[No. 76.] TO APPOINT WILBUR F. COGSWELL AN ASSISTANT ENGINEER IN THE NAVY (H. R. 15515). DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, Washington, February 12, 1910. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Referring to your letter of the 3d instant inclosing a bill (H. R. 15515) "to appoint Wilbur F. Cogswell an assistant engineer in the navy and place him on the retired list," and requesting the views and recommendations of the department relative thereto, I have the honor to inform you that the record of service of the proposed beneficiary above named while in the navy is as follows: 1864, August 17: Appointed an acting third assistant engineer and assigned to duty on the U. S. S. Mohican, later serving on the Atlanta and Boxer. 1865, September 5: Detached from U. S. S. Boxer and granted two months' leave prior to discharge. 1865, November 7: Honorably discharged this date. 1866, July 12: Appointed an acting third assistant engineer and ordered to report for duty on the U. S. S. Tallapoosa; served on that vessel until April 10, 1867, when detached and ordered to New Orleans for duty in connection with ironclads. 1868, August 28: Detached from duty and mustered out of naval service. There appears to be nothing in the above record that would entitle Mr. Cogswell to the reward of being placed on the retired list of the navy, the record showing that he was in the service but a few years, and has not been connected therewith for over forty years. If the measure under consideration were enacted into law it would establish a precedent which might very possibly be followed by numerous applications for similar benefits, the applicants having no greater claim for recognition than has Mr. Cogswell. In view of the foregoing facts, and also of the further fact that the bill falls within the category of special legislation, the enactment of which does not appear advisable, the department does not recommend its favorable consideration, but leaves the matter to the discretion of the committee. Faithfully, yours, The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, G. v. L. MEYER. House of Representatives. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Your letter of the 4th instant, relative to the medical record of Wilbur F. Cogswell, late assistant engineer, U. S. Navy, reached the department Saturday. A former request in this connection had been received a few days previously, and a search of the old records was immediately instituted, but as the data was not readily available there has been some unavoidable delay. I trust, however, that the investigations will soon be completed, when the information you desire will be promptly forwarded by the department. Faithfully, yours, Hon. GEORGE E. Foss, M. C., G. v. L. MEYER. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Referring to the letter addressed to the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, relative to the bill (H. R. 15515) "to appoint Wilbur F. Cogswell an assistant engineer in the navy and place him on the retired list," inclosing certain papers on file with the committee concerning the case for consideration with a view to possible supplemental report upon the measure, I have the honor to inform you that after careful review of the papers above mentioned, which have been referred to the department, the recommendations expressed in its letter of the 12th ultimo are again renewed. Faithfully, yours, G. v. L. MEYER. The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 8, 1910. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: In reply to your letter requesting the naval record of Wilbur F. Cogswell, I have the honor to inform you that the records of this department show that Wilbur F. Cogswell was appointed an acting third assistant engineer August 17, 1864, and ordered to the U. S. S. Mohican; November 2, 1864, detached and ordered to the U. S. S. Atlanta; April 8, 1865, transferred to the U. S. S. Tristram Shandy; April 15, 1865, transferred to the U. S. S. Boxer; September 9, 1865, detached and granted leave, and on November 7, 1865, honorably discharged. July 12, 1866, reappointed acting third assistant engineer and ordered to the U. S. S. Tallapoosa; April 10, 1867, transferred to the United States ironclad laid up at New Orleans, La.; August 28, 1868, he was mustered out, the department stating in a letter announcing his termination of service that he had formerly been honorably discharged as above noted. Faithfully, yours, Hon. GEORGE EDMUND Foss, M. C., G. v. L. MEyer. House of Representatives. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: In compliance with your request of February 26, I have to inform you that the records on file in the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery afford the following information relative to the medical history of Wilbur F. Cogswell, formerly acting third assistant engineer, U. S. Navy: U. S. S. Tallapoosa.-Admitted October 9, 1866, febris intermittens; origin not stated; discharged October 26, 1866, to duty. Ironclads.-Note: September 8, 1867, fever, with complaint of pain in bones; admitted October 17, 1867, burns, simple dressing; origin and location not stated; discharged November 5, 1867, to duty. Faithfully, yours, Hon. GEORGE E. Foss, M. C., House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. G. v. L. MEYER. WAR DEPARTMENT, THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, March 1, 1910. SIR: Referring to your letter of yesterday, received to-day, in which you request, for use in connection with a bill for his relief pending before the committee, such medical record as is on file in this department relating to the treatment of Wilbur F. Cogswell, assistant engineer, United States Navy, I have the honor to inform you that it is shown by medical records on file in this department that Wilbur F. Cogswell, assistant engineer, U. S. S. Mahaska, was treated September 8 to 18, 1867, for yellow fever. Very respectfully, Hon. GEORGE EDMUND FOSs, Chairman Committee on Naval Affairs, F. C. AINSWORTH, House of Representatives. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: In compliance with the request contained in your letter of February 26, 1910, I have the honor to submit the following data from the files of the office of the Auditor for the Navy Department, relative to Wilbur F. Cogswell, assistant engineer, U. Š. Navy: Wilbur F. Cogswell was taken up for pay August 19, 1864, and served as follows to November 10, 1865, allowing three days for his discharge to reach him: Acting third assistant engineer, ironclads at New York, to October 22, 1864; Mohican, to November 3, 1864; Atlanta, to April 10, 1864; Tristam Shandy, to September 9, 1865; New York Yard, to October 31, 1865; fourth auditor, to November 10, 1865. Wilbur F. Cogswell was appointed July 12, 1866, and served as follows to September 2, 1868, when discharged: Acting third assistant engineer Tallapoosa, to April 15, 1867; Estrella, to April 18, 1867; ironclads at New Orleans, to September 2, 1868. Respectfully, Hon. GEORGE EDMUND Foss, CHARLES D. NORTON, Chairman Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives. [No. 77.] BLANKENSHIP, JOHN M. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, Washington, February 15, 1910. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Referring to your letter of the 7th instant inclosing a bill (H. R. 13385) "for the relief of John M. Blankenship,' and requesting for the committee the views and recommendations of the department thereon, I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Blankenship was appointed a naval cadet at the Naval Academy on May 20, 1886, and served in that capacity until June 30, 1892, when, after having been granted a certificate of graduation by the academic board, and not being required to fill a vacancy in the naval service happening during the year preceding his graduation, he was honorably discharged with one year's pay as prescribed by law, in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress approved August 5, 1882. Furthermore, at his final examination in 1892, he was rejected by the medical board on account of pulmonary phthisis. Mr. Blankenship was appointed an ensign in the navy on May 13, 1898, for temporary service during the Spanish-American war, and served as such until honorably discharged on September 26, 1898. The fact that he so volunteered was, of course, commendable. However, in view of the fact that prior to the service of about four months during 1898, Mr. Blankenship had only given the navy his services for about six years, during which time he was being educated at the expense of the Government, and in view of the fact that he was suffering from pulmonary phthisis at the time of his honorable discharge in 1892; and in view of the further fact that he has been out of the service, excepting the period of about four months in 1898, for approximately seventeen and one-half years; and also because of the fact that the proposed legislation falls within the category of special measures the enactment of which is not believed to be desirable, the bill in question is not recommended to the favorable consideration of the committee. Faithfully yours, G. v. L. MEYER. The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, House of Representatives. (937) |