The herald., 1897-02-19

ment had been reached, there is prac-
teal understanding that the new bill
will return to the Mckinley rates on 20
bacco, except ON the grade known as
filler
The rate on this will be 20 cents a
pound, double the Mckinley duty, which
was 35 cents. 1t was represented by the
tobacco manufacturers that most of the
tobacco imported from Cuba as filler
was used for wrappings and that this
evasion of the law gave the Key West
factories an advantage over those using
Sumatra tobacco. The Mckinley du-
ties on wrapper tobacco We 81 per
pound on stemmed and S2.io on un-
stemmed. On snuff the rate was 90
cents, on cigars and cigarettes 81 and 20
per cent ad Valorem. and on tobacco not
enumerated 40 cents. The committee
will devote most of this week to the
schedule of sundries. which includes
buttons. explosives. matches, musical
Instruments, furs, jewelry, gloves and
miscellaneous manufactures, and on
most of these the Mckinley rates VIII
be restored.
ARMoR PLATE PRICES
The house committee on naval affairs
which is working on the naval appropri-
alton bill. spent most of the day in dis
cussing the question of thep rice to be
paid for arnnor plate. The question was
finally disposed of by the adoption of a
parasraph to the bill authorizing the
secretary of the navy to contract for
steel arrnor of domestic manufacture for
the three battleships now being con-
structed, and appropriating sum not
exceeding S3,210,000 for the purpose. 1t
is estimated that SO25 tons of armor plate
will be needed for these ships, so that
this provision limits the cost to $500
ton.
A substitute was offered by Represen-
tetive Mccall limiting the appropriation
to s., 2,SOS. $50. which would have limited
the price to $3.50 per ton, but this was
voted down.
Another proposition was made to
strike the word "of domestic manufac-
ture" from the armor clause. which also
failed Members of the committee who
favored this proposition argued that the
hearings showed there was no competi
ton between the American firms en-
gagged in the manufacture of armor plate
and that the government should have
an opportunity to buy of foreign firms,
as American firms were selling armor to
Russia at $3.50 ton.
The desira bility of fostering Ameri-
can plants for ship and armor building
was argued in opposition. The contest
Will be renewed in the house
The committee decided to provide for
q sailing vessel for training the Annap-
oils cadets in seamanship. 1t Will be a
composite gunboat of HOO tons, and its
cost will be $3.50 900.
RAILROAD CLAIMS.
The appropriation committee of the
house had a spirited discussion today
over the insertion in the general defic-
iency bill of 81, $40, 600 to pay judgment
of the court of claims secured by the
Southern Pacific railroad against the
government which has been withheld to
apply to the debts of the Central Pacific.
SayreS of Texas, Democrat, formerly
chairman of the committee, will make
a motion in the house to strike out this
item from the bill if he has an oppor-
tunity. The opponents of the item,
however fear the bill will be passed un-
der suspension of the rules as the sun
dry civil bill was. Chairman Cannon of
the committee says now he does not in
tend to move a suspension of the rules
for the bill
SUNDRY CIVIL.
The senate committee on commerce
today agreed to report favorably a num-
Der of amendments to the Sundry civil
appropriation bill, providing for i'm
provements of rivers and harbors, in-
cluding the following: Three hundred
and eighteen thousand nine hundred ana
MY uolldFS LOT dredging the cHannel
in Mare island strait to admit of all
classes of vessels to reaching the naval
establishment of Mare island; inprov-
ing the harbor at Oakland, Cal, $3.50, ,57S,
$3.50 900 for a vessel for coast survey
purposes in Alaskan waters
SANGUILLY'S CASE.
The senate committee on foreign rela-
tons again postponed today action on
the resolution demanding the release of
Julio Sanguilly from his prison
in Cuba. on assurance from the state de-
partment that the Spanish authorities
at Madrid had agreed to liberate Gen
eral Sanguilly immediately
TRANSVAAL INDEMNITY