Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-25

81 .oGo,o10 is appropriated for the manu-
| factura Of arror.
Mr.. Butler strongly advocated the adop-
| ton of the amendment, pointing out that
the Senate had twice voted in favor of pay
ing not to exceed $500 a ton for armor
riafe. Congress and the country had been
warned that in case of war the 'armor
plate trust would exact the utterm"st
farthing and probably find the government
unpreparet.
Now the country was in the midst of
war. and the government WAS now in
the unfortunate position whore it was
Obliged 10 pay the price demanded by the
''tfust." II. argued that it had been dem
| onstr4tod chat the armor could he made
for <z1G ii ton. and expressed the hope
that no opposition would be raised to "a
proper reduction i'll the price of armor in
the future.
Mr.. EutIcr charged that the ships of this
country wer,. covered with defective armor.
Mr.. !iawcy challenged this statement.
Il empha tically deny said he, that
there is any such amount of defective
armor on cur warships as the senator
from North Carolina declares ther" is And
! even ii the statement We're true. ! leave
to the country to judge of the propricty of
Haunting the defects before Spain
While / am in entire agreement with
Inc ser ator from Connecticut. intrriected
Mr.. Chandler tN.Ht. Il am satisfied that
the senator (Mr. Butlerl is mistaken. In
vcstigation has shown that the ballistic
tests OF the armor Were satisfactory.
Mr. Chandler appealed to Mr.. Hale. chair
man Of the naval affairs committee. and
the latter said: Tine armor upon our ships
is the best in the world. No European gov
ernmcnt has armor on its ships good
as ours
Mr.. Butter pioce eding to read some
testimony taken b fore committee of
the House of Repre- sentatives relating TO
defective plates on Various war vessels and
TO make sharp comment upon it when Mir
Hawiey said sharply: Il must protest
against this: l believe the senator from
North Carolina is out of order in making
these charges here publicly. If he should
reduce them to writing and transmit them
privately to Spain, pointing out these de
feCtive plates. he would be guilty of trea-
SON.
Mr. Tillman called attention to the fact
that the statement made by Mr.. Butler had
been based upon official and congressional
reports which We're easily accessible TO
Spain and he doubted not that the Spanish
government had agents who could gain ac-
cess to tie document rooms of the Capitol.
Continuing. Mr.. Butler adverted to what
he regarded as the excited" utterances of
the senator (Mr. Hawley) who. he said
had risen and flung at him charges of
treason. He thought those who We're
guilty of treason We're those who had re-
fused to make provision for good armor at
a rsaz6rable price
At the conclusion of Mr.. Buffers speech
Mr.. Stewart New inquired Of Mr.. Hale
whether the naval bill in any way COM
mitted the government to pay $500 a ton
for armor for the proposed battle ships ar-
thorized by the bill.
Mr.. Hale replied that every contract for
armor was made on its own merits. Moth
ing in the bill could be construed COM
hitting the government to pay any particu-
lar price for armor.
In reply to a suggestion of Mr. Stewart.
Mr.. Hale said it was a fact that it had not
been demonstrated by actua! service in
battle what the efficiency of tire modern
battleship was. All nations had proceeded
In the same line of naval construction
without actual demonstrations of its eff
cheney.
Does anybody know inquired Mr.. AL
len. whether the modern battieship is u
fighting machine not?"
1T is great fighting machine. of
course" said Mr.. Hale. but it's power and
efficiency have never been demonstrated
1t has impregnabe armor, the finest of
known ordnance and excellent machinery,
but it is fact that it has never stood the
final crucial test of naval battle"
Mr.. Allen inquired If it were not true that
armored vessels of the monitor class had
rot proved efficacious.
Naval Bill Passed.
An amendment was agreed to to the ma
val bill appropriating $S.SS0,OO0 to enable
TIL. Secretary of tho Navy to enlist men
for the navy during the existing war.
The naval bill was passed.
Senator Hawley called up the army reor-
ganiZation bill
At go pm. the clerk Of the House ap-
peared with the House bill declaring war.
Army Bill Passed.
The Senate passed the army reorganiza-
ton bill.
Senator Davis moved to close the doors
to consider the war declaration.
Considering War Declaration.
The Senate then went into executive ses-
sion to consider the war declaration bill.