Mr. GltlMES. I am not aware thattho ComNavAffrs have solicited the opinion of the Navy Dept as to whether such a resolution as this should pass Congress or not, and I do not know that it is necessary that we should do it. The question before that committee was, what isdue to the Government and what is due to Mr. Forbes, standing in the relation that he does to the Government? And we thought that the committee and Congress could decide that as well as the SecyNavy; and I think the SecyNavy would concur with us in that opinion. The history of this shipis somewhat instruct ive. It will be remembered that at the commencement of the war we had no fast steam ships. All the steam vessels of the Navy had auxiliary steam power, only to be used under emergencies, and the average rate of speed of the fastest of the vessels at that time was about 8 knots. A clamor was at once raised (in consequence of the attempts to run Jhe blockade established on our coast) against the Navy Dept, assi ning as a reason that the Navy Dept had been exceedingly derelict in its duty of securing to the Government‘ fast steamships. Among the persons who were most clamorous against the government was a gentleman in NewYork by the name of Dickerson who was connected with several patents, among which was Sicklcs’s cut off, and who, although a lawyer, professed to be, and to some extent is, well acuainted with the theory of steam engines. le had connected his cut off with some paddle wheel steamers belonging to the house of Russell & Co., in China, to run upon the Chinese waters, of which house Paul S. Forbes is one of the members, and is the active agent for them in this country, I believe. Mr. Forbes was induced, upon the representations of Mr. Dick person, to believe that he could construct a vessel that would exceed in speed any vessel belonging to the avy or that could he built by the Navy; and ata time when there was agreat deal of excitement on the subject he came to the Navy Dept and proposed to build a vessel of certain dimensmns that should draw a.certain amount of water, I do not now remember how much, and carry a certain amount of armament, and should steam at the rate of 15 knots an hour. He entered into that contract. He was to receive for this $600,000. which was to be paid in installments. Of that amount $550,000 has already been paid. The hull of this vessel is a most excellent one, as I understand,nnd as the committee are informed. It was planned by Steers, of NewYork. When this question was before the Senate at the last session upon the point whether or not we would make an advance to Mr. Forbes exceedin the amount that was allowed to be advanced by the SecyNavy according to the stipulations of the contract, we were informed at the Navy Dept that the hull of the vessel and the engine if taken out and used as old iron would be equal in value to the amount that we would advance by that bill; that is to say, $550,000. The vessel has been completed and has had 2 trial trips, and instead of making the speed that Mr. Forbes contracted for and which he anticipated, as did his engineer, Mr. Dickerson, and instead of beating the Navy Dept vessels, it is only claimed by her friends that she makes somewhere in the neighborhood of 9 knots an hour. T he engineers of the Navy Dept proper say that she does not make that much speed, but I believe it is not claimed that she does make more than that. NO“, it is proposed that the Government take the vessel at $600,000, and the committee were unanimously of opinion that that was a fair proposition to Mr. Forbes and to the Government. It is my conviction, and such was the opinion of the committee, and I am satisfied thntis the opinion also of the Navy Dept, that the Government would not be injured in any regard by accepting it on those terms; but Mr. Forbes does not want to let the Government have her at $600,000. "He wants the privilege of selling her, and thinks he can sell her to orei a parties or the representatives of foreign govern mcuts for a considerable sum over $600,000, for she has cost him $350,000 in excess of the amount that he received under the contract. Hence the alternative in the resolution, authorizing the SecyNavy, if he sees titleaving it discretionary with him to allow Mr. Forbes to take the vessel, he paying back to the Government the amount that has been aid by the Government to him. It has been intimated by the Senfrom Illinois, I believe, that we have no necessity for this vessel.