The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-26

| when tho Adjournment was reached ali
| the paragraphs had been passed save
those relating to the increase OF the navy.
| The bill carries s3i.6ii. 03i, 81. s,i3s more
| than the current law and authorizes four
new battleships and fifteen torpedo boats.
| the cost Of which complete Will be almost
ssaoco.cCJ Not a single amendment was
adopted although there was an effort to
| provide for. a new dry dock at the League
During the day Mr.. Boutelle and MIR.
| Wheeler continued their alteration OF
/ yesterday over the record of the DEM
| ocrats on the bill to retire General Grant.
There was a dash OF excitement In the
| opening proceedings of the house today.
| Mr.. Bartlett Deu., N. ", Sose to a
question OF personal privilege to deny a
statement that he had furnished the cam
| paigi circular used by Mr.. Suizer .fDem.
| N. ~. few days ago In an attack upon
| Mr.. Gibson ORep,, TENN; he denounced
| the charge as a libel.
| Mr.. Boutelc tRep:. Malne.) was on his
| fcct as soon az Mr.. Bartlett sat down. He,
too, had question OF privilege to pre-
| sent. he said. in connection with the
colioquy between General Wheeler of Ala
| bama and himself during the debate on
| the Confederate disability bill yesterday
Ills opening sentence raised a laugh.
During one. of those gusts of fervid
enthusiasm which occasionally sweep over
| the house" he said. ''and almost drive
| us into war with England and Spain, the
house on yesterday undertook negotiations
! made n few remarks aud several gentle
| tons"
He then read from the Congressional
Record to show that Mr.. Wheeler had
altered the record so as to say that
many democrats voted for the hill to
democrats rs the official notes report
Cd him. AS a matter OF fact. MIR, Boutc,-
lc said, the vote on She Giant bin wac
laS ayes to 70 noes
Mr Owens u1cm XVI Cd
prevent MIR Boutellc from rehearsing the
history of tho bill and the speaker thought
that branch of the matter was not COM
pctcnt, hut Mr.. Boutcllc made his point
by stating that flfty-eight OF tho seventy
nine votes against the bill were cast ny
Confederatcs. He moved that tho record
Mr.. Wheeler meantime was clamoring
Tor recognition, He wanted to review the
history of the Grant bili hui this not he
ing permitted, he contouted himself by
Offering as an explanation for the change
made In the record. that he thought a
gentleman In revising his remarks had
the right to make his statements CON
form to the truth.
The house then. on motion OF Mr.. Bou-
telle, wvcat into committee OF the whole
appropriation hill
Mr.. Boutellc, tho chairman OF the ma
val committee mado a statement IN cN
nlhnatlon OF the provision OF the bill IN
the course OF which he spoke IN eloquent
terms of the new navy. We should be
proud, he said. OF the Columbia, the gem
of the ocean" and of the New York the
hes, protected cruiser under the canopy
of heaven. These references to the magnif-
icnce and growth of the new navy elected
applause. He went extensively into the
utility of heavy line OF battleships as n
protection to tho coast where there were
no Notifications. The enemy would nntur-
ally avoid places with heavy coast de-
lenses.
In reply 20 n question from Mr. Ding
10y Mr.. Routclic. explained that about
100000 was carried by tho bill for the
Increase IN the navy already authorized
and the s3,25G 900 for work on The four new
battleships and fifteen torpedo boats an
thorized in the bill. The two battleships
would cost each s.. 925 900 for hull aud
machinery, sG00, 900 for nrmor and t2o0N,0O1 |
for armament. Assuming that that would |
be the cost OF the four battleships au-
thorizcd by the bin. they would cost about |
ttm0,u0N and the Increase In tho navy au- |
thorIscd by the blll would cost for com
pl0tion about $4,000 0N. Of which but SS,- |
25G 900 was carried by the bill.
The grand total carried by the bill was |
s3l .Gti ,03i, s2.iGS l3S more than the current
bill
Mr. Cummins Dem. ~ " Il member |
of the committee, gave the bill his hearty
ind rsemont stating that In his opinion
II was the most economical bill over re |
ported from the naval committees. our |
naval department. he thought, Should |
Keep pace with the progress OF the worlu |
The best defense was the means of Of
Tense.
After n few remarks by Mr. Low Or, r..
n. W IN favor of tho hill, general dc-
under The nve-rninute rule taken up.
MIR. Bingham Qtcp., Pa offered an
amendment to appropriate S2onVW toward
tho completion OF dry dock, 10 cost not
10 exceed $4,000 at tho League Island
navy yard. Philadelphia
Mr. Dingley made the point Of order,
which was sustained, that the nppropria-
ton was not authorized by existing law;
Mr. Cannon uiepp;t ~ 9ntasoniIIs,u 'n ne
residences on the grounds of the naval
observatory Those buildings. he said,
were occupied by iavoritc naval officers
omical observations, but who practically
knew no more about astronomy thnn Nhc
average member of congress. u'nughtcr,
AIR. Boutellc protested against MI. thh-
mons Interference WIN me woth on we
naval committee. He paid high trihut"
to the attairments of the naval officers;
Mr. Robinson of Pennsylvania VINO
was educated at Annapolis and served
eleven years AS an OFFICER oil the navy, ue,
Tended The attelnments OF the naval
officers and poked fun at Mr.. Cannon III
n ntl-humored way
Later Mr. Wheeler Ooen-, Ala) again
MIR. Boutellc at the opening of the session
He explained from the record that while
he had not been accurate IN Stating mat
ali the democrats voted for the bill TO re
tire General Grant, seventy-seven had 30
ThIs drew another statement from Mr.
He also had examined Inc
record and said that scvcnty-nlne demo
Gratis had voted against the bili ot whom {
served IN the Confederate
When the paragraph II, the bill relating
To the increase In the new navy WINS i
reached. the committee rose. and, at 1850.
The house adjourned.