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leasing of this land, as well as the views and favorable recommendations of the department:

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 19, 1929.

The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: There is inclosed herewith a copy of a letter, with accompanying copy of a proposed bill "To authorize the Secretary of the Navy to lease the United States naval destroyer and submarine base, Squantum, Mass.," this day forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Sincerely yours,

C. F. ADAMS, Secretary of the Navy.

NOVEMBER 19, 1929.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is inclosed herewith a draft of proposed bill "To authorize the Secretary of the Navy to lease the United States naval destroyer and submarine base, Squantum, Mass."

The proposed bill if enacted would authorize the Secretary of the Navy, when in his discretion it will be for the public good, to lease for periods not exceeding 25 years such parts of the United States naval destroyer and submarine base, Squantum, Mass., as are not required for immediate naval purposes.

This property originally consisted of 732 acres of land, more or less, that were acquired on October 6, 1917, for a consideration of $645,000; the improvements thereon cost $12,738,837.82; and the dredging of the channel cost $219,260. The total cost of this property, therefore, was $13,603,097.82. designed for the construction of destroyers and submarines. The plant was

Subsequent to the discontinuance of active operation of this plant the Navy Department decided to dispose of the property and accordingly by its letters dated July 26, 1923, the other executive departments of the Government were advised that

66* * * it having been determined that the land (732 acres) and improvements constituting the United States naval destroyer and submarine base, Squantum, Mass., are no longer required for naval purposes, this department comtemplates offering the same for sale, provided the property is not required for any purpose under the cognizance of any other Government department

or office.'

In reply the other executive departments uniformly advised that this property was not required for any purposes under their jurisdiction.

It was therefore decided to take further action in disposing of this property by inviting sealed bids to be opened on May 27, 1925. therefore contained the information that alternate bids would be considered The advertisement for the sale of the land and all buildings and improvements as an entirety, or the sale of the land independently of the buildings and other improvements, or the sale of the buildings and other improvements independently of the land, or the sale of the buildings independently of the land and other improvements, or the lease of the land and all buildings and improvements for a period not exceeding five years. No satisfactory bid was received.

In September, 1926, owing to the interest expressed by certain parties concerning the lease of this property, the Navy Department decided to again advertise it for lease, excepting an area of 140 acres reserved for naval aviation purposes. Accordingly sealed bids were invited on a lease for a term of five years, revocable at any time which the Navy Department offered on the remaining 592 acres with the buildings and improvements thereon. 1927, and the Victory Terminal Corporation, Boston, Mass., was the successful Sealed bids were opened on April 27. bidder, its bid being the highest and best received. Accordingly on August 2, 1927, there was executed a lease to run for a period not to exceed five years but revocable at any time in the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy. Under its terms and conditions the Victory Terminal Corporation was obligated to the extent of $50,000 per annum as rental, with the proviso that said rental or such portion thereof as may be deemed necessary to prevent physical deterioration of the property as determined by the Government's representative shall be applied toward the restoration and upkeep thereof. insure upkeep of the property without cost to the Government and keep it This arrangement was made to available in good condition for immediate use in case of an emergency.

However, on account of the failure of the Victory Terminal Corporation to fulfill the terms of the lease, due in a large measure to its financial insolvency, the Secretary of the Navy canceled the lease as of May 16, 1929. Since then a considerable area constituting the vacant land on the south side of and including Victory Road has been transferred to the control and jurisdiction of the War Department, leaving the remaining area, containing practically all of the improvements on the north side of Victory Road, under the control and jurisdiction of the Navy Department. It is this latter area that it is intended to lease the whole or in part if the terms of the draft of proposed bill are enacted into law. The above-mentioned lease of August 2, 1927, was entered into under authority of the act of Congress of August 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 559-560), and its period was necessarily indefinite and limited to conform to provisions of said act which require that such a lease must be revocable at any time and is authorized only for a period not exceeding five years. It is believed that it would be much more advantageous to the Government and to the Navy if the Secretary of the Navy were given authority to enter into leases for all or certain parts of the property concerned for longer periods, as provided in the draft of proposed bill herewith submitted.

A draft of proposed bill somewhat similar to the inclosed draft was transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, by Navy Department's letter of March 8, 1928. It was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 9, 1928, as H. R. 11922 but failed of passage by the Congress. The inclosed draft differs only in that it specifies that agreement may be made for annual rental considerations payable in cash or in the form of repairs, maintenance, and upkeep of such property. This additional language is incorporated to remove any doubt the accounting officers may have as to the authority for inviting and accepting annual rental considerations in the form of repairs, maintenance, and upkeep of such property.

This proposed legislation will result in no additional cost to the Government, and the Navy Department recommends its enactment.

Sincerely yours,

C. F. ADAMS, Secretary of the Navy.

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Mr. COUZENS, from the Committee on Interstate Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 10288]

The Committee on Interstate Commerce, to which was rereferred the bill (H. R. 10288) to regulate the transportation of persons in interstate and foreign commerce by motor carriers operating on the public highways, having considered the same, adheres to the report made April 14, 1930 (S. Rept. 396), and recommends that the bill with amendments as set forth in said report do pass.

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