The San Francisco call., 1898-04-26

testimony taken before a committee of the House relating to defective plates on various United States war vessels, and to make sharp comment upon it, when Hawley 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 put them in writ ing and transmit them privately to Spain pointing out these defective plates, he would be guilty Of treason"
 Tillman of South Carolina called atten ton to the fact that the statements made by Butler were based on official reports, which were easily accessible.
 Continuing, Butler adverted to what he the Senator (Hawley), who, he said, had risen and flung at him charges of treason; treason were those who had refused to make provision for getting armor at reasonable price.
 At the concluso1 of Buffers speech Stewart of NeVada inquired of Hale whether the naval bill in any way com mitted the Government to pay s40O ton authorized by the bill.
 Hale, replled that nothing in the bill could be construed as committing the Government to pay any particular price for armor.
 Does anybody know" inquired Allen, whether the. modern battle-ship is fighting machine or not?
 It is a great fighting machine" said Hale, but its power and efficiency have never been QeDOnStrdteC.
 Tillman made an extended speech in favor of the proposed amendment, in the course of wnch he had a passage at arms with Chandler, based upon a report made by the latter favoring a reduction of the price of armor.
 Chandler pointed out that 1t was i'm possible for the Government to secure a better price than $400 a ton for armor un- til it should enter into a longtime con- tract whereby certain specified amount of armor would be taken each year.
 declared that both f. fairs and the Appropriations Committees were opposed to the construction of a Government armor factory, as they were thoroughly satisfied it would save neither time nor money.
 Hale then moved to lay the amendment upon the table. and it was so ordered by a vote of 36 to l3.
 Hale offered an amendment authoriz- ing the Secretary of the Navy to enlist at any time after the passage of the act as many seamen, landsmen and boys as he may deem necessary to man the ships Of the navy or for use of the navy as a temporary force, and appropriat- ing $S ,S30 900 for that purpose Hale agreed to an amendment offered by Cockrell of Missouri that the time limit should be during the existence of war. The amend ment was agreed to-. the amendment making. the appropriation immediately available.
 An amendment was also agreed to pro- viding that hereafter all first-class bat tle-Ships and monitors shall be named after the various States The bill as
 
 The bill for better organization of the line of the army, providing for the three battalion formation, was called up by Hawley. The amendments offered by the committee were agreed to without di- vision.
 One of the amendments is an addition to the provision of section authorizing the President to accept the quotas of troops of the various States and territor- ies. The committees amendment re- quires that these quotas shall be "in companies, troops and batteries, each to contain, so far as practicable. the num- Der of enlisted men authorized in this act for each arm of the service, and battal- ions of not less than three such compa- nieS and regiments of not less than ten, nor more than twelve such companies but this proviso shall apply to companies, batteries, battalions and regimental or ganizations and none other."
 Provision is also made for the increase of the signal corps in time of war. to the extent of ten corporalS 100 first-class privates and forty second-class privates. who are to have the pay and allowance of engineer troops of the same grade.
 An amendment to section s gives the President discretion to employ retired officers of the army on active duty ex- cept in the command of troops. While so employed they are to receive the full
 The bill was placed upon its passage and passed within twenty minutes of it's introduction.
 House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House had passed an act declaring a state of war existing be- tween the United States and Spain. The message was at once read to the Senate and at e2:50 D. n. the Senate went into secret session to consider the resolution declaring the existence of war.
 At 4:37 D. m. the Senate resumed routine business in open session.
 Al 4:55 D. m. the message clerk of the House announced that the Speaker had signed the bill declaring the existence of war between the United States and Spain, and requested the signature of the Vice President.
 Within two minutes Vice-President Ho- hart had signed the act and precisely at 5 o'clock announced his signature
 A few minutes later another message was received from the House announcing it's disagreement from the Senate amend ment 10 the army reorganization bill and asking for a conference
 Tho conference was agreed to- and Hawley. Proctor and Cockrell were named as the Senate conferees.
 A bill was passed to ratify an agree ment with the Indians of the Fort Ham iiton reservation in Idaho. and making appropriations to carry it into effect.
 At 5:3J D. m. the Senate adjourned.
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