New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-14
THE NEW NAVY'S BUILDERS.
1T OWES ITS BEING TO THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
MR. DoUTELLE RECOUNTs THE STORY OF
TIE APPRoPRIATIoNs-THE ATTACK ON
JOHN RoACH-MR. wHITNEY'S
BORROWED PLUMAGE.


Washington. May 10 (SpeciaD THE impudent
pretence OF the Democratic party that IL and It
alone has been the friend Of the American Navy
received 4 well-deserved rebulSe In the House on
Friday from Mr.. Boutelle IN his speech on the
Naval Appropriation bill. He analysed the his
tory Of naval appropriations in the last twelve
years, punctured the Whitney bubble, ana
showed that from the beginning the new Navy
owed It's being to Republicans. a part OF his
speech was as follows.
The work of rebuilding the American Navy. which
devised and begun by President Arthur ana Sec
rotary Chandler in 1888 Is practically aban-
doned under President Cleveland and Secretary Her
bert In 1894. This Is terse but accurate statement
of the facts they present themselves to-day But
| desire in the outset to express my cordial convic-
ton that the chairman Of the Committee on Naval
Affairs would greatly have preferred presenting
measure to this House which should have responded
In an adequate degree to the demand OF the people
OF the United States for continuance or THIS great
work OF building up the marine Gefences OF our
country. also freely concede my belief that the ma
jory of my associates upon the Committee on Naval
Affairs would have preferred to present a measure
that would have made provision for carrying for
ward this great naval enterprise by authorizing the
construction OF some additional ships OF war.
The actual beginning OF the new American Navy
was made before President Cleveland was thought
of Presidential possibility. when. by the &C; or
March 3. 1882 a Republican Congress appropriated
81 10000 TO begin the construction OF the Chicago
Boston. Atlanta and Dolphin. which were the first
four vessels OF the new Navy When President
Cleveland came into office and Secretary Whitney
took up the administration OF the Navy Depart
ment those vessels were under contract and well
advanced in construction: but It the policy from
the beginning for the Democratic Administration TO
set up false pretence in regard to this matter Of
,bo hut NJ no Navy and the nrst
message OF President Cleveland ignored the success
full beginning that had been made and alluded 10 the
Navy as having become merely "a shabby orna-
ment to the Government"
No credit was awarded for the holiness and fore
sight with which the new advance had been under
TAKEN and so persistent the determination to
ignore what the Republican Administration had
done In this regard that when the vessels authorized
TO be constructed under Secretary Whitney were put
under contract, several years after the vessels
named the Navy Department numbered the first OF
the latter as Cruiser No. l." cooily ignoring the
fact that we had AZ that time nearly completed four
vessels. which were far In advance Of anything ever
before undertaken this continent. Cruiser No.
T. was the title applied to the first vessel authorized
under Secretary Whitneys administration. and that
was done for the purpose OF Identifying the inaucu
ration Of the new naval policy with the Admnlsira-
ton Of Presden, Cleveland.
HoUNDINd ROACH
few years later. after the attempt OF Secretary
Whitney to discredI, the ships that had been au-
thorizel by the preceding Administration had failed;
after the assault upon the horor and credit ana ca
pacty and fidelity OF the creates; OF American ship
builders. John Roach. had succeeded so far as 70
drive him Into bankruptcy ana INFO premature
grave the vessels built by him having more than
indicated themselves ana the trust reposed IN HIN
by the Secretary OF the Navy and the people 81 the
United Siates-a few years later. say when those
had H.
more and to dlscredi but which to-day are recos-
nlzed az four OF the finest ships Of our neet-when
they were completed. in the latter part OF Secretary
Whtney's administration. and finally there were AS
senbled In New-York Iiarbor five ships. the nrst
steel vessels Of the American Navy the harbinger
OF this dspensation OF naval proves and pres
tge and when the attention Of the whole country
was concentrated upon that new manifestation OF
American capacity. the newspapers almost with one
Accordion this infection OF accepting Democratic
preiences seems almost impossible OF resistance oy
the American press-the newspapers from one end
Of the coun ~ 10 the other ;cemed with illustrations
OF those beautiful vessels. and at the top OF the
columns could be read the displayed announcement
OF the dress parade OF secretary Whl,ney's White
Squadron"
And Of wha, dld that white squadron consist
The four principal vessels OF which IL was COM
posed were the Chicago. the Atlanta. the Boston ana
the Dolphin and the solitary contribution OF the
@h+t4ift'."N'''r''
Yorktown.
The next provision FOR shlps-asde from 10000
also appropriated by the Republican Congress March
g. 1855. FOR machinery for the double-iurreied mon
ltOrs-was made at the close OF the second session
OF the XLNIlIth Congress. and | desire 10 give
credit to my colleague the committee the gentle
man from Maryland CMr. Talbo,D for having Sc
cured that appropriation Yet | must say, Mr.
Chairman. that during the XLVIlIth Congress. In
which | was a member OF the Committee on Naval
Affairs which principally distinguished by do
ing nothing whatever with naval matters except In
some personal legislation II was not only understood
but was openly. publicly and continuously declared
that the Democratic House OF Representatives would
not appropriate dollar TO enable Secretary
Chandler to go with the work OF building ships
for the Navy. Not one dollar-that was the edict
And Il was not placed upon the ground OF hostility
to the Navy; but II was put squarely upon the
ground OF Democratic partisan determination mat
not dollar should be- furnished 10 enable he-
publican Administration to carry forward mat great
public work. 100 ..
gress just as the Cleveland Administration was
coming into possession Of the Offices. the gen,lem1n
from MARYLAND In the last hours Of the session
called up "A law that had been passed In the NLNlIth
Congress authorizing certain appropratons am un
der that We ran through an Appropriation OF Noo'V"
think II was. .,.--.,
was enabled to proceed Now when Mr. whitney
came In to succeed Mr.. Chandler. he found four
modern ships under construction and he found TN,
appropriation to enable him TO go on ana contract
for some additional ships.
MIR CLEvELAND's FIRST STEPS.
Now. Mr. Chairman. at the first session or the
first Congress after Mr. Cleveland came into power.
what was done? We had n meeting OF the COM
mittee and a bill brought In for the building
Of some new ships All the newspapers OF the coun-
try. the Democratic newspapers. were filled with h.
and Democratic orators along the seaboari waxed
eloquent over what the Democratic party was going
to do In building up the Navy. which had Deeh 50
sadly neglected, according to their statements Dy
the Republicans.
bill was formulated the Navy Department
which carried appropriation OF sti2O.WW Tor we
OF ships IL was put through IN"
Committee on Naval Affairs with no opposition on
the part OF the Republicans except as 10 some de-
tails, and was placed the calendar OF the House
But the appropriation bills rolled up and up; the
capac lous NAV OF the Mississippi River and similar
swallowed more and more. until
finally a tripar;le steering committee or Demo
cratic leaders took possession of the business OF the
House and the fiat went forth that the Naval bill