The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-05-19
FIFTY SECOND CONGRESS.
REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN BUILT
SHIPS BY AMERICAN OWNERS.
The Naval Appropriation Dragging Slowly
Through the senate-Watson Of Georgia
Again Demands Regular Order
in the House-Behring Sea.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, d. c., May 17.-Sen
ator Chandler introduced bill to au-
thorize the registration of certain
steamships as vessels of the United
States. Referred to the committee on
commerce. The preambles recite
that Austin Corbin and associates pro-
pose to organize an incorporated COM
pany under the laws of the state of
New York, to be known as the Amer
ican Steamship company, with cap
ital of $4,000, 900, for the purpose of
constructing, purchasing, owning and
floating first class passenger steamers
to run between New York or some
port on Long Island and suitable
port or ports in Great Britain, and
provides that all vessels owned by
such company of not less than 700
tons and capable of a speed of not
less than 10 knots all hour, which
may be acquired by purchase
or otherwise after the passage
of the act shall be entitled to receive
American registration in accordance
with the conditions of the act of May
10, 1882, provided the company shall
show to the satisfaction of the secre-
tary of the treasury that it has built,
or contracted to have built in an
American shipyard, vessel OF equal or
greater tonnage with such foreign
built ship, and also provided no reg.
lister shall be issued to foreign built
ship till the company shall have ac.
quired and applied for registry of at
least two of such foreign built ships
with specified capacity ofspeed.
The naval appropriation bill was
taken up (pending question being pro-
vision for increase of the navy
The question being on the motion by
Senator Wilson to amend the amend
ment to the House bill proposed by
the Senate committee MCPHERSON
modified his amendment slightly, but
after long debate it was rejected
yeas Is, nays 30.
Senator Morgan offered an amend
ment providing that if the harbor de-
fense ship be put on the Pacific coast
an allowance of per cent be made on
it's cost to the contractor in addition
to the contract price co cover the cost
of transportation of material. The
amendment was agreed to without
division. The question is on the
amendment reported by the commit
tee on appropriations. Senator Cock.
rell opposed it on the ground that
there was no absolute necessity for
the new vessels contemplated, and
that che condition of the treasury did
not justify such expenditure. With
out coming to a vote on the question
the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, May 17.-After some
opposition the journal was approved
and number of bills were reported
and placed on the calendar, including
one to provide for an additional asso-
ciate justice of the supreme court OF
Oklahoma. Mr.. Watson demanded
Irregular order," the Walker expung-
ing resolution, and the resolution
blocked the track until it was shunted
into the roundhouse of the committee
on rules by the motion of Burrows OF
Michigan.
The House then went into commit
tee OF the whole (Lester of Georgia in
the chair on the sundry civil bill.
Mr.. Pickler of South Dakota moved
to increase from $120, 900 to $500, 600 the
appropriation to meet the expenses OF
protecting timber on the public lands.
Lost. Pending further action on the
bill the committee arose and the
House adjourned.
BEHRING SEA COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON, May 17.-Justice
Harlan ofthe United States supreme
court, and Senator Morgan of Ala
bama, who have been selected by the
president as arbitrators on the part Of
the United States in the Behring sea
controversy, have each accepted the
appointment and agreed to serve. BY
the terms OF the convention under
which arbitration proceedings will be
conducted it is allowed to each gov
ernment after exchange rati-
fications time in which to
prepare the case and state
briefs on which it rests it's position in
the controversy. These briefs are
then to be exchanged and an additional
period of so days is given the repre-
sentatives of each nation in which to
prepare any matter to rebut and con-
trovert facts and claims made by other
side. Agents of the two governments
are now engaged on this preliminary
work, and will not be completed until
active labors of the arbitration COM
mission will begin. 1t will thus be
seen it will be next autumn at the
earliest before the commission assem-
bles, and how long it will then take
to conclude the settlement of the con-
troversy is problem.
NO AID FOR FLOOD SUFFERERS.
WASHINGTON, May 17.-Represen-
tative Catchings of Mississippi, few
days ago on receipt of letters from
Warren county, Mississippi, calling