The evening times., 1896-02-19

A large increase in the naval establish
nent will be the result OF Secretary Her.
berts testimony given before the House
committee.
Mr. Herbert presented an exha ustive
plan Tor enlarging the navy, which made
most favorable impression upoii the COM
nittee, and especially when he pointed out
the small difference between the cost OF
constructing large warships in the United
States and England.
The hearing, while private, was OF sue
nature that the committee deems IL Wis.
10 MAKE the testimony public, with the
view OF Strengthening the sen tinent in
Congress favorable to the navy
MT. Herbert advocated six battIesbins
ana Twenty-Five torpedo boats, but added
that should the state OF finances prevent
SO large an increase, at least two OF the
largest class OF vessels and a dozen tor
pedo boats should be authorized at this
! session.
The remarkable reduction In the prjee OF
| material and cost of building the finest
| types or warships in this country In the.past
| three years was set forth by Mr. Herbert.
| ana these facts, more than any other .aryu-
ments for an increase in the navy, made "a
| deep impression upon the members, who
| had been under the impression that warsniD
construction was still a highly expensive
undertaking when compared TO. the prices
| for similar types abroad. 20,
REDUCTION IN COST. !" ~
Secretary Herbert used as examples of
tne reduction in cost the latest vessels under
contract, thet win battleships Kearsarge and
kentucky, by the Newport News Company.
showing that these vessels could be built
FOR several hundred thousand dollars less
than the Indiana class. snlal ller and less ex-
pensive and designed to carry less powerful
batteries.
An estimate OF the cost OF these two ships
places the price per ton OF each at SIg5,
While the cost OF the EngIisi-built battle
ships or the Magnificent type is $165. Ii
must be borne in mind. however that the
English vessels are 1900 tons larger
than the finest warsllips ever attempted.
as The vessels progress in size their cost
is said todecrease correspondence. consider
ing the vast amount or material required
One great advantage that follows, from
an economical standpoint, in the construc-
ton OF large ships is the practicability OF
working thousands of men On them and TINS
decreasing the time in which they NAV be
completed, and in lowering the price of all
supplies, purchased in vast quantities, toa
minimum.
Chairman Boutelle is understood to have
decided that. as the House must take the
initiative in increasing the navy, il will be
advisable to make such provision as will be
acceptable TO the Senate, and thus avoid the
possibility of losing several vessels by the
wrangles over the bill that invariably follow
when 1t reaches the conference stage.
He believes that with a moderate increase
the Senate VIII accept the bill as a whole
and the government be assured OF more ships 4
than would follow with large increa Sc by the
House and the possibility OF its being con-
siderably reduced in conference.
BELIEF OF THE SANGUINE.
The hearings have now been concluded,
and the formation OF the bill Will begin
Immediately. Mr.. Herbert is confident that
the department VIII secure at least two of
the largest class of battlc-stips and GER
tainiy a dozen torpedo boats. but others are
more sanguine, and believe that the House
bill will contain provision for four vessels
and double the number of torpedo boats.
There VIII he no further increase in the num-
ber OF cruisers Neither the Secretary. his
bureau chiefs. nor the House committee are
advocates of additional vessels of this type,
and assert that with the large number now
building the country Will be provided with
all the ships of this class required for peace
service. What is required, they say, is n
fleet of bdttle-Ships and a large increase in
the number of torpedo boats.
The cruiser class is OF little value in actual
warfare except as commerce destroyers,
and the battle-sbiD must be depended on to
tle-ship provision will he to limit the work
OF building them tn three private ship-yards
ill the country. and there seems 10 lie danger |
that the friends in Congress of the smaller
firms. like the Bath works, the Columbian
from Works of Baltimore and others whose
ability TO build cruisers has been demon |
stratcd, may make trouble ahead for Mr.. |
Boutelle's committee.
Senator German has always favored an |
increase of the cruiser type. but he is |
by the Secretary TO fail into line |
this session and not oppose battle-shiIs, |
as he did Ia Congress, when he succeeded /
in having one of the battle-ships author |
lied by the House stricken from the bill |
and six small gunboats that were not re-
Quired substituted.
Two Western Senators. Carter and Mantle |
OF Montana, in recent speech upon the
occasion of the launch of the gunboat Hele-
na at Newport News, came forward boldly |
and declared their intention of voting for
large navy.
a belief that there should be battle-ship
for every State, or n fleet OF rty-five in all.
Mr.. Carter, however, was less liberal in his |
hut declared that lie would sup
port every measure for enlarging the navy
with the growth of the
THE SENTIMENT GROWING.
In the last few months the sentiment
favorable To 4 larger navy has been uninis-
Ia akabie, and this has probably been due in
great measure 10 the statements pub blished
at the time of the war scare" showing the
state OF the country's defeuses both on sea
and land. Western Senators and members,
who previously knew little about the navy
and cared less. are now said to have wax
ened to the necessity of building 1t up and
will not oppose further provisions for bat
lleshipS and other types recommended by
The Secretary and his assistants. Con-
gresham Cummings hopes TO wheefthe New
York AMI New England decEa,ionSinto line
FOR the most liberal treatment of the navy.
In the Senate Mr.. Lodge and Mr. Hale will
be the strongest advocates on the Repub-
lean side for puiding up the establishment.
The subcommittee of the House. Naval
Affairs Committee has n ma jOrity in favor
,f ma king provision for at least four and
probably six battleships. Tie torpt ds,L. a,5
o be authorized will depend very largely
Onthc number of fbattlc-silips accommodated.
Herbert recommended pro-
,ision for the enlistment OF 900 additional
men for the navy, and favorable action was
AIKEN by the subcommittee regarding il.
These men are needed, many OF them, for
he manning of the new ships commissioned
rom time to time. The sum OF $3.50 900
will be appropriated toward the construc-
ion of guns for the vessels under subvention
)y the government, such as the Paris and
he New York, which ina Y he called upon for
avail purposes in case OF necessity.
The proposition for the construction OF
lew buildings for the Naval Academy cost
np cayaral millions nr dolia will nnf n is |