THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-1855. 509 



Tho Chairman. If the Chair understands the facts of the case, this 

 was a special service for which tho appropriation was made; and the 

 service and office expire with the exhaustion of the appropriation. 

 The amendment would not, therefore, be in order under the rule 

 established. 



Mr. Haven. Allow me to say one thing further. When the Secre- 

 tary of the Navy called the attention of the House to this matter 



[Loud cries of " Order! " " Order! "] 



The Chairman. Does the gentleman appeal from the decision of 

 tho Chair? 



Mr. Haven. I do; and I desire simply to say that ever since 1 have 

 been in this House 



Mr. Phelps. I rise to a question of order. There is an appeal pend- 

 ing, and no debate is in order. 



Mr. R. H. Stanton. I desire to make a suggestion. This is in con- 

 tinuation of works which have already been commenced. These obser- 

 vations have been carried on for a series of years. 



[Cries of "Question!" "Question!"] 



The Chairman. The question is, "" Shall the decision of the Chair 

 stand as the judgment of the committee?" 



The question was taken, and the decision of the Chair was not sus- 

 tained; there being, on a count, only thirtj-one in the affirmative. 



The Chairman. The question is on the amendment submitted by the 

 gentleman from New York [Mr. Haven]. 



Mr. D. Stuart, of Michigan. I move to amend the amendment of 

 the gentleman from New York [Mr. Haven] by increasing the appro- 

 priation $1, 



I have moved the amendment merely for the purpose of enabling 

 me to ask one or two questions, to which I ask the attention of the 

 gentleman from New York. There is now an officer emploj^ed by the 

 Smithsonian Institution whose dut}^ it is to receive and to make all 

 these meteorological calculations, and to report upon them. Reports 

 are sent from all the different militar}" stations in the country to him. 

 He is emplo3'ed at present in getting out a work upon this subject at 

 the expense of the Smithsonian Institution. What I want to know 

 is, whether these are the same services upon which Professor Espy is 

 employed. 



Mr. Haven. I can only answer the gentleman by reference to the 

 documents. 1 know nothing of the computations of the Smithsonian 

 Institution; Ijut I doubt not tho gentleman is correct in what he 

 states. 



Hero is Professor Espy's letter: 



Irving Hotel, Washington, September 8, 1853. 

 Sik: 111 answer to your letter of the 6th instant, recfuesting me to "furnish you a 

 report of my labors, and their results, connected with the meteorological observations 



