Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-14
RAISING THE APPROPRIATIONS,
River and Harbor Bill Re-
ported in the Senate.
The Allowance for San Pedro In
creased $4,000.
Twenty five Thousand Dollars Inserted
for Deep Harbor Survey An
Interesting Debate on the
Naval Bill.

Interesting Debate on the
Naval Bill.
Associated Press Dispatches.
WASHINGTON, May 13.-I the senate,
today, the committee on commerce
reported back the river and harbor bill.
with amendments, increasing the total
of the house bill by $780, 900. The
most important changes are the addition
of four contract sections, replacing the
yearly appropriations on portions of the
Missouri river, the st. Johns river, Fla. !;
the Great Kanawha, w. "; and for a
boat railway at The Dalles, Ore. In the
latter case the total contract expendi-
ture is not to exceed $2,65O, 900.
The senate committee increased the
appropriations made by the house by
the following amounts in the cases men
toned, besides other:
Harbors: California - Wilmington,
$3l 600; deep harbor survey (new) $685.
600.
Oregon-Ya -Yaquima, $4,000.
Washipgton-Gray's harbor, $4,000;
Olympia, $4,000 Lake Washington
canal new, 100000.
Rivers: Oregon = The Dalles Boat
railway (new), $3.50, 900; mouth of the
Columbia. $4,000; lower Willamette
and Columbia, $4,000.
Westinghouse Swinomish slough, $780,
GOO; the Columbia at Vancouver new,
$4,000; Willipa river and harbor, $1S,-
900; upper Columbia survey, $4,000.
Minnesota Survey for the Lake Su-
perior and Mississippi canal (new),
$4,000.
Upper Missouri river, $4,000.
The following appropriation was
stricken out: Gila river, Arizona,
Appropriations made by the house
are decreased by the following amounts.
among others: Mississippi river, from
the head OF the passes to the mouth OF
the Ohio, including harbors, $195, 900,
Missouri river. from the mouth to Sioux
City, $4,000.
Senator Frye, chairman of the commit
tee, submitted detailed report on the
bill, showing the wisdom and necessity
of expenditures for river and harbor i'm
provements. The total expenditures for
water improvements of the great lakes
amounted to about $50, ,0C0,0 900. or one
fifth of the annual saving effected in
transportation. The report states that
the improvement of these waterways
decreased freights on corn from 1914
cents per bushel in 1859 to 1.9 cents per
bnshel in 1890.
The report then speaks Of the value of
the Mississippi river and its tributaries
to commerce.
The report further speaks of the eff
cacy and benefits of river and barbor
l. 1, arA
mentions particularly the work just
reaching completion at the mouth OF
the Columbia river. The work OF i'm
provement going on there will give the
Columbia river depth OF thirty feet.
TIE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Consideration OF the naval bill was re-
sumed, and after the rejection of Nc
Pherson's amendment, appropriating
$3.50, 900 toward the construction of
dry dock at Algiers, La, regular consid-
GRAFTON of the bill was resumed at the
point where an increase of the navy is
provided for. The bill, as it came from
the house, provides for one armed cruis-
err, of about 5000 tons displacement, to
cost, exclusive of armament, not more
than $3,500,000. The amendment, as
reported from the senate committee
on appropriations. provides, in addition,
for one sea going coast line-of-battle
ship of about 5000 tons, to cost not ex-
ceedIng s4,000.000; one harbor defense
double-turret snip, of the Monitor type,
about 1900 tons, to cost not exceeding
$3,00O,000; four light-draft gunboats OF
800 to 1000 tons displacemt, and to cost
not exceeding $3.50, 900 each, and six
torpedo boats to cost not exceeding
$4,000 each.
Mcpherson, from the naval committee,
offered an amendment to the senate
amendment, providing for three harbor
defense double-turret ships Of the mon
itor type, instead of one ship.
After long discussion he modified
his amendment so as to strike out the
house provision for one armOred cruiser
and the senate provision for one sea-
going coaet line-ot-battle ship and for
one harbor defense double-turret ship OF
the monitor type, and substitute there.
for three harbor defense double-turret
ships of the monitor type.
German spoke of the great advance
in recent years in naval establishments.
Steel war vessels could be built here for
within 8 per cent of the cost of building
them on the Clyde. The progress was
due to the policy of building new
navy, which policy was inaugurated un-
der the last administration. He was,
therefore, prepared to vote for a proper
tienate increase of the navy. He knew
that the financial problem was
very serious one, and that con-
gress was being criticised for the great
amount of money expended. The ex.
penditures had grown from year to year,
and now economy and careful appropri-
alton would have to be the order of the
day. If not, increased taxation would
follow, and etill he knew of no great ap-
preparation that could be reduced with
out stopping the great works of the
government and paralyzing the steel in
dustries OF the country. He, for one,
was not prepared, until the country
should have q navy to be proud of, to
have the cry OF economy prevent him
from voting for proper appropriation
for it.
German presented table showing
figures OF the appropriations for several
congresses, and said: ''There has been
an increase every year, no matter what
administration has been in power, and
as the country grows and we go on with
the construction of our navy
and omen harbOrs and daenen