Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-03-12
MILLIONS FOR DEFENSE.
Congress Passes the Bill Appropri-
ating $50, 900, 900.
THE VOTE A UNANIMOUS ONE.


flciencies and placing at the disposal of
the president 100000 for national de-
fense The vote by which the measure
was passed was unanimous. Seventy
six short, sharp and emphatic speeches
were delivered in favor of the bill, each
one being simply ringing AYE" dur
ing the roll call upon the passage of
the measure. Not only did every SEN
ator present register his vote in favor
of the bill, but for every absent mem
Der the authoritative announcement
was made that if he were present he
would vote aye. From the time the bill
was presented to the senate by Mr..
Hale, of Maine, until it was passed not
an inharmonious note was sounded.
Party lines were swept aside. In the
general outburst of patriotic feeling
pairs were broken, every senator being
anxious to register his vote on the
measure. Twelve minutes after the
bill was reported to the senate the vice
president announced its unanimous
passage.
1t can be stated that the fund has
not yet been allotted among the various
branches of the government service.
Each of these had prepared roughly and
tentatively an estimate of the funds it
could dispose of to advantage, but upon
looking over the ground the president
concluded that it would be well per-
haps to avoid making the allotment
until the necessity became apparent
The reason back of this is that the
sum that can be profitably spent for
warships cannot even be guessed at
with any approximation to accuracy
just now. AS the ships are to be first
choice in the steps for defenses until
their cost is ascertained 1t is not pos
sible to divide the remainder of the ap-
preparation among the other branches
of the military and naval services. The
secretary of the navy is making every
effort to secure from our naval at
taches and diplomatic officers abroad
all information obtainable respecting
the number of ships building, their
price and other data. This does not
necessarily interfere with the execu-
ton of the plans confided to Captain
Brownson, who sailed for Southampton
yesterday, but rather promises to as
sist him materially in making speed
with his inquiries.
Up to this moment not only has the
United States government bought no
warships, but it has not even secured
an option on one. There are many
applications coming to the department
from persons and firms who desire to
sell ships to our government, but in
most of these cases either the craft Of
fered is not suitable for naval needs
or the date of possible completion is
Itefo ,ak not - i
as worthy of purchase to meet an
emergency.
There is less difficulty experienced in
securing tenders of war material, such
as shot and shell and powder, and the
navy department has almost assured
itself of an abundant supply of certain
kinds of smokeless powder abroad at
short notice. The officials of the de-
partment are in daily correspondence
by mail and telegraph with agents of
ammunition houses, and besides are
now fully acquainted with the plans of
domestic powder makers for charging
their plants to meet an emergency.
The war department is arranging to
secure a large supply of the most mod
ern rifles. sufficient in time of emer-
gency to arm force of 100000 men.
The need of these modern guns has
long been apparent, but congress has
not shown a disposition to supply any
reserve of rifles for use by volunteer
force in time of emergency. Now, how
ever, an adequate supply of the most
effective rifles will be among the first
uses to which the war department will
put its share of the defense fund Like
attention is being given to supplies of
powder, cartridges, ETC., for the army.
Those in authority say orders can be
filled without delay, and that about
the only branch of ordnance on which
the facilities are not fully up to an
emergency demand are those for heavy
fertilization guns.
Much conjecture has been INDUCED in
touching the visit paid yesterday to
the White House by the British ambas-
sador. The Washington Post this
morning says on this point:
Queen Victoria has, through ST.,
Julian Pauncefote, conveyed to Presi-
dent Mckinley her qualification at the
wise and conservative course which he
has thus far pursued in relation to tn ,
Cuban and Spanish situation. She also
expressed to him her thorough sym
pathy with the efforts put forth by the
United States to relieve suffering hu-
manity in Cuba, with the hope that
these endeavors may be conducted to a
successful conclusion without war;
The defense bill passed the house on
Tuesday, after day of patriotic ex-
pressions clothed in words of burning
eloquence. The vote was a unanimous
one, not a voice being raised in protest
Speaker Reed had his name called in
order that he might place himself on
record.
General Grosvenor, of Ohio, said that
If war did not come the $50 900, 900 APP
propriated by this bill would be wisely
expended, If it only served to show the
world that when threatened from with
out the hearts of the American people
beat as one. In the whole debate there
was only slight discordant note caus-
ed by the speech of General Bingham,
of Pennsylvania, a gallant soldier, who
served with distinction under Hancock.
He spoke too conservativeiy for the
aroused temper of the house, and when
he insisted that our relations with
Spain were as friendly as they had been
for years many of the members Kissed
IllIIl. wv Hlle almost every MEMBER VINO
spoke deprecated the possibility of
war, wide divergence of opinion as to
how close were hostilities manifested
itself in the debate.
The general contention by the ma
jority, among them the leaders on both
sides, was that this appropriation, by
preparing for war, would prove the
surest guarantee of peace. Others in
sisted that wars alarums would soon
be heard, and Mr.. Mann, of Illinois,
declared that war actually existed in
all save name.
Despite numerous conferences of Of
ficials, of the continuance of the prepa-
rations now in progress on large scale
to put the country in a state of defense,
of the outburst of patriotic speeches in
congress, there was a certain feeling
apparent in the best informed circles
that the situation as to our relations
with Spain are much more favorable
than at the beginning of the week.
While Captain Brownson goes to
Europe to learn what ships of war are
for sale, he will not make any pur-
chases unless so instructed by the Of
ficials here.
Senior Du Bose, the Spanish repre-
sentative at Washington, when seen at
the Spanish legation and asked as TO
the present status of affairs, said:
Notwithstanding the apparent agi-