A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND LABOR SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION FOR CONTINGENT EXPENSES SHIPPING SERVICE. MARCH 5, 1904.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, copy of a communication from the Secretary of Commerce and Labor of the 3d instant, submitting an estimate of appropriation for "contingent expenses shipping service" for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1905, $9,000. Respectfully, L. M. SHAW, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to forward herewith for transmission to the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, a letter that was addressed to me under date of the 1st ultimo by the Commissioner of Navigation, requesting that an item of $9,000 for "Contingent expenses, shipping service," be inserted in the sundry civil appropriation bill. The recommendation of the Commissioner of Navigation in thi regard has my approval, and I trust it will receive favorable consider GEORGE B. CORTELYOU, ation. Respectfully, The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, SIR: I have the honor to recommend that the Department, throug the usual channels, transmit the following item (see Estimates of Appro priations for 1904, p. 308), to be inserted in the sundry civil bill, unde the head of miscellaneous objects, Department of Commerce and Labor Contingent expenses, shipping service. Contingent expenses, shipping service (act of Mar. 3, 1897, vol. 29, p. 687, sec. 1; Decision Supreme Court, Nos. 189, 190, October term, 1896, May 24, 1897) Rent, furniture, stationery, printing, and other requirements for the business of shipping commissioners' offices Respectfully, $9,00 E. T. CHAMBERLAIN, Commissioner. The SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, Washington, D. C. SEAGOING STEAM TENDER FOR THIRTEENTH LIGHTHOUSE DISTRICT. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, TRANSMITTING A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND LABOR SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION FOR SEAGOING STEAM TENDER FOR THIRTEENTH LIGHT-HOUSE DISTRICT. MARCH 5, 1904.-Referred to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, copy of a communication from the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, of the 26th ultimo, submitting an estimate of appropriation for a new seagoing steam tender for use in the thirteenth light-house district, $150,000. Respectfully, L. M. SHAW, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: The inspector and engineer of the thirteenth light-house district, who have charge of the light-houses, buoys and other aids to navigation in Alaska, state that there is no light-house tender, except the Heather, now available on the Pacific coast able to care for, supply, inspect, and maintain the light-houses, light-vessels, buoys and other aids to navigation on the coasts of Oregon and Washington, which are in the thirteenth light-house district. There are in this light-house district the tender Heather, the tender Manzanita, and the tender Columbine. The tender Heather is thoroughly competent to look after the aids to navigation in Alaskan waters, but the Board is now forced to use her in caring for the aids to navigation on the coasts of Oregon and Washington. The tender Manzanita has been in use for nearly twenty-five years, and hence will be under repair for a portion of each year. She will be well able to care for the aids to navigation on the coasts of Oregon and Washington, but for the fact that her steaming radius is short, while her structural weakness, due to age, is such as to render it unsafe to expose her to the protracted gales which may be encountered in passing from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on the way to the inland waters of Washington. The tender Columbine is used for construction and repair service, and the assignment to this duty is regarded as essential to the success of the operations in the Thirteenth light-house district. Moreover, her steaming radius and cargo capacity are inadequate for the work of supplying stations in western Alaska. In view of these facts this Department is of opinion that a new seagoing tender is required for use in the Thirteenth light-house district; for, when the tender Heather is sent to Alaskan waters, for which duty she was originally designed, the tenders Manzanita and Columbine unaided will not be able to properly look after the aids to navigation on the coats of Oregon and Washington. For these reasons this Department, in concurrence with the LightHouse Board's views, as stated in a resolution passed at its session on February 1, 1904, recommends that an appropriation of $150,000 be nade to obtain a proper steam tender for use in the Thirteenth lighthouse district. GEORGE B. CORTELYOU, Secretary. |