The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-19
IN n

nv THE HOUSE
The Appropriated % Raise the Maine Carried
letter frsu secretary LosE.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1s.-1mmediately after
tho reading Of the Journal In the House to-day
Mr.. Boutcllo (Rep., Me.) asked unanimous con.
sent for the confederation Of n joint resolution
sppropriating $500. 900 to enable the Navy De.
p%artment to proceed at once with the raising
OF the Maine. In support OF the resolution Mr..
Boutelle read the following letter from Secre-
tary Long showing the necessity for prompt
action; o.
"NAvY DEPARTMENT,
WARRINGTON. Feb. IL, 1881
"SIR: The u. 8. g Maine, having been sunk
while In the harbor OF Havana on Tuesday
night last by an explosion. and moro than $50
Of her officers and crew having boon lost, it is
deemed proper and important that immediate
steps should be taken to recover tho remains Of
the officers and men lost on tho occasion Of this
moat deplorable catastrophe and to raise tho
vessel. or to save such parts of her armament
and equipment as may be practicable. To this
end have caused to be prepared and inclose
herewith q draft OF q Joint resolution comforting
the necessary authority upon the Navy Depart
mont to enter at once upon this work, and APP
propriating the sum Of 5000. 900. or 80 much
thereof as may DO required. such sum to be
made Immediately available. and I have the
uouOr " request tnht IL Bucn action receives
the approval Of the committee the latter may
be brought to the attention of the House and
Senate as early as may be practicable.
the nature and extent of the injuries sustained
by the hull OF the Maine renders IL difficult to
to hope that the vessel herself may DO raised,
but 1t seems probable, as she lies within the
merged. that much valuable property may DO
recoyered IL the necessary action is taken with
material 0OuiDment. 6ttinUa. and aDpur-
se iiITstrat diSst, 81 n r. 9sin. 6s sjn 81; 900 600; 600 sbi AZ
may have escaped serious injury, it may be said
that the ten-inch guns, of which the Maine car
ried four, were worth, with their mounts, S43.-
Aside from the melancholy duty resting
tSis e6 the G9y fer bneIni e e t recover % and nc bring to
ives ESS,'i il u this t"' di Gase1' It sn Is % seiiev Saq that b9s' m nhsl6
yessso'' - peggy any sv %ns il Ef i e Si i shs a, 1nS@ i i%'
portance that whatever is to be done in this
The sinking Of the Maine viii be- made the
subject of immediate and exhaustive inquiry,
and Congress will be fully advised of tho result
IN fixing the sum asked for. the department
necessary expense with any degree of accuracy.
but has conferred with the Bureau OF Construc-
ton Of the Amount. requested. only So much
t ti,ei 10 az may be found absolutely necessary
ACCOMMODATING the letter was the following
table showing the cost OF a plumber Of items OF
t tery 0 sad e%ssip onshf Of si 1a IS .sss: mali, M1 bs,,s sss-
s=a1IFPmessts';z ~ S2o'55s; small arms and equip.
sias.o5o: smmnnition. secondar yT Battery ns!' enyGi
small arms, sSo;5l3; magazine and shell room
to.nedo oHtGt: sSS s5oi permanent fittings.
Fl Td, 25s St to5p , Ss sl7.s7s; miscellaneous, s165.
Mr. Bouteile said that the Secretary. recog.
a proper spirit in coming to it for the desired
authority to proceed. instead of acting under a !
Mr.. Bailey D 5saa,' Te * p S"iied ssstsn ln n tn the
TACT that the resolution did not provide for the
that there would be no objection to the Use Of
the g. money uT f1r that pnrpose;
which he showed the ifnpossibility of sending
The reading Of this despatch was heard with
the deepest interest BY all the members in tho
hall and the occupants of the galleries;
Objection or division. 1t reads as follows:
That the Secretary OF the Navy be and he is
wreckinG company or companies. having proper
facilities for the prompt and efficient perform.
lost on the y. !: Maine. and Of saving the
her stores. guns, material equipment, fittings
and appurtenances ms may be practicable: and
much thereof as may be necessary. is hereby
appropriated and made Immediately available"
WI. Sahhoh NNep.. I'LL, chairman OF the Conf
mittee on Appropriations, said:
do not object and did not object to the con-
alteration of this joint resolution. I am heartily
Tor 1t; but L want to make this statement, that
this ought not to constitute a precedent. This
is really q matter of deficiency for the current
year."
other case Ike this.
Mr.; B~ontelle-,The occasion is without prece-
dent in our legislative experience.
Mr.. SulZcr tDem.. y. " inquired II the COM
mittee had any Information in its possession as
to the probable cause Of the disaster.
Mr.. Boutelle-1 am compelled to reply, as I
did on Wednesday afternoon, that there is no
exact information on the subject in the posses
sion OF anybody. but all that has been received
goes to strengthen tho impression that it was
due to an accident.
Several propositions relating to the sinking
of the Maine were presented 10 the House for
enactment into legislation. Mr.. Bodine Of Mis-
souri, introduced a bill to reimburse the officers
and crew for the loss they Individually sustained
by the disaster. Mr.. Meyer of Louisiana intro
duced a resolution appropriating 800. 900 for
the erection OF a monument in Washington to
the memory OF those who lost their lives by tho
explosion.
Mr.. Foote of New York proposed that the
navy. shall continue to include a battleship
" Maine in the line of ships. He Introduced q
bill appropriating 81, 100. 900 for the construc-
ton OF the vessel. and directing that 1t shall
bear that name.