The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-09
UNCLE SANS new SHIPS
The Senate Agrees to Four Sea
Going Battle Ships and
Many Torpedo
Boats.

WASHINGTON, April 0, 1S96.-The
Naval Appropriation bill for the coming
fiscal year was reported TO the Senate
today. The -four sea-going battleships
authorized in the House bill are left UNI
touched. Amendments have been made,
however. in the provisions for torpedo
boats. Instead of five capable Of attain-
ing a speed Of twenty-six knots. as pro-
vided BY the House. the Senate has sub
stituted three torpedo boats which viii
in reality be torpedo boat catchers, with
a maximum speed of not less than thirty
knots an hour. In place of ten or more
torpedo boats to cost not exceeding $500, :
600 and to have the highest practicable
speed for vessels of their class. the Sem
ate has substituted a provision for mot
to exceed ten torpedo boats, to cost in
all not exceeding $500, 600, and to have
the highest practicable speed for vessels
of their class"
A proviso is also inserted as follows
"And not more than twoof the said bat
tleships and not more than three Of said
torpedo boats shall be built in one
yard or by one contracting party. and in
each case the contract shall be awarded
by the Secretary of the Navy Ito the low
est responsible bidder.
The House proviso requiring that one
of the battleships to be built on the
Pacific coast Is restricted by a provision
structed at an additional cost not ex-'
ceeding 5 per cent. of the lowest bid for
the three other balttleships authorized. The
time within which the contracts for these
vessels shall be made is extended from
80 to 100 days from the passage of the
act.
The Secretary of the Navy is also au-
thorized< to contract for the building of
two Submarine torpedo boats Of the Hol-
land type, at a cost not exceeding SIZE, coo
each, these boats to be constructed and
of contract:-Provided. that the Holland
boat now being built for the department
shall be accepted as fulfilling all the re-
ton shall be taken until the Holland boat
now being built shah have been fully
tested to the satisfaction of the Secretary
of the Navy and accepted.
Authority is given in another announce
ment for the Secretary of the Navy to
cause one OF the six light draft composite
%gunboats authorized by the Naval bill
for the current fiscal year to be built and
furnished for a training ship for the use
of the Annapolis Academy.
Among the more important additions
10 the bill are the following: For test
Sives from runs on board ships with the
ordinary velocities. 1000.
To the appropriation of $3.50, 900 for re-
serve guns for auxiliary cruisers is add
ed a proviso that the Secretary of the
Navy may, IN his dissection, purchase by
contract all or any part of such gun.
For purchase of land adjoining Port
Royal Naval station. 5000.
The appropriation oil $500 for the pre-
liminary work towards. the construction
of a model tank TO the use of the
Bureau of Construction and Repairs, is
stricken out.
A number of the provisions in the
House bill relative to the marine corps
have been eliminated from the bill as re
ported to the Senate; among the more
important being the following:-Pay of
ten sergeants, 40 corporals, IL drummers.
II ffers and 426 privates to be enlisted
in accordance with existing law, n the
appropriations for their provisions and
clothing, S74,560; also the provision that
hereafter officers of the Marine Corps
travelling under orders without troops
shall be allowed theAsame mileage as Is
now allowed officers of the a travel
| ing without troops.