The San Francisco call., 1896-03-27
Endeavored- to Secure Construc-
tion Of Six Battle-Ships
Instead of Four.
CALIFORNIA MEMBERS HEARD.
Hilborn Failed in an Attempt to Have
Five Torpedo.Boats Built on
This Coast.

w VAOIl1NolON, ~. O.y 1ndlCu SUs-l uC
House spent most of to-day's session in
discussing, in committee of the whole, the
motion offered by Hanley (R.) of Indiana,
member of the Committee on Naval AZ
fairs, to amend the naval appropriation
bill for the year ending June 80, 1892, by
providing for the construction of six
battle-ships' instead of four as recommend
ed by the committee.
The motion was supported by Hanley,
Johnson (R.) of California, and Cum
mings CD of New York, and opposed by
Hulick (R.) of Ohio, Robinson (R.) Of
Pennsylvania, and Boutelle (R.) of Maine.
The motion was lost--32 to 134. Without
further amendment the bill was reported
to the House and passed as recommended
by the committee-the first appropriation
bill of the session to pass unscathed
through the House.
Among the miscellaneous business
transacted was the passage of two or three
private bills, the presentation of con-
current resolution by Heatwole (R,) of
Minnesota, authorizing the appointment
by the President of a banking and cur
rency commission to consist OF nine
citizens to act with the Comptroller OF the
Currency and to report their recommends
tions and conclusions to Congress, which
was referred to the Committee on Banking
and Currency, and the presentation OF the
report of the Congressional Commission
on the opening of the Chickamauga
National Park by Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio.
Cannon (R.) of. Illinois reported the
sundry civil appropriation bill for the
year ending Juue 30, 1897, and gave notice
he would ask the House to consider it to-
morrow.
Heatwole (R.) of Minnesota offered the
following concurrent resolution, which
was referred to the Committee on Bank
ing and Currency:
WHEREAS, In view of our present inadequate
banking and currency system it is desirable
that Congress have the aid of such recon-
mendations as non-partisan commission of
experts might be able to offer regarding needed
changes.
ResoLued, That the President is hereby author
lied to appoint nine citizens eminent in trade,
political economy and banking to act with the
Comptroller of the Currency as such commits
sion, and that said commission be requested
to report its conclusions and recommendations
to Congress.
By unanimous consent a number of bills
were passed, among them the House bill
authorizing the Gulf, Colorado and Santa
Fe to acquire depot grounds in Davis,
Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory.
Grosvenor presented the report of the
Committee of Inauguration of the Chicka-
mauga National Park, which was ordered
printed. Consideration of the naval ap-
preparation bill was resumed in ommittee
of the whole three hours being set apart
for debate on the paragraph authorizing
the new warships and torpedo-boats.
Hanley (R.) of Indiana offered an
amendment increasing the number of sea-
going coast-line batte-ships from four to
six, and supported the amendment in a
speech of some length. He quoted from
Boutelle's speech addressed to Holman
(then a representative from Indiana), in
favor of an increase of the navy, and said
that the people of the West had heard that
appeal of the gentleman from Maine and
were now ready to respond to it in sup
porting appropriations for building the
ships he advocated.
Hulick (R) of Ohio, a member of the
Naval Committee, also supported the bill.
Johnson Cry of California criticized the
Naval Committee for not going far enough
in the matter OF providing for the increase
in the navy. He advocated the building
of;ships in order. that, American citizens
might be fully protected wherever they
went. and that the badge of an American
citizen would be what it was to the Roman
citizen, his Egis Of safety the world over.
Robinson (R.) of Pennsylvania defended