Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 434.
(No Report.)
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
April 26, 1848.
Read twice, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union.
Mr. T. Butler King, from the Committee on Naval Affairs,
reported the following bill:
A BILL
To provide for the construction of twenty sloop-of-war brigs.

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4 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That, for the purpose of affording more effi-
cient protection to our commerce, it shall be the duty of
the Secretary of the Navy to cause to be constructed
twenty sloop-of-war brigs, of not less than four hundred
and fifty tons burthen each, and capable of carrying a suit-
able armament of long heavy guns.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, for the
purpose of testing the skill of architects employed in
building merchant ships, and the expense of building ships
of war by contract, the Secretary of the Navy is hereby

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3 directed to have ten of said brigs built by contract, No
person to be allowed to contract for, or to build any one
of them, unless he produce the most satisfactory evidence
that he is regarded as among the most skillful ship-builders
in our country. All bids for said contracts to be opened
in presence of the bidders.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Secre-
tary of the Navy shall not in any manner interfere with
or dictate, respecting the models of said brigs, but he shall
require of the contractors such security as he may judge
proper for the faithful performance and fulfilment of their
contracts, which shall provide that the said brigs shall, in
all respects, be as strongly built, and that they shall ac-
commodate their officers, and berth their crews as comfor-
tably, and carry as heavy an armament as those of equal
tonnage built at the navy yards, and that they shall sail
faster than any vessel of war known in our own or any
other service, and shall be constructed of such materials as
the Secretary of the Navy may direct.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secre-
retary of the Navy shall appoint experienced naval archi-
tects to inspect the building of said brigs.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the sum of
one million of dollars is hereby appropriated towards the
construction of said brigs.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, for the purpose of affording more effi- cient protection to our commerce, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to cause to be constructed twenty sloop-of-war brigs, of not less than four hundred and fifty tons burthen each, and capable of carrying a suit- able armament of long heavy guns. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, for the purpose of testing the skill of architects employed in building merchant ships, and the expense of building ships of war by contract, the Secretary of the Navy is hereby
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5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1 2 3 1 2 3	directed to have ten of said brigs built by contract, No person to be allowed to contract for, or to build any one of them, unless he produce the most satisfactory evidence that he is regarded as among the most skillful ship-builders in our country. All bids for said contracts to be opened in presence of the bidders. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Secre- tary of the Navy shall not in any manner interfere with or dictate, respecting the models of said brigs, but he shall require of the contractors such security as he may judge proper for the faithful performance and fulfilment of their contracts, which shall provide that the said brigs shall, in all respects, be as strongly built, and that they shall ac- commodate their officers, and berth their crews as comfor- tably, and carry as heavy an armament as those of equal tonnage built at the navy yards, and that they shall sail faster than any vessel of war known in our own or any other service, and shall be constructed of such materials as the Secretary of the Navy may direct. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secre- retary of the Navy shall appoint experienced naval archi- tects to inspect the building of said brigs. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the sum of one million of dollars is hereby appropriated towards the construction of said brigs.