New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-18
HOLMAN'S FIRST BIG CUT.
AN INADEQUATE NOTIFICATIONS BILL.
REDUCTIONS OF 81 PER CENT MAKE LARGE DE-
FICrEXCY APPROPRIATIONS NECESSARY
Inv ry,roR.pu TO TIE TrInUNE.1


Icy TELEGRAPH TO TIE TriDUNEJ
Washington. Dec l7--Even Watchdog Hol-
man ought TO be satisfied with the irst Dill
reported from his Committee on Appropriations at
this session. for IL reduces the appropriations Oh
, account of Notifications and other WORKS OIL va
tiopal defence 81 per cent below the amount
GRANTED for the current fiscal year AS the report
.of the committee itself shows the passage oil the
hin in its present form will make IL necessary I"
cprovide for large deficiencies at the hrst SESSION.
of the next Congress- just as the cutting down
Of the items on account OF pay and transportation
Of the Army in the Army Appropriation bili wiio'
'spassed the House several days ago VIII result
in heavy deficiency appropriations on tAO'e az
sounts.
The total amount directly appropriated by 'he
D. Notifications bill, reported, is Sl,'"''ooo' "
2. addition 10 which contracts are authorized io'
y,certain work TO the amount of Sooo'ooo' INC
., estimates submitted by the War Department caieu
for tho sum Of S7.642,5l3. which was aoouo
$4,000, 900 less than those for the current year,
the aporoprIations for Which amounted u
S2,734,21s
The estimate for the building OF gun auu
mortar batteries for which 100000 was gran'eu
for the current year. was $l.O0O,OO0; nothing 10
recommended by the Appropriations committee
For the procurement of sites for fortiiicatohs' inc
estimate called for $500, 900, the appropriation
for the current wear being 100000, and NOM
ing Is recommended. For the care and pres"rNa-
ton OF Notifications the committee recommends
$50, 900, as compared with an estimate OF eSoVVo
aud an appropriation Of $4,000 Tor the culicn'
fiscal year For finishing and assembling eigh-
inch, ten-nch and twelvc-inch seacoast guns az
the Army gun foundry, the sum OF S22s.ooo WIS
asked as the minimum amount which VIII keep
the gun foundry in economical operation, mas
anuclf as the foreings will be on hand ready lor
'mthe machinery" The committee cnt TINS c''i-
70 MAZE down TO $4,000, which will suffice 10
iskeep the factory employed until about the first OF
81 April 1894" three months short of the perlou
for which the appropriation il ostcnsioly made
Here is an open bid for deficiency
The estimate of $500, 900 for thirty five steel
breech-loadIng riicd m'r;ars was omitted al'o-
Ogether r, arm all the ports of the country 500
'h-of these mor.ars will be required, and only
sneighty have been provided for The estimates
for high-powcr cods, defence guns of eight, ten'
twelve and sixteen inch cabre. amounting 10
Gl1sOOOO; for carriages for twelvc-incl Drcech-
loading mortars amounting 10 S2S9,OO", ana LOT
carriages for eight, ten and twelve-lnch slec'
E breecl;- loadh seacOast guns amounting 10 al
603, 900, making total of S3,l6?,OOo, were cu'
down 70 a total Of 100000. and proNiso III
serted prohibiting the expenditure OF more 'ah
S400,0OO of this sum during the Usual yea" '""''7
June 80, 1924 These reductions are recon-
= mended despite the statements Of officers ol
= the War Department, which conclusively shows
that both economy and just regard for 'he
interests OF The public service require tRat 'ie
full amount ASKED for shall lie Appropriated
No prc><ion whatever is made for the ouiid-
ing of u type siA,een-inch gum which IS ureeu
= on the grounds that ia the plans Tor Na'lohai
? coast defence the proposed armament lhciuueS
number of guns of that calibre; that the appro-
pria. ion for t,tc gun should precedc me manu-
iacture Of siNtecn-inch gus IN 4uahli'a,; anu,
therefore, the rrst step should be taken witiioue
DELAY The fact is also pointed OUT that IL VIZ
% alton should be made availape as carr!
=, Us June 80 next, the type gun could haruly w
completed before June 30, 1896, While the hrs.
.tl?ce' siytecn-iici guns could not be made ieany
for service before tie end of 1899 IL Is iurthef
shown that in 800 there were afoat IN EUROPEAN
naies about forty suns of siAteen-inch c'HDie
ard upward, mounted On armofed sca-goihs
4 slip, land it l. Indspu able that the Iani De
~ fences shodd possess guns not only cIual III
: power To any that the attack can bring forward,
1-6Gt that il anoud endeavOr 10 h"lp the superiority
in this respect over the attack. BH' Su'h
plain ard incontrovertlb.c statements as theS
have no weight with statesmen of the Holman type
and ali