National Republican., 1884-02-27

used altogether for "ftting" purposes. In the
same statement the admiral attributed one OF the
difficulties Of the navy yards to their peing SUD
Mr.. Beck said that since 1865 1886 100000 had
been spent upon the navy. Whole shlls hhd Deen
broken up aud sold as old scrap Ine rouoiewns
applied. There were ninety.two vessels all told
belonging to the navy, OF which only tnir'y-one
Mr.. Hale did not consider this a fair criticism.
We had found n large navy on our hunus as
legacy Of tho war, and everything aoo haa naa
covered everything which had been ex-
pended for the purposes Of the navy depart,
ment in oil those years nin WIZ SoGu ns not nave
Mr. Beck did not see that we had any commerce
to protect; there was practically nothing for
navy to do except to keep up some grandeur OF
style
MIR. Mcpherson offered the amendment sub.
mitted by him yesterday, reducing the number OF
steel yes,es provided i9r by the PHI TO four Ieat
viding that the gunboats, ram, and torpedo boats
should be built under plans aud specifications 70
be supplied by the navy department. except one
gunboat to be built upon plans TO be furnished by
tue admiral Of the navy, such building TO be done
by contract with the lowest responsible bidlet
made after nt least sixty days ADVERTISEMENT ana
that no such vessel should be accepted unless
built Ia strict accordance with the plans aud
specifications.
lie supported his amendment by some remarks
In which he slnted that he WAS as earnest as any
man In his desire ~ build up the navy he dii-
fered with others only ~ ~ the method ia which
the work should be accomplished. lie favored
proceeding upon some established rules aud pnn-
ciples, and objected 10 going iartner with expert
certainty. lie dlI not believe in destroying tbs
| old wooden vessels OF the navy Until some sub.
slitute should be found Tor them. lie criticised
tue action Of the secretary Of the navy Win reier-
ence to those ships, aud said that the whole plan
of that officer was TO have AN opportunity OF build
WIZ Where pvS tSes es wefo Sn worthy OF Hs'
| Mr.. Beck inquired why the vessels could not be
built more oueaply at navy yards, snce the tarlii
| ~ Ue imported free OF duty while tue contract
| prices OF John Roach and others are based On an
average duty of 40 per cent on lhe ma.ela.
the navy yards were used more Tor political than
| Tor naval warfare.
| Mr.. Butler referring to Mr.. McPherson's crltl-
| cism of the course OF the secretary Of tue navy
with regard TO the disposition aud destruction Of
wooden ships stated that while not here to defend
tue navy department. II was always well TO be
just. Ho then read from the Appropriation bill for
| the year ending June 49, 1888 the clause woicn
ordered the secretary OF the treasury TO cause all
| naval vessels To be examined ny n board Of naval
officers, which board was ordered 10 report TO the
| secretary OF the navy, In writing, what vessels
| were unfit fot further service. He also read from
the appropriation Till OF last year the clause pro-
| vding that no part of tho moneys appropriated
ior repairs should he applied to the repair OF any
| wooden ship when the estimated cost OF such 70.
| pair should exceed 20 per cent of the cost OF
| replacing the vessel. MI. Butler argued that the
disposition 10 wipe out the wooden ships 80 far as
IL existed ut ALL was disposition OF congress- ana
not FINE secretary of the navy.
| Mr.. Hale supported this statement. Congress,
| he said had decided not to spend on any old
| wooden ships more money than 20 per cent of the
cost of new snip II was the act Of congress that
| did 1t, and the secretary of the navy would have
been subject TO impeachmentif he hadnot carried
| out the law.
Mr.. Butler said that the wooden ships were
| rapidly wiping themselves out, and he Thought
the Limitation of expense upon their repairs wise
one. In case of diifcuty with foreign power
1t would be absolute murder to compel the officers
and men OF our navy to go on board these ships
and contend with any other naval vessel. As foI
| experiments, there never could be any improve
ment in naval architecture without them:
Out Of ninety-two vessels in the navy, Mr. But
Ter continued there were but thirty. one seryicea
| BILE vessels aud 3S6 guns. He would not pronounce
Judgment on the character of those guns, but he
would say that in case Of collision between any
vessel of the American navy and vessel Of any
other power in the civilized world, our gum
would compare with theirs almost as u popguu
compares with u long range rifle. Look, he said
| at some of the other navies Of the world. Great
Brl tain has now Sj9 vessels. having 1851 guns
4,7S9 officers, and $500 men; France, 32g vessels
l,54l gun 5,s24 officers, 42126 men, and 25,37O ma
rines; Germany, 81 vessels AL guns, l.0l2 officers
and 74Oo men; Italy, 81 vessels, Sll guns lO4 oil
GERS, and l5,055 men, Mr.. Butler ventured tne
opinion that the least valuable. o
the ships OF the Italian navy were bette
Than the best ship Of the American navy
The following named cities, he said, could "
bombarded by the most recent guns from posi-
tions, which could be taken up by an enemy
vessels Ill spite OF CUdnuel ODSlructlOnS or Ou
present harbor defenses; Eastport, Portsmouth
Portland Boston, New Bedford, Newport, New
Haven. New London, New York, Brooklyn, Nor
. folk, Beaufort, Wilmington, Chareston, Fernan
dina, Key West, Pensacola, aud Galveston. Be
sides the English would have within a fey
months clear fourteen foot channel from th
ocean to the great lakes which would admit yes
sells of respectable size, and expose our lurg
cities on the lakes to the dangers OF lombard
ment. In three weeks without previous prep
aration, England could have thirteen irUn-clad
on our coast, and in four weeks ten more
besides forty unarmored vessels, and al
the steamers of the transatlantic trade, which
as auxiliary cruisers, would be more efficient fl
naval warfare than two-tnirds OF our ships Ger
many could to- day mobilize her whole force ant
have fleet of iIol-clads off our coast in u fe,
weeks. The war ships of Italy, with their larg
guns, would be very formidable, and all tn
nayies of Europe, and many OF those of Sout
America and Asia, were now provided with frs
class torpedo boats. Mr.. Butler thought that fig
ures ana facts of this character appealed strongl
TO congress to place the navy of the United State
| in q position of greater efficiency.
On motion of Mr.. Conger, the senate at 4:40
M, without coming TO vote on the bill, wei
into executive session, and when the doors wer
reopened adjourned.