviction that he is the victim of a conspiracy, was added by you to NewEngland’s 2 members, while you gave Pennsy vania only what our predecessor had done one member from hiladel bio and one from the valley of the Ohio. the gentleman in the midst ofhis whining over the wrongs done NewEngland in his person, forgot that of members of the Naval Committee, as constitutedby you, NewEngland has one for every 9 members, while Penn iglvania has one for but eve 12. But e gentleman seemed to be disposed to run a muck against the world. He seemed to have forgotten that parliamentary proprieties were, or were likely to be, re rded yanybody when he thus assailed you, 1i Mr. Speaker, for not having more promptly seen his distinguished fitness for the Naval Committee, and visited NewLon don to invite him to acce t a place upon it. Sir, I shall not follow the gentleman’s rodo montade imaginings and slander. He is not ignorant of the facts of the case; he has examined this chart; he has stood by the well on League Island which gives forth ure spring water filtered through gravel. when, sir, he examined this chart he saw that that whole island, channel and all, was underlaid with gravel, for here is the drawing of a cross section marking the distance at less than 25 feet below the surface at which water bearing gravel and heavy boulders are found. He saw that no foot of it was alluvial foundation, for within 3 feetof the surface is found black clay laminated with fine sand, which he is' too well informed to regard as an alluvial deposit. He knows that League Island is part of the mainland, intersected from it by an over flow of one or the other rivers and subsequent washing. Will it, as he asserts, take 60 or 90 feet of piling to render that island suitable for the erection of buildings? Commodore Tur ner, who has had charge of the island, and who assisted in building the fortifications at Fort Mifliin, on the south bank of the Schuyl kill, half a mile from it, on' kindred ground, has assured the committee that piles could not be well driven to the depth of 30 feet; that they would strike heavy boulders at the depth of from 25 to thirt feet. The gentleman has also been assure by the oliicer of the Coast Survey detailed to superintend the boring of the island and report the results, with the scientific detail of 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 for any buildings or machinery except under the trip hammer' that 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 view of these facts rung into his ears by honorable gentlemen, he tells this House that League Island is a mass of mud upon which nobody would think of building a barn. Sir, the gentleman has been entertained in what was the unostentations summer residence of the former owner of the island; he has seen the cellars of the houses upon it; and he has drank with me of the water from the velly s rin s that furnish water to the healt y people who reside on the island. Sir, this discussion has not. as I have said, been a plensant one to me, though I do enjoy a g‘iIznerous public discussion. ow, sir, let us look at what is proposed by the bill before us. I regret exceedingly that the Gentfrom Connecticut would not permit the Gentfrom Wisconsin [Mr. Pummos] to offer his amendment. Sir, there is no thought of maintaining the present petty yard at Philadelphia one day after the mate rial there accumulated can be transferred to League Island. But on this point let the SecyNavy, the author of this project, speak for himself. In his communication of. pay 9, 1864, addressed to this House through the Speaker, he said: “ Having in view economy.as well as the public necessities. I have at no time recommendedthat the number of our navy yardsshould beincreasedon the Atlantic coast but it is my deliberate opinion that no time should bewastedin establishingat a proper place a suitable yard whereiron ships can bemade and repaired." Again, in his annual report of December 5, 1864, he said:. "It hasneverbeenthe purpose of the dept, in any of its SRBKOHLIOoHrBrecommendations.to increasethe number of our navy yards, nor to alter their localdistribution. Theyard which wenow have at Philadelphia is altoactherinadequateto our present or future wants. It was proposed.therefore.to substitutea new one on the Delaware. in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Lc no Island, within the tim its of that city. if ndopte us a site, must gradually absorb the works at the present yard, which would then bediscontinued." Hear his description of what we want, which after all is a description of League Island and all the advantages it embodies: “A navy yard, if we have one for naval iron work, should be established on freshwater. for this is essential to the preservation ofironycssels. which cannot be laid up in salt water daring peace. Ready accessto coal. iron and timber is alsoimportant, for theseessentialarticles should be alwaysavailable on the inland waterswithout exposure to an enemyby constwisetransportation. The