New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-25
DEBATE ON THE NAVAL BILL
IT'S PROVISIONS EXPLAINED BY Mr.. BoUTELLl
ANp OTHER MEMBERs or H1s COMMITTED.

IT'S fRONlSlONS EAfLAlNfsD bt MN. DOS HA>i@I>
AND OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS COMMITTEE
Washington. March ci-The galleries Of the
House were crowded to-day IN anticipation Of
come exciting speeches the Spanish crisis dur
ing the consideration of the Naval Appropriation
bill. The leaders had arranged a programme by
which the general debate on the bill should be
confined 10 four hours two hours on side. As
soon as the journal was read. on motion or MY
Boutelle chairman Of the Naval Committee, the
House went into Committee of the Whole CMr.
Sherman. Rep. n. Y, in the CHAIR Tor inc
consideration Of the bill Mr.. Boutele said that
Il was exceedingly important that the bill should
be passed as speedily as possible II was the most
complete measure for Strengthening the naval es-
Establishment ever reported TO the House. The rea-
cons TOO obvious 10 require mentioning. The
committee which he presided had been I'm
pressed with earnest desire 10 meet fully and
completely the expectations OF the House and the
country in providing this great arm Of defence
with all reasonable requirements 10 meet any
exigency that might arise. Mr.. Boutelle took &C.
cason 10 resent of the criticisms which had
been made against tho committee The committee
he said, had periodically and earnestly labored
TO meet all the extraordinary demands and as
result; OF innn.tc pains had reported the bill
MP. BOUTELLE's EXPLANATION.
With this preface Mr.. Boutells entered upon
detailed explanation OF the bill and the increases
and extraordinary provisions It carried In the
OF his remarks he replied 10 what he
which appeared in New-Yo:k newspaper yester-
day. charging him with responsibility for the lack
OF engineer officers IN the service. He explained
the urgency with which the Navy Department
had pressed a request for additional engineers
. upon the committee Chief Melville had asked for
10 additional assistant engineers At subsequen:
a hearing II decided that 100 skilled machnists,
enlisted MS warrant officers al $500 year. would
Nslieve that number Of Junior officers. The I'm
Asdate commissioning OF the last two graduating
~loa ne aIHse and .ha hort rg~.
OF the the Academy. which also
recommended. would have stu further relieved the
produced by the present deficiency in the
number OF available officers Later. Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt had appeared before the com
mit,ee and had urged that the whole scheme FOR
the reorganization OF the personnel OF the Navy
should be placed in the bill; but when It
planned that this impossible he had requested
that all the proposed provisions enina cd lest
the Personnel bill might be weakened when K was
brought before the House.
ARRANGEMENT FOR CLOSING DEBATE
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Boutelle's remarks ne
attempted to arrange time for closing general
debate He suggested O'Clock tonight but there
a chorus OF protests. whereupon he moved
that the committee rise FOR the purpose OF fixing
the time at which the debate should close. The
motion was hotly contested. hut II prevailed by
q narrow margin % 10 S. Several Republicans
voted with the Democrats. Speaker Reed himself
marched through the tellers. When the committee
rose Mr. Boutele moved that general debate close
q, o'clock
Nr Richardson Dem. Tenn moved 70 amend
the motion by making the hour o'clock to-mor-
row, but the Chair declined 10 recognize the mo-
ticn accepting the statement OF Mr. Boutee that
hs intended 10 the previous question. The
latter motion put after some sharp para-
mentary wranslng. The motion FOR the previous
question defeated. 81 10 80 Thereupon Mr..
Boutelie demanded tho ayes and for the pur-
pose OF putting on record the Republicans who
refused to vote TO sustain his motion
Before the rocal concluded compromise
was reached oy which Il agreed that genera
debate should close | o'clock tomorrow the
session OF the House he extended until o'clock
tonight. This arTansement ratified and then
the debate proceeded.
Mr.. MEYERS SPEECH
Mr.. Meyer Dem La. one o. The members c. the
Naval Committee. then took the floor After re-
ferring 20 the extraordinary circumstances under
which the Naval bill came up for consideration az
this time. he sad that the theatre OF wal /. war
came. would not be The land but on the sea
The Army required addition 20 Place tho country
IN position for defence II IL large enough .or !
peace purposes and can easily and quickly be ex-
panced In the event Of war But" said ne you !
cannot improvise a Navy. even with afty or one
hundred millions placed ct the discretion Of the
president You may have ample supply OF Off
GERS yet even these require experience In the hand
Ing OF ships and in habits OF command. Nor can
you make sailor as quickly you can q soldier
STU less can you !mprovise a wars crew
with thorough knowledge OF all they have 70 do
anc possessing the discipline and training needed
10 make them efficient in service and in bat
tie. \ ba;tle-ship or armored cruiser is not
bui; IN day any more than Rome was no, even
in the cid days OF wooden ships could a war fleet
he inlprovised or built expedhously. II is obvious
that 20 wait for war and TO await naval prepa-
ration until actually arrives in the hope that
disparity in naval force be speedily corrected
Is an idea unworthy OF rational and patriotic men.
II Is the very acme o, human folly. SO much has
been said in the press and the stump about the