Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-27

After brief discussion the Committee on Indian Affairs was instructed to make the investigation.
 The bill authorizing an appropriation of $50, GOO for the enlargement and improve ment of the federal building at New Haven was passed.
 The bill to declare certain lands granted to railroad and telegraph companies subject to taxation when reached vas thought by Mr. Garland too important to be considered under the five minute rule, so it went over by unanimous consent.
 At o'clock the bill for the construction of additional steel cruisers for the navy came up. In supporting the bill as chairman of the Naval committee, Nr. Hale said the cen dition and extent of the American navy is at present in an unsatisfactory condition. It was s subject growing in importance and needing careful consideration. Other nations hRd built formidable Gsets at great eost, but it was fact that ths United States has scarcely single modsrR vessel able to com pete with the ships of other nations. 'T have" said MT. Hale, "only one apology to make for the bill. It does not go far enough. 1 am perfectly impressed with this when I contemplate things that may happen in the near future. Clouds be in themselves fraught with danger. but should certainly show us that this people should not be left longer without 8 naval power or the means of asserting naval power. He then described the seven ships provided for by the bill, which he said were recon- the naval advisory board and the Navy de- pertinent. He did not believe that single year should pass without adding six, eight or twelve new ships of the best construction to the navy. Indeed, the work inaugirated last year should not stop until we had at least fifty new, strong, swift steel cruisers. In concluding Mir. Hale said that owing to the increasing ramifica- tions of our commerce the United States could not expect to enjoy immunity from foreign complications. 'I do not predict immediate trouble" said he. I wish it were possible that for twenty years to come we could get along without any means of asserting power by our navy or maintaining our dignity when any question may arise with any foreign nation, but do not believe that possible, and in my opinion it is the first duty of Congress to make some fitting prepa- ration so that in case of trouble we may be in it." '--
 Mir. Beck said there could be no doubt but that we had dwindling navy and one that any second rate foreign power would regard as despicable. The condition of the navy, propriated for it. Since 1866 Congress had given more money to the navy by $5O. .O0O, ,OOO than was given for the same purpose from the beginning of the navy until 1860.
 MT. McPherson pointed out that at the close of the war there were six hundred yes. sells on the navy register. The majority of them had since been traded away or broken up and gone into the hands of favorite con- tractors.
 Mir. Beck reported that great deal of the disgrace attaching to the navy was due to the misappropriation of money appropriated. It had been applied to building navy yards and not ships.
 Mir. Hale said the closest scrutiny would be thrown out about the construction of the proposed vessels. The trouble in part was because specific appropriations had not been made for new ships and the money devoted to the running purposes of the navy.
 An amendment reported from the commit tee providing that one of the gunboats should be built according to the plans and under the supervision of Admiral Porter was agreed to.
 Mir. McPherson offered an amendment re- ducing the number of cruisers to four and proposing that the vessels should be so con- structed under contract with the lowest pos sible bidder. He said he did not make the proposition in any spirit of antagonism to the navy, but he objected to going further with mere experiments until naval con- struction was in little more certain condi- tion than now. He criticised at length the management of ths navy, declaring that the purpose was to start the construction of as many ships as possible and take the chance for completing them.
 MT. Butler favored the bill as reported.
 At 4:40 the Senate went into executive session and shortly afterwsrd adjourned.
 HoUsE-After the morning hour the House went into Committee of the Whole on the agricultural appropriation bill. Under the guise of amendments to the bill occasion was taken to engage in politi- cal discussion. MT. Eaton resented remarks H.. I.-- H. ka1, al EI,okL (T1.k was the originator of the unconstitutional tariff commission and that New York, New Jersey and Connections were barnaclos in the Democratic party. He said that he gloried in the tariff commission proposition offered by them in the Senate. It was @ patriotic attempt to tnke this great economic problem out of the field of politics. As to the barna- cles, he said New York, New Jersey and Connecticut elected 1ilden in 1878. "Talk about barnacles," said he, ''why tho parma cles are bigger than the ships'
 MT. Reed, of Maine, commented on the ever one of the strict constitutionalists wanted 8 bill to pass it was constitutional and when they did not it was unconstitu- tional.
 MT. Kasson, of Iowa, made an earnest ap- peal for the bill and said a million dollars 8 week to the agricultural interests were in, volved in it.
 At 3:3O the committee rose on motion of MT. Hatch to limit the debate.
 Mir. Cox, of New York, said it would be an act of grace to pass the Senate resolution in relation to the gift of the Alert, which had come in. The resolution was read and unan- imous consent asked, when MT. Robinson, who had taken place in the area in front of the Speaker, said loudly, 1T object" This prevented present action on the resolution.
 Having limited debate on the first section to ten minutes the House again went into committee on the cattle bill. The first two of the twelve sections were agreed to. when, on motion of Mir. Hatch, the House ad- journed at 4:50 D. m.