The record-union., 1896-03-11
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
It Will Provide for Number of Battle
ships and Torpedo Boats.
Members of the Committee Differ as
to the Different Kinds of War
ships to be Built.

WASHINGTON, March TO- - The
House Committe on Naval Affairs still
has under consideration the naval ap-
preparation bill. While the measure has
not been completed, enough of its pro-
visions are known to give an abstract of
it approximating the shape in which it
will be presented to the House.
The important question of increasing
the navy has not yet been agreed upon,
but it is quite certain that number of
battleships and torpedo boats will be
authorized Members of the committee
differ as to what this increase shall be-
Some favor six battleships and fifteen
torpedo boats, while others want four
battleships and from twenty to thirty
torpedo boats. The bill will carry an
appropriation outside of any authorized
increase in the navy of about $2S, 800, :
600.
AS the bill now stands it's principal
provisions are as follows: For prizes
for excellence in gunnery exercises,
5000; for ocean and lake surveys, $14,-
600; bounties of naval apprentices, S33,
T50; expenses of recruiting, $4,000;
ordnance and ordnance stores, $3.50 600;
reserve supply of guns for ships of the
navy, $50. 900; reserves supply of projec-
tiles for ships of the navy, 10000; re-
serve guns for auxiliary cruisers, $3.50
0G0; for improving the gun plant at the
Washington Navy-yard, $4,000; for
new brick magazine at Fort Miffiin,
Pa, $4,000; for water supply at naval
magazine, Dover, N. j., $4,000; arming
and equipping naval militia, $50 900:
nance, 500, ,324; equipment of vessels.
s., 142,14 contingent expenses Bureau
of Equipment, $4,000; maintenance of
yards and docks, S26j, ,000 repair and
preservation of yards and stations,
100000; Naval Home, Philadelphia,
$40, 800; maintenance of naval hospit-
&ls, $4,000; provisions and commuted
rations for seamen and marines, ST.
200; preservation and completion
of vessels on stocks, 81, 1872, 500; addi-
tional supply of tcrpedoes, S142 900;
completion, repair and preservation of
machinery Of vessels. 1926, 900; for re-
placing machinery and repair of engines
Of the cruiser Chicago. S150,000; re-
placing boilers of the cruiser Atlanta
and repair of her machinery, S100, 600;
replacing boilers of the Dolphin, $780,
600; replacing machinery of the Hart
ford, $751; 900: repairs and improvements
at Naval Academy. $4,000; repair and
improvements of marine barracks at
the various points, $4,000, and for the
erection cf officers quarters in Alaska,
81. 800; on account of hulls and outfits
of vessels heretofore authorized and
steam machinery for them, $685., ,679 is
allowed. Towards armament of these
vessels So, $50, ,204 is allotted, and to-
wards completing their equipment an
appropriation of S237 900 is made
The bill contemplates placing the old
frigate Hartford in condition for active
service, and under the appropriation for
preservation and completion a provision
is added that nothing in that section
shall be construed to deprive the Sec
retary of the Navy of authority to make
the necessary repairs on this vessel.
The repairs outside of machinery, for
which $4,000 is allowed, are estimated
at about 100000.