Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-06
House of Representatives.

WASHINGTON, July 5.-The house went
into committee and resumed consideration of
the naval appropriation bill, the pending
question being the amendment to the para
graph for bureau of construction and re-
pairs, to strike out the proviso which limits
to $400. 900 the amount to be applied to the
repair OF wooden ships; also to make the
clause read so that the expense OF such repairs
shall not exceed 80 per cent. Of the estimated
cost Of new vessel Of the same size and like
material. Adopted. 14
Mr.. Atkins (Tenn.) moved to reduce the
amount for construction and repair from $1,-
$50, 900 to 81 500 900, the latter sum being the
same as appropriated last year. The increase
was based on the idea of the construction of
one or two new vessels.
Mr.. Whitthorne (Tenn.) said this was Meth
er the time or occasion to consider deliberate.
ly what the character of the future navy
shall be.
Mr.. Robson IN. J.) opposed the amend
ment. Its adoption would be declaration
that the United Jtates should have no navy to
protect its commerce or vindicate Its honor.
Mr.. Atkins expressed hope that the gen.
tleman would not say that the country had no
navy.
Mr.. Robson replied that the report of the
| navy committee showed that it now had no
navy at all comparable to the navies Of other
countries.
Mr.. Harris offered an amendment to the
pending paragraph that any portion OF the
81 ESQ 600 not required for the purposes
specified may be applied toward the construc.
ton OF two new cruising vessels of the arma-
ment and material which it provides for.
Mr.. Blount made the point that the amend
ment provided new legislation and was not in
order in an appropriation bill. After long
discussion the point was overruled.
The discussion Of the amendment itself
then proceeded.
Mr.. Ellis Ia.) declared himself heart and
hand with the naval committee in its efforts
to reconstruct the navy. The navies
OF England and France now point their guns
at Alexandria; the form of bleeding Ireland
was again on the dissecting table; there was Q
strong Irish feeling in this country. and soon.
er or later the Irish question would enter into
American politics and might possibly lead to
undergoing peaceable conquest by Ameri-
cans. and would before long wake up to the
fact that she was being gradually subiugated.
Then would come recOil and revolt and the
United States might be called upon to de-
fend The interests and the property OF Ameri-
can citizens in Mexico. II this
country ar. could S t1 nsut ssnt By
been offered, and yet there was not single
American sloop sent to Valparaiso. The
whole American navy could not have stood
before one Gillian ship of war. The amend
ment offered by Mr.. Atkins was rejected and
that by Mr.. Harris adopted-S5 to 9.
The paragraph relating to the bureau Of
steam engineering was then taken up. It
appropriates s., 200, 900, Of which not more
than 500, 900 is to be applied to mere repairs
OF engines and machinery OF wooden ships.
1t directs the application of 81 ,00O, 600 of the
amount to iron-clad monitors.
Mr.. Whitthorne commented on Mr.. Robe
eson's statement last week to the effect that
during the last five or six years $7S 900 900 had
been expended On the navy by the Democratic
gun had been built. he reminded the gentle
man that for the twenty months that the navy
department was under his control he left q
deficiency of over 81, O00. 600 and that during
all the time the navy was under the control of
the Republican secretary. He believed that the
six or seven million that would be required
for the completion of these monitors might
as well be thrown into the sea. Not one Of
them could stand. mp before Chinese gun
boat.
Mr.. Hewitt moved to strike out the proviso
applying 81 ,000, 900 to monitors. The ships
when finished would be worthless, and besides,
the first gun for one of these monitors could
not be procured in this country within three
years. If the committee on appropriations
had comprehended the necessities OF the coun-
try, it would have brought in q measure by
which 100 steam hammers would have been
secured, either by government or some con-
tractor.
Mr.. Harris remarked, If the naval committee
had been given a day or two for its business it
would have provided for 100 steam hammers.
If contracts for fifty guns were given, the ma
chinery could be provided.
Mr.. Allison Nv. Va.) argued in favor Of the
proposition to build navy, and particularly
in favor Of completing the ironclad monitors.
Mr.. Robson IN. J.) said four boards had
pronounced in favor of the monitors and two
naval commissions had pronounced in their
favor. The secretary of the navy stated
that every officer who had examined the moni-
tors Except LenthalD hsd recommended them.
The secretary called his bureau of officers to-
gether, and every one Of them said they should
be finished, and Admiral Porter had told the
secretary the same thing. They had been told
that these monitors would not float, but one
of them, the Miantonomah, had been launch
ed and foated six inches lighter than calcu-
lated for. The Miantonomah and Monadnock-
would be sufficient protection for the harbor
of San Francisco assisted by the Comanche, al
ready there, but the harbor could not be de-
Tended If the policy of Hewitt and those who
followed was pursued not II they were to wait
three years for guns, then three years for fla
iskin0 the ehip0 and three Vears for eome-