The San Francisco call., 1896-10-20

with which to produce them, which was
true, and many gentlemen argued that IL
would take an indefinite period, and at
best would be but problematieal as to
whether we could succeed within reason
able time in setting up in this country the
ponderous machinery requisite Tor pro-
ducing this material. | took the ground
that the only way in which 1t would ever
be produced would be by the Government
insisting from the beginning tnat we
should establish in this country the faclll-
ties for producing the material with which
to build our ships, without regard TO the
fact that at the outset 1t might cost US
vastly more than it would to purchase the
material abroad.
81 carried that proposition into the
committee of the whole, but was defeated.
The controversy was carried forward, now
ever, and the result was that the amend
ment was formally and finally enacted by
Congress authorizing the Secretary of War
and the Secretary of the Navy to advertise
for proposals for the production of $10,
600, 900 worth of heavy steel forgings for
guns and armor, and that we would enter
into contracts with any parties who would
furnish suitable guarantee that within
certain time they would establish, within
the jurisdiction OF the United States, with
private capital, a plant with the machin-
cry requisite for producing the heaviest
forgings required by our navy.
"That was in 1886, at time when not
ton of this heavy plate could be produced
in the United States. The upshot OF this
encouragement was that within few
years we had esta blished at Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania, great plant fitted with
machinery much more powerful than any
in Europe, and subsequently were eStab-
lished the Carnegie works and other great
steel plants, so that for years past and
now every naval appropriation bill has
contained the unqualified requirement.
that the vessels i'll every part shall be con-
structed OF materials of domestic manu-
facture. l feel more pride because of that
fact than anything else have done.
when I was chairman of the Naval
Committee in the Flity-first Congress, and
we had built some OF the finest cruisers
and gunboats in the world, it was deemed
advisable TO begin the construction of ves-
sells for the heavy line of battle, and
drew a bill for the construction of the first
three battle-ships-the Oregon, Indiana
and Massachusetts-and in the same bill
provided for the construction of fast
commerce=destroyer for which l placed
The limit al one knot faster than had ever
been required for the minimum speed,
namely, tYenty-one knots. The offspring
of this provision was the construction of
the Columbia, which made tWenty-three
knots an hour.
"In the bill providing for the first three
battle ships of the American navy, acting
upon the same principle which had caused
me to insist upon the establishment OF the
steel plants in this country, l inaugurated
in the House bill bill requiring that at
least one of those great battle-ships should
be constructed on the Pacific Coast, re-
gardiDg, as l always have, the building up
and maintenance of a great private ship
building establishment on this coast as
one of the essen tials of our naval depart
ment of National defense.
1T is conceded to-day by the naval ex-
perts of the world that the three battle
ships we have now in commission are
superior to any vessels of their class that
have been built in any other part OF the
world. In the recent session OF Congress,
], as chairman of the com mittee, drafted
and managed the passage through the
House OF bill providing for three more
frst-elass battle-ships, to be superior IN
some respects to those already con-
structed, and also a number of torpedo
boats, concerning which the same provi-
sion was made that portion OF them
should be constructed on the Pacific Coast.
So that out of nine battle-ships that have
thus far been authorized by Congress from
the beginning of the new navy it has been
my good fortune to draw mp the bills pro-
viding for the construction of six"
Mr.. Boutelle has expressed himself in
the most complimentary manner in re-
gard to the magnificent work performed
at the great shipbuilding place in San
Francisco, the Union Iron Works. He
remembered distinctly the skepticism with
which many people commented upon the
proposal to establish a shipbuilding es-
adjustment here on the Pacific Coast to
undertake what was then only expert
mental in anv part OF our country the
construction of great modern warship.
He expressed pride in the resources of
his country so stimulated by the splendid
achievements of the Union Iron Works in
putting ahoat class Of warships unsur-
passed IN speed, power and efficiency by
any vessels ever foated for any navy in
the world.