501() CONGR.ESSIONAL REOORD-JlOUSE. JULY 31, RIVER .AND HARBOR BILL. EQUIPMENT OFFICE, UNITED STATES STEAMER ANTIETAM, League Island, December 29, 1&75. :Mr. ALLISON, from the Committee pn Appropriations, to whom Sm: I would respectfully state th:~t I have expended the sum of $4,144.04 in re­ was recommitted the bill (H. R. No. 302"2) makin~ appropriations for monng the equipment stores, material. &c., from the Philadelpbit~ na\'Y·yard to the repair, preservation, and completion of certam P';lbli~ works on League Island. This includes loading and unloading, teaming, stowing on board rivers and harbors, and for other purp_oses, reported It with amend- ship, hauling, and mooring ship. Iu removing the chains rhave expended $908.29 out of an appropriation of $1, 1~. ments. · . The stores, material. &c., of this department are all stowed on board oftho Antie­ BILL L~TRODUCED. tam in gootl condition and free from damage. Very respectfully, &c., Mr. DORSEY Mked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leavo to C. H. WELLS, introduce a bill (S. No. 1009) to amend an act entitled "An act Oaptain United States Navy, Equipment Office1'. authorizing the repaving of _Pennsylva:nia avenue,". approved Ju_Iy Commodore GEORGE H. PREDLE, United States Navy, 19, 1876; which was read twice by Its title, referred to the Comrmt­ Oom'm(lndantNavy-yard, LM[fJ,C Island. tee on the District of Columbia, and ordered to bo printed. EXECUTIVE SESSION. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE, UNITED STATES NAVY·YARI>, On motion of :Mr. LOGAN, the Senate proceeded to the considera­ Leq_gue Island, Penn81Jlvania., DP.cember 30, 1875. Sm: I forward herewith for the information of the Bureau a copy of a. com­ tion of executive business. After three minutes spent in executive munication from Capt.'l.in Wells equipment offioor, reportin:; the amount expended session the doors were re-opened, and (at six o'clock and twenty-five in removing the stol'es, ma.teriais &c., from the Philadelphta. navy-yard to Lea:rue minutes p. m) the Senate adjourned. Island, together with the amount1 expended in removing the chain to League Isl­ and. Captain Wells is, I think, to be commende(l for the good order and economical manner in which the material belonging to the Bureau ha.s been transferred. Very respectfully, &c., GEO. HENRY PREBLE, Oommodore, Oomm!Zndant. Captain R. W. SHUFELDT, U. S. N., ROUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Ohief of Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting, Washington, D. a. }{OND.A.Y, July 31, 1876. NAVY DEPARTMKNT, BUREAU OF EQUIPME~"T AND RECRUITING, The House met at twelve o'clock m. Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. Washingtcn•, December 31, 1875. I. L. TOWNSEND. Sm: The Bureau hasreceivedyourletter of the 30th instant, No. 64, and is highly The Journal of Saturday was read and approved. grn.tified to learn that the equipment stores have been so economically and success­ fully removed to League Island under the supervision of Captain Wells, and that CORRECTION. the stores, materials, &c., under cognizance of this Bureau have been stored on board of the Antiot4lm in good condition and free from damage. :Mr. JONES, of Kentucky. I desire to correct the RECORD. It states Very respectfully, your obedient servant, that I have asked leave of absence for ten days. I have asked no R. W. SHUFELDT, 'leave of absence, and I do not know how the statement got into the Ohief of Bureau. Commodore G. H. PREBLE, RECORD. Oomma.ndant lia'IJy·Yard, Lea(}'ll£ Island, Pennsylvania. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Probably it refers to the gentleman from New Hampshire, [Mr. JoNEs.] The correction will be made. Captain Clark H. Wells. Born in Pennsylvania. .Appointed a midshipman from Pennsylvania Soptember 2.5, 1840 ; attached to the North Carolina, 1840; frigato THE MESSAGE FROM SENATE. Brandywine and sloop Fairfield, 1840 and 1841: razoe Independence~,~ome squad­ A message from the Senate, by Mr. SYMPSON, one of its clerks, ron, 184:2 and 1843; sloop Levant, Pacific squadron, 1844 and 1845; ~a.val School, Annapolis, 1846. announced that the Senate was ready to proceed with the t1ial of the Graduated and became pMsed midshi.J.>man, July 11, 1846. Durin"' Mexican war: impeachment of William W. Belknap and to receive the managers In brig Somers, blockading Vera <.:ruz, m 1846; in gunboat Petref. 1846 and 1i47, on the part of the House, and that Senate Chamber was prepared during which time she joined Tatnall 's flotilla in the attack upon tho castle of San with accommodations for the reception of the House of Representa­ J nan d'Ulloa and the city of Vern Cruz; took part also in the capture of Tuspan autl Tampico. To the EMt Indies and " around the world," in tbe sloop Plymouth tives. and brig Dolphin, 1848, 1849, 1850, and 18.31; receiving-ship Philadelphia, 1852; NAVAL I~VESTIGATON. store-slnp Fredonia, at Valparaiso, 1852, 1E53, 1854, and 1855. CommiSsionefl a.'