Be it enacted by the Senate and Home of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to appoint a board of three skillful naval officers to investigate the plans and specifications that may be submitted for the construction or completing of iron or steel-clad steamships or steam-batteries, and on their report, should it be favorable, the Secretary of the Navy will cause one or more armored or iron or steel-clad steamships or floating steam-batteries to be built; and there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That in case of a vacancy in the office of engineer-in-chief of the navy the appointment thereto shall be made from the list of chief engineers.
Approved, August 3, 1861.