Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 96.
(Report No. 106.)
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
January 19, 1848.
Read twice, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union.
Mr. Levin, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported
the following bill:
A BILL
To amend the act, entitled “An act making appropriations for
the naval service for the year ending the thirtieth of June,
on thousand eight hundred and forty-eight,” approved March
three, eighteen hundred and forty-seven.

Whereas, in the act, entitled “An act making appropriations for the naval service,” &c., approved March three, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, it was among other things provided, that the Secretary of the Navy should cause to be constructed at each of the navy yards at Kittery, Philadelphia, and Pensacola, a floating dry dock for ships-of-the-line, with basin and railways at Philadelphia, and reference thereto at the other places on such plan as should be preferred by the Secretary of the navy; and whereas, the two plans of floating dry docks, known as the “balance and the the “sectional”

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floating dry dock, have been reported to him by a board of commissioners and by the Bureau of Yards and Docks, who were directed to examine all the plans, as those which are best adapted to the naval service; and whereas, the said plans being patented inventions, the said works can be constructed only in that way, and it is, therefore, expedient to amend said act as to confer such power: therefore—

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16 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby di-
rected forthwith, in execution of the act of March third
eighteen hundred and forty-seven, making appropriations
for the naval service, &c., to enter into a contract with
Samuel D. Dakin and Rutherford Moody for the complete
construction, within a reasonable time from the date of the
contract, of a sectional floating dry dock, basin, and rail-
ways, at the navy yard at Philadelphia, according to the
plan and specifications recently submitted by them to the
Navy Department; and also to enter into a contract with
John S. Gilbert, Zeno Secor, and associates, for the com-
plete construction, within a reasonable time from the date
of the contract, of a balance floating dry dock, basin, and
railways, at the navy yard at Pensacola, according to the

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10 plan and specifications recently submitted by them to the
Navy Department; and also to enter into a contract with
one or the other of the respective parties above-named, for
the complete construction, within a reasonable time from
the date of the contract, at the navy yard at Kittery, of a
floating dry dock, basin, and railways, upon either of the
above-named plans that the said Secretary may prefer as
best adapted to said yard; the said works at each yard to
be of the largest dimensions proposed in said plans and
specifications: Provided, That in each case such contract
can be made at prices that shall not exceed by more than
ten per cent the estimates, which have been submitted by
the said proprietors to the Navy Department, of the cost
of a floating dry dock on either of said plans, and of the
basin and railways of the dimensions aforesaid, at any of
said navy yards.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the sum of
four hundred thousand dollars is hereby appropriated to-
wards said works from any money in the treasury not other-
wise appropriated, which sum together with the sums that
remain unexpended of the appropriations made by said act
of March third, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, for float-
ing dry docks at the three navy yard aforesaid, shall be ap-
plied towards the payments to be provided for in the said
contracts, and be equally divided between the said con-
tracts for the said works at the three navy yards aforesaid.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby di- rected forthwith, in execution of the act of March third eighteen hundred and forty-seven, making appropriations for the naval service, &c., to enter into a contract with Samuel D. Dakin and Rutherford Moody for the complete construction, within a reasonable time from the date of the contract, of a sectional floating dry dock, basin, and rail- ways, at the navy yard at Philadelphia, according to the plan and specifications recently submitted by them to the Navy Department; and also to enter into a contract with John S. Gilbert, Zeno Secor, and associates, for the com- plete construction, within a reasonable time from the date of the contract, of a balance floating dry dock, basin, and railways, at the navy yard at Pensacola, according to the
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17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	plan and specifications recently submitted by them to the Navy Department; and also to enter into a contract with one or the other of the respective parties above-named, for the complete construction, within a reasonable time from the date of the contract, at the navy yard at Kittery, of a floating dry dock, basin, and railways, upon either of the above-named plans that the said Secretary may prefer as best adapted to said yard; the said works at each yard to be of the largest dimensions proposed in said plans and specifications: Provided, That in each case such contract can be made at prices that shall not exceed by more than ten per cent the estimates, which have been submitted by the said proprietors to the Navy Department, of the cost of a floating dry dock on either of said plans, and of the basin and railways of the dimensions aforesaid, at any of said navy yards. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the sum of four hundred thousand dollars is hereby appropriated to- wards said works from any money in the treasury not other- wise appropriated, which sum together with the sums that remain unexpended of the appropriations made by said act of March third, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, for float- ing dry docks at the three navy yard aforesaid, shall be ap- plied towards the payments to be provided for in the said contracts, and be equally divided between the said con- tracts for the said works at the three navy yards aforesaid.