! lieutenant ~eptcmber 14, 1~5; Naval Observatory, Washing· Several members rose. ton, 1856; in 18a6 attached to bark Resolute, (originally an English man-of·war The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair cannot consent to have the abandoned in tho Arctic Seas and subReqnently recovered and brought to the United morning hour postponed any longer than is absolutely necessary. States by tl1e American whale-ship George Henry; Congress by joint re olution, The calling of the previous question on Saturday upon the report of dated .August~. 1856, banng purchased her fi'Om tho salvors and ordered her res­ the Committee on Naval Affairs gives that subject precedence of toration to the British government, she sailed for England November 13, 1856 ;) in steam-frigate SllSqneh:~nna anfl Watcrwitch, home squadron, 1858; steamer course, and the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. WmTIHOru.'E] is en­ Metacomet, Paraguay expedition, 1859. titled to the :floor for one hour. During the rebellion: Commanded sloop Vandalia., South Atlantic blockading Mr. WHITTHORNE. Before -proceeding with my remarks I will squadron, 1861 and 1862; was executive officer of the steamer Susqnc.hanna in the yield to several gentlemen who desire to obtain leave to print. battle of Port Poyal; his vessel, the Susquehanna. struck thirty-sh:: times and badly cut 11p, was ~>v.ecially mentioned in Admiral DuPont's official report; was •·• Mr. THOR.l'ffiURGH and Mr. HARDENBERGH obtained leave to sent several times w1th sailors and marines to re-enforce the Unailillo when much have printed in the RECORD remarks upon the pending question. exposed to night attacks in Wri .~bt's River, South Carolina.; commanded sloop :Mr. WHITTHORNE. I now yield for a moment to the gentleman Dale, IF~, and brou,(!bt her to Philadelpbi.l. Commissioned aslieutenant-commamler July 16, 1862; navy-yard, Philadelphia, from Philadelphia, [Mr. FREEMAN.] 1863; commanded Galena, when rebnilt as wooden gunboat, in WeRt Gulf I!CJ113d.· Mr. FREEMAN. I have here a communication from the comman­ ron, 1864; frequently drew the fire of Fort Morgan while running in and sllellillg dant of the Philadelphia navy-yard, which he has desired me to lay blockade-runners under the fort's guns; took part in tho Mobile fight; during I he before the House, and which I ask may be printed in the RECORD. passage of the forts the Galena and Oneida, lashed together, brought up the rear and sufl'ered severely from the fire of the forts aml Tennessee, a. shell from the There lieing no objection, it was ordered accordingly. latter exploding the Oneida's boiler, so that she was towed in by her consort; after The communication is as follows : Captain Mullany of the Oneida. had 1.ti.'! arm shot a.way,opposite the fort-s, the com­ mand of both ves.csels devolve£! upon Lieutenant-Commander Wells; tho Galena's Co:MMAND&'\T's OFFICE, UNITED STATES NAVY·YARD, services were specially mentioned in Admiral Farragut's official repoTt; Com­ · League Island, July 26, 1876. mander Wells alao rcwived a. commendatory letter from the Admiral himself, in MY DEAR Sm: As it is just as likely that in the debate on Friday next in the which he says: Rouse on the majority and minority reports of theNa val Committee in relation to "That in your case I depart from roy rumal cnstom not to give lett-ers for good the dismantling of the navy-yard at Philadelphia. I might be assailed by those conduct in time of war where there is an immetliato commander first to forward it; members of the committee who politically sought materml for the next presiden­ but inasmuch as Captain Mullany was wounded and tho command of the two ves­ tial campairn to be nsed against the Administration which I have supported, I sels (Oneida and GaJ.eua) devolvecl upon you, o.nd were carried through the battle have deemea it proper to furnish you with a copy of my official record. I also cal1 with great gallantry, I take p;reat pleasure in giving my official testimony t-o your to your attention the within copies of letters from the Chief of Bureau of Equip­ very meritorious conduct in that engagement, ancl trust that in the future it may :QJent an<l Recruiting, and from my predecessor, Commodore Preble, in relation to be of service to you." the manner in which I dischar~ed my duties in removing the stores of the equip­ East Gulf squadron, 1864, refittted in Philadelphia and joined .Admiral Porter's ment department of which I had charge. squadron on the James River; remained thoro until tho close of the war. Com· My testimony I presume you have looked over, and which Hon. Mr.