New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-22
NAVAL BILL FINISHED.
A GENEROUS RESPONSE TO THE ADMIN
ISTRATIONS REQUESTS.
THE APPROPRIATION SLIGHTLY ABOVE s'S""""
DETAILS or THE Bifi.

Try TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIMMED
Washington March 21--The House Committee
on Naval Affairs worked with all diligence ana
industry to-day. and at late hour finished us
consideration Of the Naval Appropriation pih
which will he reported to the House to-morro"
as soon the necessary computations ana cor
rectiors can he made and a written statement
prepared. The bill is Of unusual interest not
only on account Of the large amount 1t carries
but because It shows that the response OF the
Committee Naval Affairs TO the requests OF
the Administration has been generous and well
considered The total Of the bill has not yet
been computed bur Chairman Boutelle estimat-
ed. after the committee adjourned. that 1t would
probably he slightly in excess Of S3joHoooo
Going into details, the bill contains the follow
ing provisions: The number OF enlisted men ~
increased by l.1I0. and the number Of appren-
tees by go. with a corresponding increase OF
the item under the head OF Pay Of the Navy
from SIS, 23j 600 to S9.12500O. The increased APP
proprla ton for the Bureau Of Ordnance amounts
to about $4,000. made UP in part OF the fol-
lowing items:
New machinery for gun plant at Washinston
Navy Yard. $4,000; cappins, filling ana luSlns
armor- piercing shell now on hand $500 convcr-
sion Of ordinary 6-inch guns 70 rapd-lre 800" onG
modern battery for Chicago. $4,000; purchase ana
manufacture Of smokeless powder. s3'og DIV err
ton Of smokcless powder factory. Ss5.lZL ma ,,
Iafayette. New-York Harbor. coo; magazine
Fort Mniin, Penn. s5 COO reserve torpGaoes Srn
Militia, $1,000
For public works yards and docks navy
yards and stations. etc, liberal appropriations
are also recommended. The increase under
this head for the Brooklyn Navy Yard is Mob
600 to 1928 l3T. and FOR the League Island Navy
Yard from $i93 222 to $3.50 The provision
for the Brooklyn Navy Yard reads as follows:
For dredging Whitney Basin and Wall In' ~ 10
coG ION So 2 GG Wn vo Coa doSk 70 com
plee $50 oC9 trading and ssWernF n ocdWe grading
and pay.ng us@vsy and roads around docks;
10000 store use for steel Gor CONSTRUCTION anu
p rfpsr and N Counts o "a s paVns streets 5000
addition to ciectric-lght system No,V9' rcP'nClnb
GUS ard removed. so So; conversion OF Building
No mo two-story hreproof siorehouse io =, n1.
ii in all ss2si'7
A now item under this head is one OF SZ2'rn
for hauling out and housing torpedo vessels al
such Navy yards and stations as may ne Sc
leced and still another is for n coaling wharf
at Japonski Island. Alaska. 10 cost S''oo''
THE NEW DRYDOCKs.
For tho new timber drydocks at Portsmouth.
y r.; Boston. League Island and Mare Island
each TO he not less than seven hundred feet long
and OF other dimensions sufficient TO meet the
present and probable requirements OF the largest
vessels OF the Navy. and to cost not more thah
$50. 900. the sum Of S20Oo0 is TO he appro-
prated and toward the construction OF hoatihe
drydock at Algiers, La. TO be capable or htting
a vessel Of 5000 tons displacement ana - teet
draught Of water and to cost SSooV"o the sum
~ 5000 OOo is also recommended. making a total
~ 81 OoO oOo for drydocks The Secretary OF the
Nav is authorized to enter into contracts FOR
the completion Of these docks. lie is also au-
thorized TO appoint a board Of naval officers to
determine the desrability Of building drydock
at Galveston, Tex.
Two new paragraphs read as follows:
Tn. Presden, is hereby authorized TO appoint
FOR temporary service twenty-five acting ASSISTANT
surgeons who shall have the relative rank ana
compensation OF assistant surgeons p
The active list Of assistant paymasters OF the ray
Corps shall hereafter consist OF twenty-five.
Under the head of the Bureau Of Construction
and Repairs the tota. appropriation for preser-
walton and completion Of vessels on the stocks
and in ordinary. purchase OF materials and
stores Of all kinds. labor in navy yards etc, Is
increased from Sl.50o.00O to $4,000; the item
for repairs and outfit OF the Chicago is increased
from $4,000 for the current year 10 S22oOOO
and new items Of $4,000 each are inserted for
construction plant at the navy yards Of Ports
mouth. " II, Boston. New-fo rk, League ISL
and Norfolk and Mare Island. and OF S2opo
a
Among the items under the Bureau OF steam
Engineering are: Completion, repairing and pres
ervation Of machinery and boilers OF steam
vessels etc. 5000 600 compared with S42oWD
for the current year: for purchase handling and
preservation Of materials. stores. etc. S3SOoW
as compared with 100000 for the current year.
and for machinery plants as follows: 100000
Boston Navy Yard. Sl5.WD; Norfolk Second
KEY West $4,000: Por: Orchard, Wash,
$4,000 There is also an item OF Slo,OD for
experiments with liquid fuel
INCREASE OF THE NAVY
The bill authorizes the President Of the United
States to have constructed by contract three
seagoing coastline battle-ships, designed 10 carry
the heavies. armor and most powerful ordnance
upon a displacement Of about eleven thousand
tons IL have the highest practicable speed Of
their class. and to cost, exclusive or armament
not exceeding S3OOO0OO each. one or said bat
tie ships 20 be named the Maine and six tor
pedo-bOat destroyers Of about three hundred and
nifty tons Displacement and six torpedoboats OF
about one hundred and fifty tons displacement
to have the highest practicable speed. and 10
cos. IN all not exceeding S231OOOO and one
CUR boat to take the place OF the United States
steamship Michigan. TO cost. exclusive OF arma-
ment. not more than S2G0,OOO. 10 be constructed
on the Great Lakes or their connecting waters.
For ;his construction the total initial appro-
pria,ion amounts to about S3,O0o,OOO. No pre-
miums for speed or horse power are to be offered
or paid. II Is also provided that contracts for
the construction OF the new vessels shall he
made within sixty days after the approval OF
The act.
For the hulls and outfits and steam machinery
Of vessels heretofore authorized the sum ~ So
01O473 is Appropriated: for armor. S42Jf.SOO.
provided that the total cost Of the armor for the
three hattle-ships authorized by the act Of June
10 1896 shall not exceed S3.210.OOo. and that
no contract for armor plate shall he made at
an average rate 10 excead $500 ton. Including
nickel For the equipment and outfit OF the new
vessels heretofore authorized SlIJ.OOO Is AL
lowed. and there is a new item OF $4,000 for the
installation of electric plants on gunboats Nos.
10 II. - and Is