The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-08-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, d. c., July 80, 'S6.
The House rejected all the amend
ments to the naval establishment bill
adopted by the committee of the whole,
and adopted, without amendment, Mr..
Herbert's substitute, reported by the
naval committee. In the bill as pass.
ed instead of three protected double
bottomed cruisers one of the best
speed is provided for, not to exceed in
cost 81 ,5O0,0O0 instead of four first
class torpedo boats two such boats are
provided for, to cost 100000. The
provision of 100000 for a torpedo
cruiser is stricken out. The compile
tion of the monitors is provided for.
The provision Of 100000 towards
the armament of the vessels, now
nearly complete, is retained in the bill.
The appropriation for torpedoes is re
duced from $125,000 to $4,000: that
for the ordnance from plant at some
navy yard from $3.50, 900 to $150,000.
But part Of the million for armament
may be expended in tools, etc. To.
wards the construction and completion
of the vessels provided for in the bill
S2,500,000 is given to start with.
Secretary Whitney, in communi.
cation to Senator Don Cameron, chair.
man of the Senate committee on naval
affairs, on the subject Of the construc.
tion of war vessels as contemplated
by the naval establishment bill, now
before that committee, says be hopes
it will not be found necessary to pur.
chase anything abroad, but such pur.
chases will certainly be limited to
some few things for which our builders
may not be prepared at present and
which it might be wiser to purchase
abroad rather than delay the construc-
ton, such as shafting and few heavy
forgings. In speaking of the armor
for the proposed ships, he says the
present bill, if enacted into law,
will enable the department to offer to
the competition of domestic manufac.
turers sufficiently large contract to
induce the establishment of plant in
this country for the production of the
necessary steel forgings for guns and
of the necessary armOr. In conclu-
sion the Secretary says that he shall
have no hesitation iD applying the
present appropriation for the purchase
of the armor and gun fOrgings if the
same can be had in this country, but
in any other event he will await the
future action and future appropriation
of Congress.
1t is stated at the White House that
Col. Lamont has gone to his home in
Cortland county, New York, for few
days, but it is believed that during his
absence he will make all arrangements
for the summer vacation of the Presi
dent and Mrs. Cleveland in the Adj.
rondacks. No information on the
subject can be obtained at the White
House, but it is understood that the
President and Mrs. Cleveland will
reach Albany about the middle OF
August and will be accompanied on
their trip TO the Adirondacks by Mrs
Folsom and several intimate friends.
II is said that they will go to the
woods from Plattsburg, and that the
trip will cover from four to six weeks.
The Attorney General has returned
to the President the oleomargarine
bill. 1t is understood that his opin.
ion on the bill states that it is consti.
tutional, and does not infringe upon
the states rights, but doubts the wis.
dom of the legislation by Congress
The fate of the bill is still in doubt.
L.