Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-02
TURBULENT SESSION.
HOUSE wARLIKE, ovER-RsDIsc
NAVAL COMMITTEE ITSELF.
TORPEDO : BOAT DEsTROYERs.
Twice as Many Provided for NJ
Committee Asks-De Armond for
Aggression-senatc and House Both
hdjourn TIL Monday.

WASHINGTON. April LATTER an ex-
ceedingly turbulent session OF six hours,
the House to-day passed the naval appro-
priation bill and then adjourned until
Monday.
The war spirit was manifested In all
the speeches. and over-rode the Naval
Committee ITSELF by increasing the num-
Der of torpodo-boats and torpedo-boat-
destroyers to twenty-four. the bill as re-
ported providing for but twelve, and the
appropriation being made s4.60o,ocO, In
stead of s2,2O0,OO0
The amendment Of Mr.. Cannon, TO re-
duce the number Of battleships to one,
was buried under an overwhelming ma
jority. The provision relating to armor-
plate, which. in ordinary times would
have precipitated a debate of several
days, was disposed OF In ten minutes, u
proposition to decrease the price agreed
to in the bill from 500 to $500 per ton
being drowned in perfect chorus Of noes.
In speaking on his amendment, re-
ducing the number OF battleships. Mr..
Cannon said:
Most gentlemen believe that within a
week Will be at with ono of tho
countries of the earth. That will mean
additional taxation, and authorization TO
borrow $J00.000,O0O. 1t means that these
burdens shall be put upon the people.
Let US double taxation, II necessary but
let us not authorize a single dollar that
Is not necessary TO meet the emergency
Just In front of US. Long before these
battleships can be launched the war will
be over, and / fear these battleships will
be obsolete" applause on the hooF)
DE ARMOND FOR AGGRESSION.
Mr.. DE Almond OemocraD. OF Mis-
souri,, called upon the ADMINISTRATION to
take the aggressive. The Maine. he said.
had been blown up i'm a harbor supposed
| to be friendly. There was great danger
now, he declared. In trusting TO diplo-
| macy, rather than to our own strong arm.
| The great question now was to stop the
| hostile fleet approaching our shores. III
| we were depending upon diplomacy. 1t
would prove a broken reed. The best
protection at such tiine. he urged. was
| aggression, not to wait idly resting upon
| hopes that had no foundation. He de-
| clared that we should strike whilo we had
| the advantage War between nations was
not ike contest between equally-match-
| ed gladiators. The victory belonged In
! war to the country that was best and
| nrSt prepared lot IL, ana oe'iH6 ANtthc's
| into the future. struck first, where the
| blow would prove most effective
Let us protect ourselves continued
| Mr.. De Almond, "by striking before We
are stricken. AppIause) Let us nos
| wait. We have already waited too long.
| | hope that proper measures OF energy
are on foot and that what l apprehend
| as danger will be avoided"
| Mr.. De Almond closed with an appeal
| agaisst further delay.
| After the passage Of the naval appro-
| pIiation bill, the House, at p. NJ. adj
| journed until Monday.
CONSULAR CORRESPONDENCE.
In tho open session Of the Senate to-
| day. Mr. Chandler, OF New Hampshire.
| called up the resolution he introduced
| yesterday. requesting the President 10
| send the Cuban consular correspondence
| to the Senate. and at his suggestion II
| was referred to the Committee on For
| eign Relations. Immediately afterwards
| he introduced another resolution. which
went over, calling upon the Secretary OF
| State for the same information
| Mr. Bacon. of Georgia, offered reso-
| luton requesting the Secretary OF War
| TO inform the Senate what provisions
| have been made TO protect the seacoast
| cities of Georgia. and what part OF the
| emergency appropriation OF 50oooooo had
| been allotted for the defence OF Georgia's
| seacoast
| After the passage Of a few bills. the
| Senate, at 1888 F. NJ. went into execn-
| tive session. and at 4:3l +. NJ adjourned
| until Monday.