The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-21
TIE NEW NATY BILL,
Two Torpedo Cran Proposed By the Senate
Comu,ittee.

Committee.
WASHINGTON. May 2O.-The Appropriations
Committee OF the Senate has practically sur
rendered without a struggle the elaborate and
imposing programme OF construction which
tho Naval Committee OF that BODY drew up at
the beginning Of the session That this pro-
Rramme would be accepted by the House was
OF course not expected after the much:more
meagre provisions mado by tho latter in its
own naval bill, But the Senate committee has
not oven so amended the House bill as to Sc
cure test or complimentary vote on the prof.
ect separately reported by Mr.. Hale's commit
tee as Senate bill No. 53s. or course. should
the provisions OF this latter measure be added
to tho Appropriation bill by the Senate they
would at least be considered by conference
committee. with tho chance OF securing some
approximation to them rs n compromise.
The original proposal OF Senator Hale's COM
mittee favorahly reported within ton days AZ
ter Congress assembled formed o remarkable
contrast with the construction items OF the
bill on which the Senate is now to vote. 1t au-
thorized the building OF eight battle ships.
each OF from 1900 to 10000 tons displacement.
two armored coast defense vessols OF dimen-
stons not specified. three gunboats Of from 500
to l,2O0 tons displacement, and five nrst-class
torpedo boats. One OF the members OF the
committee. in explaining the provisions OF
this BILL said that tho eight battle ships we're
to be heavily armed and armored. and were to
cost, according to estimates $5,640.000 EACH
or si5,l2O,OO0 in all. Exactly what the
three coast defence monitors were to cost did
not appear In tho bill; but in the scheme OF the
Policy Board tho cost of six such vessels is put
down at $25.O00,0O0. SO that for two OF these
about Ss333000 might be allowed. This would
mako a total Of S53,i530O0 for the armored
vessels alone. Adding tho small gunboats and
torredo boats at least s55.000, 900 would be re-
CURED for constructing the ships proposed In
tho Senate bill. OF course. since their construc-
ton might extend through five or six years.
the first annual appropriation was to be only
small fraction Of the whole cost, It being
fixed in fact at $1,000 900, of which So. 100000
was for the guns.
The Nav, ,Anpropriaton bill. however, as It
yesss inc a3use Pro Tor only op6 large
torpedo boats whatever The cost Of three OF
the vessels which are battle ships, is limited to
knots an hour. 10 limited to s27530O9! This
the customary fractional part alone is
to be appropriated during tho first year;
for iour vessels instead OF the eighteen pro-
posed by Mr.: Hales committed OF only about
feT Of the Ggts ss ths s
allowance for differences in the PROVISIONS re-
garding armament Nevertheless, the efforts
amending the construction items OF the House
bill have not gone beyond adding two small
torpedo boat like the Gushing, which is to cost
not more than $l25,0Oo; the other, torpedo
t6a 9 qns Les fsa To
make % knots, and to cost, exclusive OF arma-
ment, not more than $35O,000.
from the original programme announced so
Ssoailden,ly and in such vigorous Language by
n
paralleled, are easy to discover, The first blow
to the hopes Qf the new administration; iva. was
which divided on the old question Of the rela-
tive merits OF the turreted low freeb board type
MI. Chandler of that committee presented
minority report arguing strongly against
tie ships proposed in the Senate bill. His opin-
1on no doubt. carried weight from his expert;
enee as secretary of the Navy and his study Of
administration. 1t was evident, accordingly,
that even the party friends OF Mr.. Tracy were
But second i and ST more i serious obstacle
was soon developed. 1t was found that the
least $40 900 900 p Year TO the tension expendi
lures. This practically settled the fate Of the
scheme Of construction proposed By the ma
priatiQn BIN was under discussion in the House.
struction. and declared that the pensions must
be IA, taken q care Of lrst In fact. in C9mmittee
out even the provision for the three battle
ships leaving only n single vessel for secre-
tween this action ard tho liberal support which
Secretary Whitney had received from Congress
was atterward urged upon the Republican
members and Chairman Boutelle. by great ef-
fort, succeeded in having tho provision for the
three battle ships restored to the bill on Its
final passage.
These facts undoubtedly, contain the reason
for the Senate committee's present cautious
with its four vessels. was about all the House
would stand:" and still heavier pension out
lays have now been projected. The Senate COM
mittee evidently gives up the fight as hop eless
and should the House consent. to add even one
mittee proposes. this will be quite as much as
the latter can hope. T he needs Of national de-
fence are once more su bordinated TO tho mania
for pensions.