The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-02
The Steel Cruiser Debate.

The discussion which has occupied the
greater part Of the week in the Senate ended
on Friday with the passage OF Mr.. HALE's
bill for the construction Of seven additional
steel vessels, of which two are to be heavy
CUNT bats, two light gunbOats, and the
remaining three cruisers to duplicate tho
Chicago, the Boston, and the Dolphin. Be-
sides these, the bill provides for building q
steel ram and three torpedo boats.
The two leading amendments which were
proposed and rejected sought to strike out
the provision for tho three cruisers. AMI to
provide for the construction OF at least q
part Of the new vessels in the navy yards.
1t was during the struggle over these amend
ments that the opponents OF the bill put ON
record strong protests against It,
The first clcnr point made by them was
that since the year 1865, after the close Of
the civil war, Congress has voted to the Navy
Department for its ordinary and extraordi-
nary expenditures more than $685. ZOO, 900.
while tho total appropriations to the
same department from l79l to 1850 werc
only $3.50, 700. But even that Is
not the whole story. In 1865 the Navy De-
partment started with the advantage OF Its
choice among about six hundred vessels
while the navy yards were crowded with all
sorts OF material. Mr.. BECK put this matter
In few words:
I'VE have given Sss5 10000 since 1906 besides all
The material which the senator from New Jersey
has explained aud besides all the ships that have been
sold. and when prevented them from selling chips
they broke old ships and sold them old snd
that money taken as we'll 1t IL because we cannot
get the properly applied that Congress Is In d-
Guilty about having navy"
It remains to add that Of tho thlrty-one
vessels In commission to-day, only sixteen,
or barely a half-and only three OF these
above the third rate--wsre built out Of the
eS85, 100000 the rest dating prior to 1855.
The second point brought out In the long
debate was that the central feature Of Mr.
CHANDLER's administration has been the
effort to get a new navy under contract with
private shipbuilders. To this everything has
been made subordinate. The law. passed last
year by Congress, authorizing the cOndemna.
ton OF every wooden vessel whose repairs
would cost more than twenty per cont OF the
estimated price OF q new vessel Of the same
ton by Mr.. CHANDLER with such alacrity
and viRor that no has already caused forty
eight vessels to disappear from the navy
tor, says that "about elk years will wipe GU,
the entire navy Of wooden shipe," under thi.
lowering Of the limitation Of repairs to TWEEN
ty per cent. Mr.. MCPHERSON grimly tolo
the Senate that "the Secretary's attempt t.
blot out OF existenoe" the present navy. "fol
the purpose Of reaching necessity to built
new ships, under favOrite contractor" hal
been thus far completely successful.
Ono more point mado In the debate wa
that 1t would DO perfectly practicable to wal
until next winter, when the cruisers now un
der construction-the Chicago. Boston. At
lanta, and Dolphin-are to be completed ant
launched. before deciding to build more lik
them. The Advisory Board, as whole, sp
proves them. hut high foreign authority la
condemned the steam machinery n the Chi
caRo, while Chief Engineer IsHRRwooD OF IN
navy reports that !" her speed will DO too lit
tie and hor endurance much too small
Chief Engineer SHOCK. the present Chic
Engineer OF the navy. hss Informed Nj
CsAADIx2 that hs cannot approve putin,