Morning journal and courier., 1880-12-16

HoUsE-Mr Belford, of Colorado intro duced bill for the retirement of small legal tender notes. Referred.
 On motion of MT. Goode, of Virginia, the Senate bill granting pension of $1OO 8 month to Mrs. Julia G. Tyler, widow of the late President Tyler, was passed.
 The House passed the bill reported from the Judiciary committee to fix the boundary line between New York and Connecticut as agreed upon by the commissioners of the two States.
 Mr. Wood would have liked to have consider ed the funding bill to-day, but he would not oppose taking up the appropriation bills. The House accordingly went into Committee of the Whole on the fortifcation bill, MT. Con verse, of Ohio, in the chair. MT. Baker ex- plained the provisions of the bill, which ap- propriates $100, GOO for the protection, pres ervation and repairs of Notifications and otlt CT works of defense; $4O0, 900 for the arma- ment of seacoast Notifications, including heavy guns, howitzers for flank defense, cartridges, projectiles, fuses, powder implements their trial and proof for machine gears, including the conversion of smooth bore cannon into~rif1e; $50 GOO for torpedoes for harbor defenses. Mr. Baker showed that the amounts recommended were largely below the estimates. He said that the committee had not recommended the whole amount asked for the conversion of smooth bore guns, because 1t would take too long time to manufacture them with the fla cilities now at hand at the shops where these guns were to be built. The four already provided for could not be completed in less than two years. He did not think there was any necessity therefore to engage in the manufacture of the guns.
 Mir. Bragg thought there was a necessity for the commencement of the construction of guns and the improvement of our fortif- cations and defenses.
 hTr 1ri11cr fa ATT PoIyo 1C C,ro mark about the time required to construct four guns authorized by this act said that was the reason why an appropriation should be made for more guns.
 The debate was continued at some length and the questions of economy and the neces- sity of increased appropriations were fully entered into.
 Speaker Randall from the floor inquired what it was proposed to do with the guns which were authorized by this act Mir. Baker said one purpose was to protect New York and Philadelphia in case of for | eign war. He believed that more guns should l be constructed but it was question of ex- pediency, and whether they should be con- | structed in the expiring moments of this | Congress or wait until a new Congress | came in.
 | Mir. Randall had no apprehension of for eign war and he did not believe our children or grandchildren would ever have to contend l with foreign power.
 Mir McCook called attention to the number | of years we had been at war since becoming a nation. Referring to the war of 1872, the war with Mexico and the late war, he said that courting the Indian wars we had almost | been perpetually at war. If we had war | to-day any third-class vessel could enter New | York harbor and levy such contributions as they wished or lay the city in ashes.
 MT. Reed, of Maine, expressed the opinion that the condition of our coast defenses was | disgraceful in the extreme
 Mir. Ellis said said that representing sea board city or one that was liable to at tack, he would be derelict in his duty if he did not call attention to the necessity of the imbrovement of our Notifications. He quoted from General Benet's report to show that the largest gun in New York harbor was l unable to resist a foreign vessel. There were known to be in existence seventy for eign vessels of war that could enter New 1 York harbor and destroy property that would be worth hundred times more than works of defense. Referring to the view ad vanced that there was no danger o1 Ia war, Mir Ellis called attention in Europe and no man could say it would no extend to this country. We were especially
 in danger from Spain, and he hoped that tn.
 incoming administration would teach foreig1
 powers, and especially Spaini that American
 commerce must be secure, and that tht l A1n0E1CtAU nag IuuSI bO fc6ktcCSS0 HAcI0fOG l l floats.
 General debate having. terminated on tn
 bill MT. Johnston, of Virginia, moved t.
 amend the first paragraph by increasing tn
 amount from $100, 900 to $500, GOO, the sun for the protection, preservation and repair O
 Notifications, and by inserting the wor'
 modification before the word ssprotec
 tion."
 After discussion between Messrs Randall Reed and McCook Mir. Johnston's amend l ment was rejected, 90 to 58.
 MT. Bragg made an effort to strike out tn appropriation for four improved breeeh load ing twelve inch rified guns, arguing that g
 there was no place to put them (dr. John ) ston's amendment having been reiected), ther was no use manufacturing them, but th f committee rejected the amendment. Othe
 amendments were offered and rejected, an 3 the bill was subsequently reported to th , House and passed just as it was originally II : ported from the Appropriation eommittes