Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/91

 90 Southern Historical Society Papers.

The Merrimac and the Monitor Report of the Committee on Naval Affairs.

48TH CONGRESS, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ) REPORT ist Session. } j No. 1725.

OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE UNITED STATES STEAMER MONITOR.

MAY 31, 1884. Laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

Mr. BALLENTINE, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted

the following

REPO RT:

[To accompany bill H. R. 244.]

The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 244) for the relief of the Officers and Crew of the United States Steamer Monitor, who participated in the action with the Rebel Iron-clad Merrimac, on the yth day of March, 1862, re- spectfully submit the following Report :

This is an application by the officers and crew of the United States Steamer Monitor, who participated in the action in Hampton Roads on the Qth day of March, 1862, with the Confederate iron-clad steamer Merrimac, or Virginia, for the payment to them by the United States of the actual value of the iron-clad Merrimac and her arma- ment at the date of said action, not exceeding $200,000, to be dis- tributed in lieu of the bounty provided by section 4,635 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and in proportion fixed by law in cases where the capturing or destroying vessel was acting independently of the commanding officer of a fleet, squadron, or division, and for the appropriation of $200,000.

This application or memorial was presented to the House of Rep- resentatives at the second session of the Forty-third Congress, referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, and no action taken on it until January 9, 1882, when it was again presented to the House of Representatives with like reference. A report was submitted by the committee recommending the passage of the bill.

The history of the case, which is relied on in support of this bill, is as follows :