Evening star., 1896-03-24
FOR A NEW NAVY
Provisions for More Battleships in
the Appropriation Bill.
MONEY TO Be AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRS
Authority Given for Officers tc
AIIot Their Pay.
THE DIFFERENT NAVY YARDS

The naval appropriation bill for the fiscal
year, which begins on July l next, was
completed today by the House committee
on naval affairs, and may be considered by
the House this week. The total amount
carried by the bill Is $31, ,611 ,O34, of which
S12. 1T0. 13S is for the increase Of the navy
The appropriation is an increase over the
amount CT the last bill, which was about
twenty nine and one-third millions. Under
the increase of the navy the chief items
are the four new battleships and fifteen
torpedo boats, the former ito carry the
heaviest armor and most powerful ordnance
upon displacement of about l1,OOO TONS
and to have the highest practicable speed
for vessels of their class" Speed premiums
are not to be offered; all parts of the ves-
sells are to be Of domestic manufacture
and the contracts are to be let within
ninety days after the passage of the act.
One firm, under the act, may bid for all
OF the vessels.
For the hulls and outfits of vessels and
steam machinery heretofore authorized, ST.
67O.679 Is made available; for armor and
armament for vessels authorized by the
acts OF 1856. 1880. 1892. 1888 and this act,
and the three torpedo boats authorized by
the act Of 1895. $4.S71 .454 is appropriated
For the completion Of the equipment OF
new vessels, $237, 600.
Under the bureau of construction and re-
pair 81, 100000 is carried for the construction
and repair Of vessels. and an additional
sum of $35O.OOO is made Immediately avail
able for work urgently required on the Mi
aEtonomah Bennington, Baltimore, Petrol,
Mohican. Ranger, Atlanta, Vesuvius. the
tugs Fortune and Standish, and the Pensa-
cola and Swartara, the latter two Of which
are to be sold. 1t is stipulated that no ex-
penditures are to be made for the repair of
any wooden ships when the estimated cost
OF repairs exceeds 10 per cent of the cost
of new ship of the same material and size,
and special items are included of $3.50 600
for repairs to the Chicago and 100000 for
the Hartford, the latter vessel being ex-
empted from the 10 per cent proviso.
For steam machinery Of vessels $72S 800 is
appropriated, and, in addition there are
SPEC SPECIAL haa items of sloo.O0o for the Chicago.
$iOOOOO for the Atlanta Immediately avail
ab!el, 100000 for the Dolphin Immediate
available). and $4,000 for the Hartford.
FOR equipment of vessels, $1,312,147 is
carried; for ordnance and ordnance stores,
Si9200o; reserve guns for auxiliary cruis-
ers. $25O,O0O; new brick or stone buildings
at the Fort Miffiin. Pa, naval magazine,
$4,000; Newport, r. l., torpedo station,
No,ooO including $4,000 for extending the
sea wall: for arming and eQuipping the
naval militia, $4,000. Under the bureau of
Yards and docks there is an appropriation
OF s265. 600 for maintenance of yards and
DOCKS Vo,OOO for repairs at the Brooklyn
navy yard, 1,jOO for the League Island,
Pa. yard; $4,000 for Norfolk $1SO,OOO for
the Port Royal, S. c., station, which in
cludes $150.OOO for dredging the channel
and $15OOO for an artesian well; $97, ,:s94 for
the Mare Island, Cal, yard, including $50
600 for extension Of the quay wall and
10000 for ship filters shed: $1O2 900 for
the Puget Sound dry dock. including $4,000
for construction and repair shops and
10000 for storehouse, and $4,000 for the
Naval Academy, Of which $4,000 is for
two double houses for officers quarters.
The allowance for the equipment of ves-
sells is 1872, 147. Under the pay of the
navy a clause Is inserted in the bill to over
come the recent ruling by the Treasury
Department that it is unlawful for officers
al sea to make assignments of their pay to
members Of their families. Authority is
given the Secretary of the Navy to make
regulations under which the officers of the
navy and marine corps may make allot-
ments from their pay for the support Of
families while they are at sea, or on dis
tant duty, or under other special circum-
stances