The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-27
urgently necessary but Portsmouth
was not one of them.
DRY DOCKS.

DRY DOCKS.
Mr.. Cannon discussed in a general
way the proposed increases in the navy,
dry docks and battleships. He said he
was willing, as he thought every other
! member of the house was, to be liberal
Yin voting all the money necessary for
the naval establishment. With refer
ence to dry docks, there were, he said,
four docks in the United States which
would accommodate battleships now, at
New York, Port Royal, Hunters Point,
| Cal, and Puget Sound. For three years
10 come, if a battleship was locked at
San Francisco bay, it would have to be
at Hunters Point. He read from the
report of the chief of engineers to show
that it would cost $4,000 to deepen the
channel from San Francisco TO Mare
Island so that a battleship could get
to the yard. Three docks were enough.
Let the secretary locate them. This
was no time for locality, it was the time
for efficiency.
Personally, he disclaimed any inter-
est in any locality. But he begged gen.
tlemen to remember that dry dock
necessarily meant a naval yard, and be-
cause he believed this was no time to
establish new naval stations, he gave
notice that he would make a point of
order against the proposed steel dry
dock at Algiers, La, and also the inveS-
LEGATIONS of desirability of locating a
dry dock at Galveston. He was OPP
posed, he declared, TO any attempt to
foist upon the house. under the cry of
emergency, new work which could not
stand on its merits. When he touched
the increases of the navy ne suggested
that the battleships could not be placed
into commission in Sc months. The
small torpedo boats might, on the other
hand, be completed before the war, if
war it was to be, was over.
Mr. Boutelle said he would vote for
any increase in the number of torpedo
boats that Mr.. Cannon might suggest.
BETTER BUILD TORPEDO BOATS.
Il suggest, then, that you strike out
two of the battleships and insert the
equivalent in small boats" (Applause.)
Strike down the fighting line and in
crease the mosquito fleet" observed Mr..
Boutelle, amid laughter.
Mr.. Cannon said he realized that it
was a thankless job while the patri-
otto heart of the country was stirred. to
criticise anything labeled national de-
Tense" But he had a duty to perform
and he would dischorge it. The utility
of the modern battleship had not been
demonstrated He had been greatly in
terested in the discussion of the re-
spective merits of the expensive battle
ship and the relatively inexpensive
monitor. He would like to see these
great engines of war tested before he
voted TO expend $13, 900, 900 more. Gap
plause.)
Much better at this time to build or
buy torpedo boats which would be in
the service in three or six months.
Mr.. BoutelIe interrupted to declare
it was our niggardly policy with re
gard to the navy which today forced
US to ransack Europe to find vessels
with which to meet the aggressor- If
we are going to fight the world, We
must meet the equipment of the world.
Ferryboats and tugboats will not per-
form the service they did in 1885,
NONE FOR SALE.
Mr.. Hilborn (Rep., CALI, a member
of the naval committee, called attention |
TO the fact that we had scQursd. the .
earth, but not a battleship in the world I
was for sale
Mr. Cannon asked Mr.. Boutelle to say
frankly whether he. personally, believ
ed three battleships should be author
lied, and the latter created a great |
of enthusiasm in the galleries |
by declaring that if he could have his I
way he would authorize six battleships |
instead of three.
In conclusion, Mr.. Cannon said he
had little hope that his amendment
would carry, but he wanted to vote
every dollar necessary. but this was
not the time for recklessness. He ap
pealed TO the members to meet the Sit
uation with loyal hearts and cool
heads" (Applause.)
Mr. Dayton expressed his surprise
that the Republican leader, who had
come before the house with the emer-
gency appropriations. should now seek
10 thwart a policy that would make
avery American proud of his flag. Cap
Dlause)
Mr. Robbins CRep.. Pa.) moved to
strike out the provision for a, dry dock
at Portsmouth The amendment was
ost, 81 to 100. as was that of Mr.. Can
non, IS to 1871
Then. at o'clock, the house ad-
ourned.