vicinity ofalarge cit, whereskilled artisanscan be obtainedwithout diculty and the facilities of markets and tenementsare abundant, should be considered. A foundation of gravel would, for the purposesofmacbinery. bepref erable to stone. An exteuswo water frontage must also besecured.For such a depotand establishment, wherecostlymachinery and materialwould accumu luto during yearsof peace. the advantagesof an inte rior locationare uiostinauilcst. Thesefavorablecon ditions are to beobtainednowhere clausecomlately ason the Delaware river; and the position of engue Island. within the limits of the city of Philadelphia, presentsprobablyastronizercombinntion of the points that are necessarythan any other location.” But, sir, gentlemen say that the SecyNavy is not a scientific mnn. Well, then, let us turn from him to one of the most thor oughly scientific engineers of the country. We sent the chiefengincer of the Navy Dept, Mr. King, abroad to examine the naval stations of other nations. We also sent him alon our whole coast to ascertain the capabilitieso our own land. What does he say on the question? I ask gentlemen who insist on scientific information to listen to Mr. King, when, instructed by“his extended travel and observation, he says: For the location of such a yard wehave advan tagesin our greatrivers not possessedby any Euro peannation. In an entirelysecureposition, for from the sea, in fresh water, and Within easyreachof iron and coal, an iron yard may be erected. These nd vantagesare weighty and cannot beoverestimated. Still we have anotheradynntage; the riseand full of our tides beingpompnratively so small. wc do not necessarilyre uiro basin accommodations thomost exponsivqof juropeundock yard constructions all we need in this regard being a position atIordinx amplewlrarfancrooin. "Location does not belong properly to the subycct mutter of this report. but cannot beconsidered entirely foreign to it. because it is the ilhil and most important COliHdeflltlOll. Government oliicials in England nnd'Frunce were free in eXpressingtheir opinions to mo. that since the invention of gunscapa bleof propollingdcstructiveprojeotilcsseveral miles, and the construction of armoredships.aniiilnudlocation forafireatdock yard becomesalmostimpi nitive. "The a vantagesof freshwater for iron vesselsto lie in when repairing and fitting out is anotherpoint to beconsidered, for it mustberememberedthat.the adhesion of barnacles, oysters, and musselstn the bottomofiron vessels, while lying still in sea water, is rapid and excessive; in fresh water the iron is entirely free from them. “ The navy yard at Philadelphia does not coveras much ground as the basin water area in anyoneof the principal European dock yards; it hasonly two‘ coveredbuilding slips. with the necessarywood work shopsand store houses.iindis not providedwith any stonedocksor moansofrepairing steammachinery. I will not weary the House by laying before it the volume of such information, but will ceed to show wh I think we ought not to gro a opt the substitute su mitted by the Gentfrom Connecticut. It is, to borrow a legal phrase, a mere dilator motion. It is entered for the purpose of dea, for the purpose of keeping the question open, and compelling a compromise between those who do not think we need additional naval stations and those who think we ought to at one where my friendfrom NewYork [Mr. once] saw the city bombarded with the short range guns used during the war of 1812. That gentleman tells me that he was old enough to sit with his father on the family orch and see British vessels bombard New.ondon in 1812. And this motion is entered to force a compromise by which the Government shall not acquire an enlarged station at Philadelphia until Congress consents to build another one at that most exposed point of our coast. While on that question letme answer a query lit to my colleague b the Gentfrom Illinois, [Mr. Mounrou, whether there was not den or that our iron vessels might be closed in at cague Island by an enemy's fleet. The ver able pamphlet entitled “The Advantages of league Island, ” by a NewEngland man which has won the commendation of Admiral Porter, Commodore Stribling, and Commodore Turner, and indeed I may say the approval of the whole Navy, says: "During the lust war with GreatBritain. Chesa cako baywas blockaded by a British fleet lying at you Haven bay and 'NewLondon was blockuded by a similar fleetlying in Gardner‘sbay. Both these positionsarestill available to anenemyfor that purpose, but there is no anchoraizeat the mouth of the olaware or nearer than the 2 placesjust mentioned, where an enemy's fleet of iron clads can anchor securely. The draught of water of the foreign iron clads is too greatfor themto anchorbehind the Delaware breakwater. Consequently this river assessesan economical adyuuta c for a navy yard from its geographical position. which renders large expendituresfor fortificationscompartively unnecessary. I now yield for a few moments to the Gentfrom Wisconsin.