The Portland daily press., 1890-04-11
BATTLE SHIPS BEATEN.
Result Of a Lively Naval Engagement
In the House.


WASHINGTON. April 10.-The House today
went Immediately into committee of the
whole on the naval appropriation bill.
Mr.. Herbert of Alabama offered an amend
ment providing for the construction of two
instead of three coast line battleships. His
amendment, The said, was based on the
ground that the United States was proceed
ing too rapidly in the construction of battle
ships. He was not so favorable to that type
Of vessel that he would build many of them.
He would favor the construction of fast
cruisers, which could destroy the commerce
OF any nation with whom we might become
involved in war.
Mr.. Oates Of Alabama criticised the
amendment, because it did not go far enough
1t struck out only one of the ships, while it
should have stricken out three. He did not
believe there was any necessity for entering
on the construction of this class of ships at
this time.
! Mr.. Boutelle of Maine said the bill was in
no sense a sectional or political measure. In
drafting it the committee on naval affairs
had been governed by no interest narrower
than that of the whole country.
Mr.. Herberts amendment was lost, 81 to
81.
Mr.. Wheeler of Alabama offered an amend
ment, authorizing the Secretary of the Navy
to contract with private parties for the con-
struction of two vessels Of such type and
speed as shall render them specially adapta-
BILE as armed cruisers to be built on plans
submitted to the Navy Department. In the
event OF war, the government shall have the
right to charter such vessels at such reason
as nss pfsssfir dsFms ss t1a %ss ruled ont On
point of order.
Mr. Peters of Kansas moved to strike out
the entire clause for the increase of the
navy. He believed the United States had
<zoI Af IxnAtI rCtrr 1Ad Ill
cruisers it required. If Congress endorsed
this proposition it must build 20 or 25 battle
ships. Unless the United States had such
fighting navy,it was absolutely useless to
have half dozen of these vessels. Battle
harbor S of New York except % at certain I % hours @
of the tide, and could not enter half the
ports of the country. A battle ship must be
placed out upon the Atlantic ocean with the
proverbial chip on her sm0ke-stack waiting
fight. The only safety for the sea coast
cities was in Notifications which could be
constructed. Ii the Notifications could not
protect them, all the battle ships which
could be built before the year 1000 could not
Of $15, 900 for battle ships and S3,000,O0O
for cruisers, but meant the enlargement of
the navy. The sentiment was gradually
reaching over the country that the United
States should never increase either its army
VI navy uublt ~ DCSdmO lAtOlfCu III dCbudi
war, of which there was no probability.
Mr.. McAd0o of New Jersey denied that
the naval question was between cruisers and
battle ships. 1t was between high and low
free board vessels. he favored the low free
board type. He agreed with Mr.. Peters as
far as his objection concerned great stand
ing amy, but If he believed any considerable
body of our people objected to the pr0tec-
tion of our coast, he counted without his
host.
Mr. Cannon of Illinois, said he feared tie
ships proposed to be built would become OBJ
solete before their completion. He believed
in small, compact and powerful navy, in
Guiding the best type of vessels. He was
not sure but that Notifications were about as
& ss Hewitt s cdaS New T York %
building guns which ten years later the
same gentleman admitted were obsolete
Mr.. Lodge of Massachusetts. said there
could be no navy with one class of vessels.
There must be different ships for different
purposes. A battle ship was monitor with
high free board The committee on naval
affairs had decided in favor of the high free
board, because they believed 1t necessary for
the completion of an efficient navy, able to
defend Amhrican cities and back up Ameri-
can diplomacy III the government built
battle ships, 1t reduced the fighting force of
the British navy. Had we had navy behind
US, the negotiations which had dragged along
SO many years for the settlement of the fish
cries qu6Stl0n would nave Deen enQeQ long
ago by diplomacy. 1t is the knowledge that
our great cities lie exposed to the first
foreign ship that comes along that
gives other nations their only force against
the United States in diplomacy. Referring
to the Samoan difficulties, he said they were
settled by comparative withdrawal on the
part of Germany. Germany was then under
the guidance of the great Chancellor who re-
Gently resigned. Ii it had been under its
present guidance, passion, not reason, might
have ruled and we might have found our
selves plunged suddenly into a naval war.
He advocated a navy because he thought 1t
due to the people that there should be a
navy sufficient to protect them, preserve
peace and cherish the honor of the American
flag.
Mr.. Kerr of Iowa, said he represented
district in which resided many Quakers
who had sent him petition after petition re-
questing him to vote against this appropria-
tion for an increase of the navy. They knew
that this preparation for warfare was in the
direction Of war with foreign countries.
Mr.. Holman of Indiana, moved to strike
out the paragraph providing for three battle
ships, leaving in the provision for the armed
cruisers. This was agreed to. Mr. Peters
withdrew his motion to strike out the entire
clause and the bill was favorably reported to
the House. No final action was taken and
on motion Of Mr.. Boutelle, the House at 4.45
adjourned.