"Of Mortimer Livingston's line. The Humboldt and Franklin.
"Pacific steamers—of Aspinwall's line. First class, the Golden Gate. Second class, the Panama, Oregon, California, and Columbia.
"The foregoing vessels of the respective contracts are variously constructed as to materials, fastening, strength, and model.
"Question third: 'And if so, what alterations would be necessary to be made, and at what expense, to make them war steamers of the first class:'
"Answer: If these vessels had been originally constructed comformably to the spirit (though it was not called for by the letter) of the contracts, as they should have been, and all English mail steamers now are, in anticipation of their possible conversion, into war vessels, the cost of converting them would be much less.
"Most of them were completed before I was ordered to their supervision; but I lost no time, after entering upon the duty, in calling the attention of the contractors to this important consideration, an observance of which would not have added more than one per cent upon the cost of construction.
"In altering these vessels so as to make them available for war purposes, the most simple, expeditious, and economical plan would be to razee them, or cut off their upper decks and cabins forward and abaft the wheel-houses; not by tearing them to pieces and defacing the costly ornamental work, which, though of no value to the Government, still need not be destroyed.
"The razeeing should be effected by sawing the top timbers, and cutting off by sections the whole of the upper dock, excepting the space between the wheel-houses, thus leaving the greater part of the main deck exposed and for the accommodation of the armament, and enough of the sides above that deck to answer for bulwarks and side-ports.
"Below, it would only be necessary to remove the state-rooms not wanted for the accommodation of the officers, and convert the after-hold and fore and main orlops into magazines, store-rooms, shot and shell lockers, etc., etc.
"According to my calculation, the cost of the conversion of either of the before mentioned vessels, exclusive of armaments, repair of machinery and ordinary repair, would not, or certainly ought not, exceed, for steamers of the first class, $20,000, and for those of the second class, $15,000; and it could be readily done for this at any of our navy yards, provided that useless alterations were not made.