New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-15
THE NAVAL BILL CRITICISED
MORE THAN ONE NEW BATTLESHIP NEEDED.
VysoUNDNEss OF CHAIRMAN HERBERTS ARGU-
MENTS.
1Br TELEGRAPH 70 THE TRIBUNE!


MENTS.
1Br TELEGRAPH 70 THE TRIBJSEI
WASHINGTON March 14.-The refusal OF the
FORTY of the House Committee on Naval Affairs to
recommend the building OF two new armorcd battle
ships is sharply and justly criticised by the Republ
cans as well as by Democrats. and an effort
will be made in the House to amend the Naval Ap
propriaton bill authorize the building of two
such ships. This effort will have the earnest sup
port Of all the Republican and one or two Democratic
members of the Naval Committee, as well as OF every
other man in Congress, irrespective OF party who de-
sires the work of rebuilding the Navy TO go on with
out interruption until this arm OF National deiehce
Is properly strengthened.
The Republican members of the Naval Committee
have gone with Chairman Herbert and his Democratic
colleagues In favor OF all reasonable reducuOhS tley
have offered no objections because they have felt
that everything else should be subordnated TO getting
as many ships authorized rs possible Inc
natural reduction In the bill under the head of In
crease of the Navy" due to expiration Of contracts
and completion of vessels amounts to $7,7OO,OO0 In
addition there are reductions in the estimates Tor
other branches Of the service made by the secretary
of the Navy and pruned still closer by the Naval Com
mittee In view of these large reductions, the Ike
publican members of the committee naturally ex-
pected that proper and adequate provision Wouu
be made for new ships. they greatly surprised
AS we'll as disappointed when only one was proposed
by Chairman Herbert. whose views were approved by
the majority OF the committee The ship which II Is
proposcd TO authorize Is OF most admirable type,
hut one ship is wholly inadequate The ships mere
tofore authorized are rapidly nearing completion 10
fail TO continue work allow break to happen means
loss OF mechanics plant and indefinite and costly
delay Only fair beginning has been maze, ana
interruption of work now would be National
calamity.
Chairman Herbert's argument that 1t is not neces-
sary authorize any ships at this session because
armor cannot be supplied is unsOund. The delivery
VI armor has only just begun but is going on rapidly
and the capacity of the works is rapidly increasing
For batcships authorized at this session armor would
not be needed under years for the intervening tune
would be needed for the making OF plans putting up
frames ETC. From what Chairman Herbert says. one
might infer that the first thing TO be done in building
ali armored batteshp is to put on the armor plates
Modern warships are built In IA month or year.
md unless the two battlesps asked for by the Secre
tary OF the Navy are authorized at this session. there
will be a long, expensive and injurious delay.
Mr. Herbert's ideas OF economy liberal in
some respects than in Others apparently. lie objects
TO authorizing the building Of ships for the Navy
because the armOr which will not be needed for two
years TO come is not ready; but he and the majority
OF the committee recommend new dockyard at New
Orleans to cost $4,000, Of which sum S25oO0O Is
carried by the bill Just reported to the House 1t
might not impertnent suggest that the building
ton OF dockyards No appropriation thls year ior
drydOck New-OreanS l. recommended by the Secre-
tary of the Navy, and no item for that purpose viii
be found In the estimates The bl also contains an
appropriation OF $3.50 900 TO complete the dydock
Port Royal S. c.. which is in accordance with tho
recommendations Of the Navy Department