+. S. by ibis Days M01l.

CONGRESS u. S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..
LkE
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HCUSE OF REPRFSLNIA


Ndnesday March %.


First Meridian for the y. States.


Mr.. Pilkin from the committee to
whom was committed the memorial
of William Lambert. made report
concluding with the following resoIu.
tIon:


.Resoloed. That i, is expedien, to
make provision by law aulhorising
the president of the u. S. TO cause
the longitude of the city OF Washing
ton, from the observatory at Green
wich, in England, to be ascer,ained
with the greatest degree Of accuracy,
and also au,horising him, for that pur-
pose. to procure the necessary astron-
omical instruments.


Mr.. P. said as lie was desirous that
bill should pass on the subject at
this session, he did not move refer
ence Of the report to committee OF
the whole, but moved that it lie ON
the table, to give gentlemen time to
consider it before he asked decision
on it.


The report was accordingly order
ed to lie on the table.


GUN.BOATS,


Mr.. Van Dyke said j, would be re-
collected that at the first session OF
the ten:h congress law had been pas
scd au,horis,ng to purchase or en-
ploymen, Of a number Of gun-boa,s.
for which purpose sum of upwards
OF 100000 dollars had been appro,
priated. 1t appeared from report of
the secretary ofthe navy that the pre-.
sent annual expence of keeping them
in ordinary was $4,000 dollars. In
another report from the secretary of
the navy, made to a committee of the
senate, it appeared that number of
those gun.boats had been built Of
green materials, and if suffered to re.


main in service for a year would


scarcely be worth the expence of re.
pairing them. Those facts having


been ascertsined, an attempt was made
/ (unsuccessfully, ) at the las, session to


enquire whether it would not be pru.


dent to authorise the president to sell


the gun.boats or part of them


Mr.. Van Dyke said it was now about


the close of the session, and for any
. thing he had yet ascertsincd, he was
5 not induced to suppose that the whole
Dumber OF gun.boats would be neccs
sary in any event. If peace was to
result, they would be unques'ionably
; unnecessary: if war, and the opinion


of the secretary of the navy was TO be
j.. confided i'll, in all probability mum.
!, Der of them would be found unfi. &c
. be employed in the public service. -


In every view of the subject, Mr..
:. Van Dyke said it appeared proper ,e
o him that an enquiry should be made,
He moved the following resolution
d which he said he presumed would moi


be objected to by any gentleman ir


the house:


Resolved, That the committee


on our naval establishment be instruc.
N ted TO enquire into the expediency o
'' au,horising the president Of the Uni
!. !, ted States to sell such ofthe gun.boat:
: belonging 10 the United States as he
Ut may Judge unfit or unnecessary to bs
IS employed in the public service" .r.~
re The resolution was agrcedto.
Hovcn D;llc