The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-02
Naval Appropriation Bill Under
Consideration.
NUMBER OF TORPEDO CEAFf
INCREASED FROM 12 to "a.

Washington, April Packed galleries
are the regular sccompa piment OF the
sessions of the House III these exciting
days and today On hour before the seq
sion convened every inehs of available
space was taken, and hundreds. besieged
the doors unable to gain admission.
Mr.. Boutelle. chairman Of she Naval
committee. desired to go ahead with the
naval appropriation bill despite the fact
that under the rules this WAS private
bill day. He explained briefly tho urgens
necessity of getting the bill through as
once.
A very Insignificant incident occurred
while an attempt was being made to
effect an arrangement to postpone pyi-
vate bill day until Tuesday. The Speak
er himself seemed to hesitate about ask
ing the consent of the House, whersupon
Mr.. Bromwell, Republican of Ohio, asked
| if Tuesday was set apart for private bills
whether it would interfere with a re-
port..from the foreign affairs committee.
tIt certainly would replied the
| Speaker, promptly.
L
we'll.
| Subsequently he Withdrew the OBJ. c.
| ticn with the understanding that Tuesday
be private bill day provided the foreign
affairs committee had no report to make
| to the House.
The naval bill was then taken up.
| Mr.. King, Democrat of Washington,
! made point of order against the provis-
| ion for new battleships and torpedo boats.
| t. 7loal l,x-t tho oh ei,s
| Mr. Cannon. chairman Of the appropri-
alton committee, offered a substitute for
| the paragraph in the bill providing for
three battleships, six torpedo boats and
six torpedo boat destroyers The substi-
| tute provided for battleship to cost
| Sc, 1000, GOO exclusive of armament. IL tor
pedo boat destroyers and IL torpedo boats
| to cost not exceeding "a, 100000.
| Mr.. Cannon supported the amendment.
| Mr.. Cannon appealed to mem bers with
| cool heads and without passion to act as
wise men should act.
| Whats the objection?" ASKED Mr..
| Norton. Democrat of Ohio, "have you to
| leaving three battleships in the bill aud
| increasing the number OF torpedo boats
! to the number provided in this amend
ment.'' tremendous applause in the
"Most gentlemen believe said Mr..
| Cannon, s'that within week we will be
earth. That will mean additional tax
alton and authorizations to borrow $780,
OOO.O 900. It means that these burdens
shall be put on the people. Long before
these battleships can be launched the
| war will be over and l fear these battle
shipssa swill be obsolete. ~. (Applause on
the hoor.)
Mr.. Boutelle, in spirited reply, de-
clared that the history of naval warfare
showed that the great naval battles of
the world had been won by the ships of
the battle line.
Mr. Hilborn, Republican of California,
member of the naval committee, ar
gued earnestly in favor of authorizing
the permanent increase to the battle line
provided in the bill.
Mr.. Cummings, Democrat of New
York, declared that the value of the bat
tleship had been demonstrated at the
battle Of Yalu.
| Mr.. Pearce, Republican of Missouri,
offered an amendment to increase the
number of torpedo boats and torpedo
boat destroyers authorized by the bill 60
| IL each and to increase the appropriation
| from 81, 300, 600 to 81, 900. 600.
| MIR. Boutelle said the committee was
| perfectly willing to accept the Pear g