The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-19
BUILDING UP THE NAVY.
An Appropriation Of S25,2SO,q66
Carried by the Bill.

The Amount $2,67o,313 Less Than
the Estimates-The Allowance for
Armor and Armaments Unusually
Lerge-The Hartford to Be Espe-
cially Looked After on Account of
the Historic Memories-No New Bat
tleship to Be Built This Year
Washington, April 1S-The naval ap-
preparation bill as reported to the House
to-day carries an appropriation of $685.
2SO,966, being S2,67O,3l3 less than the
estimates, and an increase of g, 17G, 9O5
over the appropriation for the current
fiscal year.
The appropriation for the increase of
the navy covers only armor and arma-
ment and construction and machinery.
For armor and armament the estimates
called for S6,500,0c0. This the
committee reduced to 100000. The
large amount asked for in the estimates
is due to the fact that nothing was al
lowed for this purpose in the bill for the
current fiscal year, although the esti-
mates called for S2,0OO,00O. The appro-
priation was not made last year, and un-
looked-for delays III the manufacture of
armor made the appropriation of the
prior year'3uflicient for this purpose.
LOSS OF THE KEARsARGE.
The total loss of the Kearsarge leaves
the Hartford, Admiral Farragut's flag
ship, the only vessel in the navy aside
from the frigate Constitution, around
which historic memories cluster. The
committee, in accordance with the wishes
OF the navy department, have recommended
liberal appropriations for her preserva-
tion and improy cement, believing that
public sentiment demands 1t.
Secretary Herbert recommended, and
the committee inserted in the bill, pro-
vision providing for the naturalization of
alien sailors and marines on United
States vessels, who have served five con-
secutive years and have been honorably
discharged. Similar provisions for the
naturalization of our merchant seamen
and of enlisted men in the army have al
ready become laws, and the committee
think that there should be no discrimi-
nation against the navy. In reporting
the provision they express the opinion
that some steps should be taken to-
wards encouraging the enlistment of
American sailors.
ANOTHER BOAT LIKE THE vEsUvIUs.
In accordance with the recommends
tions of the Secretary of the Navy, the
committee recommends that he be author
lied to use for the construction Of one
additional cruiser of the Vesuvius type"
the S450, 600 appropriated by the act of
1889, for the construction, armament and
equipment of three torpedo boats.
BY the same act $500, 600 was appropri-
ated for building a submarine boat and
conducting experiments with it. The
committee recommended that the secre-
tary be authorized to use this amount for
the construction, with armament and
equipment, of a torpedo boat.
They also recommend that the secre-
tary be given authority to transform the
Vesuvius into a torpedo cruiser, il, in his
judgment, the change will add to the
efficiency of the vessel as a battleship
There are now only three torpedo boats
In our navy Statistics show that for
eign navies have many of these vessels,
ana in addition to those now in service
1877 are being constructed.
NO NEW BATTLEsHIPs.
The secretary asked for authority to
begin the construction of at least one
more battleship during the coming year.
While recognizing the full force of the
secretary's recommendation, backed up
as it is by the Presidents distinct denun-
citation of pursuing the policy inaugu-
rated of building up thorough and eff
cient navy" the committee, in view of
the Presidents suggestion that congress
should carefully take into account the un-
finished vessels on our hands and the de-
pleted condition of our treasury" have
reluctantly concluded not to recommend
an appropriation for the construction of a
new battleshiD at this time