The Portland daily press., 1882-07-31
XLVIIth Congress LIST Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, July ~.
Mr. Allison, chatham of the committee on
apyropriations. reported back the sundry civil
appropriation bill with amendments. Calen-
dar.
Mr.. Conger asked leave to call up for present
consideration The House bill (known as the
Deuster billy to regulate the carriage of passen-
gers by sea.
purpose, but Mr. ingalls, objected. The Sem
ate, he said, ought to proceed with the appro
priation bills and then when they were in con-
ference there would be plenty of time for con-
sideration of the House bills.
Mr.. Conger thereupon moved that the bill
mentioned by him be taken up. Agreed to.
The bill was passed without objection.
The House amendment to the Senate bill for
sale of por tion of the Omaha Indian reserva-
ton in Nebraska, was non-concurred in and
conference ordered.
The Honse bill "to regulate immigration"
was passed.
The House bill was passed granting the
widow of Henry Garnet, late Minister to Libe-
ria, an amount equal to her husbands sa,ary
for one year.
The Senate resumed the naval appropriation
bill, the CLAUSE under consideration being that
with reference to the double turreted moni tors
Mr. Beck offered the amendment of which
he gave notice yesterday, reducing from ST.
100000 to 100000 the amount appropriated
for completing the "Miantonomah'' land
launching the other four monitors, prohibiting
completion of those four vessels until further
orders of Congress and directing the naval ad-
visory board to report as to the advisablity of
their competition. Debate followed.
Mr.. Beck's amendment was adopted SO to 10.
The clause relating to monitors was then
passed. As it stands it reads as follows:
"That S4OO, 900 or so much thereof as may be
necessary of the above amount ($2,2OO,0OO shall
be applied by the Secretary of the Navy to the fol:
lowing objects, namely: Under the bureau of
construction and repair to building and fitting the
turrets pilot house of the ironclad steamer Mi
antonomah and to the launching to the best aivan-
tage of the ironclad steamers Monadnock, Puritan,
Amphitrite and Terror; and that no further steps
shall be taken or contracts entered into or approx
ed for the repairs completion of any of the four
iron-clads aforesaid until the further order of Con-
gress and the naval advisory board created by this
act is directed to report detail by the first day of
December, 1882 as to the wisdom and expedency
of undertaking and completing the engines, armor
and armaments of said iron-clads, and whether any
be made, together with the cost of completion of
each, according to the plans recommend d df the
that any part of the appropriation for said bureau
not used as above specified, may be applied toward
the reconstruction OF engines and machinery OF the
two cruising vessels provided for in this act.''
Mr. Miller of California moved to strike out
the clause abolishing the grade of Commodore,
and to insert provision for board of COM
missioners to consider all matters relating to
the proper reduction Of the official list of the
navy and adjustment Of the several corps
thereof. Ruled out on point of order.
Mr.. Williams advocated the motion to strike
out, declaring that the bill as it stood should be
called bill to destroy, and not to reconstruct,
the navy.
A long, and, at times, a rather warm discus
sion arose upon the question as to whether the
rank of Commodore existed prior to 1862,
Messrs. Williams and Butler sustaining the af-
frmative, and Mr.. Logan the negative. At its
conclusion neither side appeared to have been
won over by the arguments of the other.
Messrs. Miller of California and Butler ad-
vocated striking out the clause abolishing the
grade of Commodore.
Mr.. Hale favored It's retention.
Mr.. Butler criticised the committee on ap-
propriations in not having devoted its atten-
tion to recognizing the navy.
Mr. Hawley expressed the belief that a
great majority of the people OF the country
were of the same opinion with the Senator
from South Carolina-that a round sum be
voted for the construction of a navy; but in
stead of serious action being taken in that di-
rection, the Senate was met with a wholly un-
expected and tremendous attack upon the per-
sonnet of the navy which blocked the path of
the life and vigor of young men in the lower
grades, and which would paraiyze the service
for the next 10 or Is years.
Mr.. Mier's motion to strike out was agreed
to-yeas 27, nays %.
Mr. Rollins offered an amendment providing
that all officers of the navy on the retired list
be entitled to receive annually only at the rates
prescribed by law for retired officers at the
grade in which they were, or may be retired
He wanted to tear up by the roots a system by
which it was possible that officer originally
retired with the rank of Captain should re-
ceive pay and bear the rank of a Rear Admit
raj On the retired list SHe instanced the case
of Rear Admiral Sands, who having been re-
| tired as Captain with pay of S173S annually,
| was now receiving through special act of
! Congress $4,000.
! The amendment was ruled out of order.
| On motion of Mr.. Butler, an amendment
| was adopted striking out the clause providing
| for condemnation and sale of such stores aud
| supplies belonging TO the several bureaus of
| the navy, as snall be unserviceabe and insert
| ing clause directing the secretary of the navy
| TO make report of such stores and supplies to
Congress.
After coming to an arrangement that a vote
be taken upon the bill at 3 o'clock Monday,
the Senate without further action at 6.15 p. N.
adjourned.