National Republican., 1883-02-23
The Former Body Gives a Long Afternoon to
the Navy Bill.
All the New Legislation Suggested by
the House Stricken Out
The Sundry Civil Bill Sill Under Consideration in the
House.
An Important Amendment Affecting the
Prescription Laws,
THE SENATE.

Slater presented memorial Of the legislature
of Oregon asking aid for the construction Of a
railway from Crescent City to the Dales.
Mr.. Morrill, presented the remonstrance of
certain American authors against the reduc-
tion of the tariff on books below 25 per cent,
one of them, Mr.. Stodman, saying "in the
absence of an international copyright law
am compelled TO sign this.'
Mr.. Call offered resolution which was re-
ferrcd TO the committee on foreign affairs. re-
duesting the president to institute negotia-
tiOns with the government of Spain for the
restitution Of money unlawfully taken from
Capt. James Mckay and others, shippers of
cattle from Key West 10 Cuba.
Mr.. Garland called up the resolution offered
by him yesterday for the appointment of Il
special committee to examin5 and report
upon the methods Of improving the naviga-
tion of the Mississippi river below Cairo, and
IL was adopted.
Mr.. Hale called up
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL,
and the senate proceeded to consider 1t.
Mr. Mcpherson SAID he understood that 1t
was the intention of tho committee reporting
the bill thati should not disturb in any way
the status of any of tho officers of the navy,
and asked Mr.. Hale whether that intention
had been embodied in the bill.
Mr.. Hale replied that that was the inten-
tiOn of the committee. All legislation at
tempted by the house had been struck out,
leaving this clean bill containing appropria-
tions for maintaining the existing navy and
other items for the increase of the navy stand
ing apart from the appropriations for the diff
fercnt bureaus There was nothing in the
bill to disturb the status Of any officer in the
navy as existing to-day.
The provision that no part of the money
appropriated for general care, increase, and
protection of the navy in the line of construc-
ton and repair" &C., shall be applied to the
repiirs of any wooden ship when the esti-
mated cost of such repairs shall exceed % per
cent. of the estimated cost of now ship of
the same size and like material, gave rise to
debate.
Mr.. Jones, of Florida, criticised it MS an ex-
traordinary provision, one which might be so
construed rs to destroy every available
wooden ship in the navy.
Mr. Mcpherson took the same view. The
idea of tho present administration of the
Navy depaI TIM mt seemed to be TO destroy the
existing navy, so as to give an opportunity
for the construction of new one, involving
vast expenditures of money and unlimited
discretion in the secretary of tho navy; and,
strangely enough, the naval committees of
both houses of congress seemed to favor that
course. He moved to amend the proviso by
substituting 40 per cent for 25 per cent.
Mr.. Hale said that this whole subject of the
expenditure of money for the repair of ves-
sells belonging to the United States was in
the discretion of the secretary of the navy;
that that officer was beset with appeals from
every navy yard in relation TO every old ship
that came in to have her hauled up for re-
pairs and in such cases the repairs amounted
substantially, in the end, to rebuilding the
vessel. The secretary of the navy desired an
express provision of law to protect him from
such appeals, and had asked that the limita-
tion of expenditure for repairs should be put
at 20 per cent. of the cost of new ship, but
the committee had thought it better to put it
Gt % per cent.
Mr.. Miller, of California assumed that every
holy desired that the United States should
have as soon as possible an efficient naval
force of iron or steel vessels, such as the ex-
pericnce of other nations had shown to be
best adapted to modern naval warfare. The
tendency. and undoubtedly the intention, of
this provision in the bill was to get rid of the
old wooden ships gradually in order that they
might give place to better ones and it seemed
desirable that that intention should be car
Tied out.
Mr. Jones, of Florida, was in favor of i'm
proving our navy, and ready to cooperate to
that end, but he thought that before pro-
viding for the destruction Of the old navy a
new one ought to be brought into existence
to take its place. Until that should be done,
he was opposed to changing the present law
by q provision under which our navy could
be estimated" " out of existence.
Mr.. Hale said that for the past dozen years
the complaint had been that the Navy de-
partmont had spent large sums of money in
keeping anoat old ships that were practically
worthless. Those charges had sunk into the
public mind-the people-and congress had
become convinced that we ought to have a
new class Of vessels, embodying the improve
ments in naval architecture and adapted Ia
the requirements Of modern naval warfare
IL the senator from New Jersey was prepared
to lead, and others to follow him. first In OPP
posing any limitation of the repairs to be put
upon old wooden ships, aud then of finding
difficulties in the way Of building new and
efficient vessels, we should have to 20 on in
the same old way, our old ships growing fewer
and more useless and no new ones being con-
structed to take their places.
Mr.. Mcpherson said he was as much in fl-
voT of the reconstruction of the navy as Mr.
Hale was, but he wished il to be made upon
some well digested plan, approved by the ex.
perience of other nations. Under a former
administration of the Navy department gros:
abuses had existed in the sale or the trading
away of boilers, machinery, &c, to favored
contractors, and nova provision was proposed
which would tend to revive that system.
Mr., Hale asked Mr., Mcpherson whether hC
did not know that the secretary of the navy
was now so hedged around by law that hC
could not sell q ship, an engine, a boiler, ol
any component part of a ship except under
safeguards which would render impossible tn,
repetition Of the abuses alleged to have ex
listed in the past.
Mr.. Mcpherson was unable TO see how any
Jaw could be more restrictive than that O.
1877, yet that had been disregarded by for
mer secretary of the navy who made con
tracts in direct violation of it.
Mr.. Hale said that those contracts had neve
been acted upon, They were dead, and wer
now troubling nobody but the senator from
New Jersey.
Mr., Morgan advocated the construction o
an efficient navy, which could protect our citi
Zens in their commercial relations with for
eign nations and make our flag respectable
throughout the world
Mr.. Jones' of Florida, while favOring tn
construction of the navy denied that our ex
isting vessels were so useless rs some senator
assumed. The little republics south Of u
might require huge ironclads, because thei
whole strength was material, but an American
vessel bearing the flag Of the United State
represented moral power that no natioi
dare insult.
Mr. Plumb said the controversy seemed /
be between the navy yards and u navy. Tn
plan Of building barrel around bung
hole applied in the past to our naval affairs
had been prODerly characterized heretofor
by the democratic party, but the representa-
tives of that party in the senate seemed nov
disposed to perpetuate that system by insist
ing upon wasteful repairs Of old vessels, whicl
would absorb money that ought TO be applie
to the construction of an efficient navy.
Mr. ingalls, asked Mr.. Hale why the com
nittee had proposed to fix the limit of repair
Of wooden ships at % per cent of the cost q
aeW vessels of the same size and like ma