The herald., 1896-03-25
TwENTY-FIFTH YEAR. NO. 1856.
give an appeal on court orders appointing

give an appeal on court orders appointing
The naval appropriation bill for the fis-
cal year which begins July 1st. was COM
pleted today by the house committee on
naval affairs and reported by Chairman
Boutelle.
The total amount carried by the bill is
S3l 81 ,O34, of which $l2,779,l33 is for
an increase in the navy. The appropria-
ton ia an increase over the amount OF the
last bill of about $29, 1888 900.
For Mare Island, California, $92 .204 is
appropriated. including $50, 900 for the
extension of the quay wall and $33.OOO
for shipiitters' shed; for the Puget sound
dry dock, $1O2, 800, including $50 900 for
construction and repair shops and $2O,-
900 for storehouse.
The principal features of the bill have
been mentioned as they were decided
upon by the committee. Under the in
crease of the navy the chief items are the
four new battleships and fifteen torpedo
boats, the former to carry the heaviest ar
NOR and powerful ordnance upon a dis
placement of about l l 900 tons. and have
the highest practicable speed for vessels
of their class. Speed premiums are not
to be offered, all parts of the vessels 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 the vessels
and steam machinery heretofore author
lied. 81 ,670,679 is made available; for
armor and armament for vessels author
lied by the acts of 1886, 1890, lS92, 1898
and this act, and the three torpedo boats
authorized by the act of 1925. ~ 81 .544
is appropriated. For the completion of
the equipment of new vessels, $231 900.
Under the bureau of construction and re-
pairs, 81 ,25O. 900 is carried for the con-
struction and repair of vessels. and an
additional sum of $3.50, COO ia made imme.
diately available for work urgently re-
qured on the Miantonomah, Bennington,
Baltimore, Petrol, Mohcan, Ranger, At.
lanta. the tugs Fortune and Standish, and
the Pensacola and Swartara, the latter two
of which are to be sold. 1t is stipulated
that no expenditures 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 $25O,OOO for repairs to the
Chicago and 100000 for the Hartford,
the latter vessel being exempted from the Q
per cent proviso. An expenditure of $500
is authorized for the plans and preliminary
work for a model tank for trying models
of vessels to be built on the navel observa-
tory grounds in Washington and TO be
placed at the disposal Of private shipbuild-
ers, who may conduct private experiments
IL
sels. $72S 800 is appropriated, and in adj
dition there are special items of $15O,OOO
for the Chicago, 100000 for the Atlanta.
Immediately available), 100000 for the
Dolphin, Immediately available). and
SIS 900 for the Hartford.
For equipment of vessels, 1,312.147 is
carried; for ordnance and ordnance stores,
$792,OOO; reserve guns for auxiliary
cruisers, $3.50, 600: for arming and equip
ping the naval militia, 500 900; for main
teLance of yards and docks, $265 900 !;
$4,000 for the Port Royal. s. c., dry
dock station, which includes S15O,OOO for
dredging the channel and 81 1000 for an
artesian we'll: s92, ,2O4 for the Mare island,
CAL, yard, including $4,000 for a ship
filters shed and $1O2,OOO for the Puget
Sound dry dock, including 100000 for
construction and repair shops and $40, 900
for a store house.
Other bills called by the judiciary COM
mittee were passed: To make railroad
corporations, for the purpose of jurisdic-
tioh, citizens OF the state through which
they pass, and to make it unlawful to
shoot or throw any missiles at q locomotive
engaged in interstate commerce.
When the committee on military affairs
was called there was feeble echo of the
war talk raised by the presidents Venezue.
Ian message. 1t will be remembered that
the senate at that time passed Senator
Hills resolution removing the restriction
to appointment in the army or navy OF per.
sons who held commissions in the army
or navy before the rebellion and who sub
sequently engaged in insurrection against
the United States. Mr.. Hull, chairman of
the committee, said this bill would remove
the last restriction Gil the statute books
against ex-confederate soldiers.
The debate that followed was both inter-
esting and entertaining. Mr.. I3outelle
took the floor in opposition to the bill. He
did not hold commission from the Union
soldiers, he said, and represented nobody
but himself. But he could see no reason
for the passage of this bill. The sentiment
behind was very beautiful, but what prac-
tical purpose would it serve? Was there
any officer who could be commissioned
under it? Mr.. Boutelle declared that if no
practical purpose was to be served its only
effect would be to cast discredit on those
who enacted this law.
II hold in my hand," said Mr.. Boutelle,
the constitution Of South Carciina state
which provides uniform tax on all voters
| in the state save such as served in the con.
fedsrate army, who are relieved OF the
| tax
This brought Mr.. Wilson. Democrat, of
South Carolina. in the field to defend his
| state. He had been member OF the con-
| stitutional convention. he said, and the
only discrimination in it in favor of ex.
| coafederAtes was that those over so years
| Of age should he relieved from read duty.
| Mr.. Boutelie called attention TO the con.
| dition of affairs in the south which had
| brought thirty contested election cases
| into the house because the right to vote
was persstently and systematically with
| held over large portion OF territory Of
| the United States. Does that chow a con-
! dition of affairs that warrants US in ripping
! up the legislation of the war?
| "Is it light thing fer men to take an
oath ID support their country and then
draw their swords againet it? dc not d.
sire to draw the line against any man, but
do say l cannot see why we are called
upon today TO give such an object lesson to
the boys at Annapolis and Weat Point.''
Grosveuor. Republican of Ohio, got the
floor. II il had been lett to him. he said,
he would never have introduced the reso-
luton, but being brought up he would vote
for it. He did not care, he said, what the
South Carolina constitution contained.
Continuing, he said he would vote for any
bill that made possible higher degree Of
loyalty Of every man who served
the confederacy. (Appiause on the
Democratic side.) The time has
come, said he, when we need unity on
both sides Of Mason and Dixon's line. He
cited the numerous statutes relieving the
Southern soldiers of their disabilities.
Some of these soldiers, said he, are now in
the United States senate; others are in the
cabinet, as they have been in Republican
cabinets. Gen. Grant, who had heen SO
highly eulosi lied, sent abroad as the repre-
sentative OF the United Statea Gen. Long.
street, whom l regard as one of the ablest
of the rebel generals.