Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-04
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
Our Navy and Contrasts Between
Democratic and Republican
nin0ritieS,
Regarding Their Naval Lesisla-
tiOn.
II. Boutells Draws Some Striking Com
pafiSonS Between the Dolphin
and YesuYiuS.
The House Passes an Amendment for
establishing Coal Station at
Pago-Paso.
WAsHISGIoS, Feb 2.
HNn~A

PaSo-Pago.
WAsBISeIoS. Feb 2.
House
Mr. Herbert of Alabama, chairman of the
committee on naval affairs, brought the ma.
val appropriation oil up in the House The
only anne ndments carried were those offered
by himself. The bill Appropriated sl9, sos,
577.lZ. Thi. is s34 900 less than the amount
Appropriated for the current year, and g.,
s5o 900 lees than the estimate.
Senate bill providing for the register of
the steam yacht Nautilus, owned by Hon.
Isaac c. McCabe of New York, was passed
BY unanimous consent.
John Allen of Mississippi, got unanimous
consent and showed through bill granting
the right of way through the ILdian territory
to the Choctaw Railway Company.
Mr.. Springer moved that the House insist
upon its amendments to the Senate bill for
the admission of South Dakota. Messrs
Baker, Barnes aud Springer were appointed
conferees for the House.
MIR. Hatch of Missouri Iext reported the
agricultural preparation bill.
Mr.. Herbert moved that the .louse resolve
itself into committee of the whole for the
consideration of appropriation bills. This
was carried.
The speaker called Gov McCreary to the
chair. The naval Appropriation bill was the
first on the calendar. The House dispensed
with the first reading and general debate
upon the bill followed
| Mr., Herbert explained its provisions as
given IN the report OF the com nittee In re-
ferring to the new navy, he said that all the
vessels recently laid down would be equal if
not superior to any in the world of similar
types. He especially praises the dynamite
cruiser Vesuvlus. He said that experiments
had demonstrated that dynamite guns were
very efficient weapons. The bill provided
for new cruiser similar to the Vesuvius.
1t was to be constructed, however, ouy after
the secretary of the navy should become
satisfied from official tests that the Nesuyius
and her guns were utterly satisfactory. He
paid the navy department a high compliment
for its activity and efficiency.
Mr.. McAdoo of New Jersey followed Mr..
Herbert. He said that the thanks of the peo-
pie were due botn to the secretary of the
navy and the committee on naval affairs for
the effort made TO build a new navy. In his
speech ne referred To affairs in Samoa and
complimented the naval authorities very
highly for their action.
Mr.. Boutelle of Maine gave Secretary
Whitney full credit for all that he has done.
He said that the building of new ships
and the creating of new navy was due to
the fact tina, the minority in this House for
the past two years had pursued different
course from that pursued by the minority
under a republican administration. 1t had
always favored the fullest appropriations. He
gave Secretary Whitney great credit for es
tablishing plant for the building of moni
tors and iron clads. He said that it was
more important that we should have estab-
lishments for building complete warshps
| than TO have at any time given number of
| ships. In referring to what Mr.. Herbert
said that in few years we would have the
fastest and best war ships afost, he thought
| it was drawing on the future. If they were
as great an improvement upon our present
were vessels as John Roach's war ships were
| on the old wooden vessels, the country would
| be entirely satisfied.
| Mr. Boutelle then criticised the navy de
| partment for the treatment of Mr.. Roach.
| He compared the Secretarys action as to
the Dolphin with his action as to the Vesu-
vus He said that Mr. Roachs contract
called for Is knots an hour. The Dolphin
/ ran six hours and made over 10 knots. Then
/ a new board of examiners took hold of her
! and ran her into the ocean, where
!
| heavy sea. The board appeared to be
dill gently seeking for faults in her con-
struction. There vas a great contrast be-
| tween the treatment accorded her and the
treatment accorded the Nesuvus. The Dol
phin was compelled to make her trial as if
equipped for battle, and not 80 with the We
suvius. On her trial trip she was 100 tons
short of coal and carried no guns. one
fault found with the Dolphin was that some
of her machinery was above water line
/ There was the same fault found with the
Vesuvius, but no complaint had been made
/ Mr.. Boutelle had heard that some of her
machinery had been put in expressly for her
trial trip. He trusted that this was not So
He had been informed that her machinery
had broken down in both her first and sec
ond trips. Yet there was surprise expressed
wh, the vibration of the machinery of the
! Dolphin shook drop out of glass tlled
with water No one seemed to he surprised
at the breaking of the machinery on the
Vesuvius He had been toll that the vessel
failed to make the specified time He had
been told fur her that her contractors com
planned because the wa er wasn't deep enough.
Then a trial trip was made at sea He insn-
uated that it was made there for special
purpose He said he was informed that the
speed test for the Vesuyius lasted from six
to twelve minutes. The speed for John
! Roach's ship lasted six hours He insisted
that the Vesuvius should be tested with all
her weights as the Dolphin was tested. He
thought the different treatment of the two
vessels was owing to their different political
paternity If the democratic minority years
ago had given one half as much real support
TO the navy department as the republican
minority had given within the last four
years, there woull have been svast improve
ment He said that the democratic press
formerly broke into full cry whenever an
} accident occurred to new vessel. tie IN
stauced the case of the Atlanta. The repub
lican press has acted differently. They sait
nothing when an accident befell the Baitl
more at her launching. If the same acci
dent had bef,llen enc of John Roachs ships
r the whole country would have been aroused
Mr.. Herbert replied to Mr.. Boutelle. He
said that structural weakness was the trouble
with the Dolphin 1t rendered her unses
worthy. The Vesuvius, on the contrary
q had great strength. and vas completely sea
worthy. The finding in both cases was mad
t by a board of naval officers. and Mr.. Bou
: te les spe' ch was an imputatio0 upon them
Mr. Boutellc discamed any such imputs
e ton. He said that he went aboard tn
;. Dolphin last summer at Bar Harbor. H
' told her captain that be had looked her owe
It for signs of weakness. The captain replied
n why, she is strong enough for two ships,
b and said that she made 10 knots and hou
e easily, and that she would soon make l
Z knots.
$ Gen. Joe Wheeler then made speech sd
e vocating the appointment of a committee
e attend the commencement exercises of III
n naval college. 1t was an earnest speech an
e one thai attracted attention.
While the bill Was being read for smen'
ment, Mr. Herbert offered one sppropriatin
800 600 for the establishment of a COT
station at Pago Psgo to be Immediately avai
able 1t was carried without discussion.
The House adjourned tilt Monday.
It Notes
Secretary Bayard has decided that Cons
General Sewall shall not return to Samoa
our representative He thinks Sevall
,e course before the Senate com nittee on 70
"a | s;vp relations in attacking the policy of q