The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-01-31
THE NEW NAVY.

The Senate Committee on Naval
Affairs Will Report a Bill to Build
Two Hundred and Twenty War
Ships.
WASHINGTON. Specialize senate COM
mittee on naval atfAirs held an important
meeting to-day, at which, after considerable
discussion, the committee decided upon the
policy which will govern it during this con-
gress in the work of building up the navy.
This is, in BRIEF that great line-of-battle
ships, like the English Ben Bow, should be
constructed at once. Senators Chandler and
Mcpherson, however, are not in accord with
the decision reached, and majority and mi
nority reports will be presented to the SEN
ate. Senator Stanford is also not wholly
committed to the decision reached. The
naval policy board, which Secretary Tracy
appointed, made the following recon-
mendatiOns:
Ten frst-class battle ships. great ordnance,
1000 tons each, cost $5e, 400 900; Three
thrd:class battle ships, great ordnance, $500
class battle ships, limited ordnance, 5000 900
ss s ad limited tons each
tied ordnance, 5000 tons each, S1S.-
tors ,oo ASS sS1 to 5000 tons each,
Ouc CTUlSlLS uuOuIOE o,OOO tOIlS,
81 900 900; eleven rams, one of 1000 and ten
Of $500 tons each, $500, 900; nine thin
armored cruisers, 6, $50 TONS s2s, 800 900; four
$15, 76o o6O ten firstclass protected cruisers,
$500 tons each, 1928 100000; twelve Sec
Ond-class protected cruisers, 5000 to $500
tons each $22 900; six third.class pro-
5000: ten gun vessels and dispatch boats,
$50 to ], 500 tons each, 81, 500 ,OOO sixteen tor
pedo cruisers, including vesuvius, about 900
fnn ooH n. fhroof <,rvN ID 6ov,<f vii
ficer ships, 5000 tons each, $500 900: 1O1
torpedo boats, 65 tons each, cost sc, 300, OOO
making a total Of 227 ships of 61O,0S5 tons at
cost OF $349, 8 Is ,OOO
The above total includes ST., 965,OOO al
ready expended, and authorizes an ex-
penditure of 1921, $780, 900.
AN ISSUE RAISED.
When the committee proceeded to the
consideration of these recommendations,
the issue was raised as to whether or not it
would be advisable at this time to begin
with the construction of the immense line
of battle ships, as proposed by the policy
board. Including the harbor defense
monitors, there are forty-four of these YES
sells, and they would cost 500, 400, OOO while
the other 1888 vessels, including lQl torpedo
boots at an aggregate cost Of sc, 565, 900,
would cost only $147, o25,OOO. Senators
Chandler and Mcpherson opposed that part
of the policy boards recommendations por-
posing that these vessels should first
be constructed. They said that in
their opinion the United States should con-
tinue its present policy of building fast
cruisers like the Baltimore, Boston, Charles
ton ton ed ed San Francisco, and gunboats and
torpedo vessels. The cost of these vessels
Was comparatively snail, and they could
form All unequaled fleet OF commerce de-
stroyers. The building of the huge hne-of-
battle ships should he deferred until We had
a larger number Of cruisers, or there W"
some exigency calling for their construc-
ton. On this issue the committee divided,
the majority, as previously stated, agreeing
with the policy board. In accordance with
ehis decision Senator Hale was instructed
to- report favorably the bill introduced by
him some days ago embodying the recon-
mendations contained in Secretary Tracys
annual report.