Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-02-06
NAVAL ACADEMY REMOVAL.
WILL BE STRONGLY OPPOSED.
Congressman Barrett's Unpopuiar
Measure Denounced Everywhere
Views Of Naval Officers Sta
toned at the Academy.

y
the Naval Academy caused much ex-
element in the city and the Naval
Academy. Tie proposed bill of Con-
gresham Barrett. of Massachusetts, TO
nave the Academy removed TO his State,
or that suitable sight lie selected by a
committee to be appointed is denounced
from all sides and will be bitterly fought
| by the Maryland delegation in the two
houses of Congress.
CAPTAIN SAMPSON SPEAKS.
During the war, says Captain Samp-
son, the question of transferring the
school to Newport was seriously consid-
| cred, and would have been effected, but
| for the successful opposition of Mary
| land and the offers presented for its con-
| tinuance at Annapolis. The Governors
mansion, he says, was offered for the
| temporary use of the government and
| land given, which were accepted by the
authorities. Captain Sampson regards
the work accomplished, both theoretical
and practical, as marvellous. considering
| the obstacles in the way and the meagre
appropriations made To carry it out with.
| There are now buildings there, he says,
erected thirty-fve and forty years ago,
which during his service as cadet, were
| known to be unseTviceable, but which
still stand. The armory, completed
about twelve years ago, is now being
| prOpped up. ano there are other exam
| Piles of the humiliating condition of the
| buildings which demand the attention of
| Congress. Six million dollars. and not
three, as has been stated, would be neces-
sary to completely rehabilitate the school
and it is a grave question in expanding
so large an amount whether the question
of the advisability of relocating the in
stitution should not be considered.
The blame for the lack OF attention to
| the Naval Academy is put by naval OIL
GERS on Maryland delegations, which for
| twenty years, they claim, have been un
concerned about it. Now that there is
some chance Of its being taken from the
| State, Admiral Ramsay, Commodore
| Phythian and Captain Sampson, former
superintendent. hope that the present
| delegation may stir itself and insist on
liberal appropriations being voted.
| MARYLAND's REPRESENTATIVE WILL
FIGHT 1T.
The members of the Maryland delega-
| ton are fully aroused to the importance
| of combating Mr.. BarTett's bill. As
already stated, at the suggestion OF Rep
resentative Miles, it had been determin-
| ed to hold a conference of the MARYLAND
delegation upon The first day that both
Representatives Rusk and Cowen should
be present. The matter has, however,
becOmeso urgent that it has been determ-
ined to hold the conference TO day wheth-
er the other House members are present
| or not. Senators German and Gibson
will be asked to JOIN the conference, and
| such action will be taken and such pro-
| gramme outlined as will best aid in the
| defeat of Representative Barrett prop
OsitlOn. Representative Coffin, in whose
| district the Naval Academy is located,
| is thoroughly alarmed by the TumoTed
| strength of the sentiment behind Mr..
Barrett's proposition, and he does not
wish moments delay in beginning the
work of organizing opposition to the bill.
| Representative Miles, who has been the
Inauguration of the agitation III favor of
increased appropriations for the acade-
my, has been already extensively quoted
upon the subject.
! OUTRAGEOUS PRoPoSITIoN.
Representative Wellington said yester-
day that Mr.. Barrett's proposition was
an outrageous one, and he would be found
opposing it with all the ability of which
| lie is capable. Representative Baker is
| also with the other members. Senator
German saws that Mr.. Barrett s PROPOSE
| ton is absurd, and Senator Gibson will
devote all his energies to the defeat of
| the bill. In point of fact, the alarm felt
by the members of the delegation is a
| little premature and unnecessary. AS
was stated, there is not the slightest
| probability that the bill can pass the
House, and even if it could the Senate
committee on naval affairs would hardly
consider the proposition seriously.
But the bill will be defeated in the ma
val committee, in all probability, before
it is permitted to reach the House. The
| proposition to remove the academy to
New England point did not originate
| with Mr.. Barrett. 1t was suggested TO
him by q republican member of the ma
val affairs committee who visited the
academy recently and conceived the idea
| that he might be able to secure the in
stitution for some one of the coast towns
in his district. He did not wish, how
ever, as member of the committee. TO
| appear in the matter, and so suggested
the ACCESSIBILITY of its removal to Repre-
sentative Barrett. This member of the
committee stated yesterday that he was
now bADtcnOA AA4uD SAN PAORODCA AOL1Of0l
could not be accomplished. He had been
surprised at the Outburst Of feeling in
| opposition to the proposition and prac-
tlcally abandoned his scheme.
VIEWS OF OFFICERS AT THE ACADEMY.
| AT the Naval Academy there is gen.
eral feeling of opposition to the removal
of the institution to some other locality.
Captain z. II. Cooper, superintendent of
he Naval Academy, and M edical Direc-
tor Walton, both say the location is
healthy, and that there is no cause for
alarm from sanitary point of VIEW
Captain Cooper, who has been in COM
mand about year, has found the acad-
envy very healthy place, and Medical
Director Walton says the death rate is
small, there being only four deaths in
three years. Three Of these died from
heart disease and the other from an ac-
cident. All were elderly persons. The
comparison with other stations in the
navy according to the report of Medical
Director Walton is in favor of the Ma
val Academy as far as health statistics
60. During his ten years at the hospital
DR.. Walton says be has never known a
case of typhoid fever TO originate in the
academy. There was case some time
ago which was contracted outside. There
has not been case Of diptheria for sew
eral years, and a few cases of measles
1 1E,r fV5ufli