Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-06-29
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, June 90.
SENATE.


cutter Hudson, and of his officers and
men also retiring Captain Daniel B.
Hodgsdon of the revenue cutter SER
vice and provides for a medal of gold
for Newcomb, silver medals for his Of
fcers and bronze medals for the mem
bers Of his crew. 1t also places Capt
Hodgsdon, OF the McCulloch, on perma
nent waiting orders at full duty pay
The resolution was adopted without
debate.
Mr.. Hale, of the naval committee,
then reported favorably a resolution
rendering the thanks of Congress to
Naval Constructor Hobson, who, with
his crew of seven men, sunk the collier
Merrimac across the entrance to the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba, and provid-
ing for the transfer of Mr.. Hobson from
the construction corps of the navy to
the line. The resolution was also
adopted.
After the resolution had been adopt.
ed Mr.. Hoar addressing himself 10 the
action just taken by the Senate said /:
"All we do and all we have done for
Naval Constructor Hobson, in recogni-
ton of his distinguished bravery, is to
extent TO him by name the thanks of
Congress. But in this case where a
deed of special heroism was performed
it seems to me that we ought to recog.
nize the men who volunteered to &C
company him on his perilous under
taking" He hoped Mr.. Hale would
consent to have the resolution recon-
sidered and the names of all the heroes
of the Merrimac inserted in the resolu-
ton.
Mr.. Perkins said that be had in mind
the same suggestion and had obtained
from the Navy Department an accurate
list of the names Of the Merrimac vol
unteers.
MIR. Hale said the President, always
keenly alive to the proprieties, had sug-
gested the form of the resolution in his
message to Congress, but be was certain
that the suggested amendment would
meet his approval. He therefore
moved the reconsideration of the reso-
luton that the names Of the crew
might be incorporated.
The resolution was amended as to
include the names of the crew who &C.
companied Lieut.. Hobson and adopted.
Consideration Of the general defcien-
cy bill was then resumed.
The following amendment suggested
by Mr.. Hale gave rise to considerable
debate:
For purchase by condemnation or
otherwise of not less than 500 acres of
land at not exceeding $50 per acre in
Pearl harbor, Hswaiian Islands, or coal
ing and repair station, $4,000 and for
dredging the bar in said harbor. to Sc
cure channel of not less than 80 feet
in depth, 10000, in all $145,O00.
Mr.. Spooner contended that the Ha-
waiian Islands had not yet become a
part of the United States and that the
land could not under existing circum-
stances be condemned. On his sugges.
ton the amendment was so changed as
to make the condemnation conditional
upon its being practicable.
Mr.. Pettigrew stated that all the
land around the harbor was owned by
private parties, and that desirable for
purchase by an Euglishman named
Campbell, an anti-annexationist. This
man had told him that he would not
part with his property for less than $75
per acre; hence it would be necessary TO
condemn in order to secure it at a less
price. He also said Mr.. Campbell own
ed the fishing rights and thus controls
the entrance to the harbor. In this
connection Mr.. Pettigrew found oppor-
tunity to call attention to the superior
advantage of the harbor in the Island
of Kisks. "If," he said, "the govern
ment it going to make an appropriation
for the improvement of a harbor in the
Pacific, why not improve one in our
own territory and which is 1000 miles
nearer the Asiatic coast. The PROPOSE
ton simply exhibits more of this infer
nal nonsense about harbors which COM
mand nothing but water and with nc
body to fight"
Mr.. Spooner said the United States
might as we'll have grant to harbor
in the clouds as to have this harbor
with private individual controlling the
harbor.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. Morgan offered al amendment
providing for commission, consisting
of the Secretary of the Treasury, the
Secretary of the Interior and the Attor
ney General, with full powers to settle
the Indebtedness of the government
growing out of its assistance in the con.
struction of the Pacific railways. The
settlement must be for not less than the
full amount of the principal due the
United States at the time of settlement
and must have the approval of the
President. The second part of the
amendment provides that the funds &C
quired by the government from the set
Element of the railroad be applied to the
construction of ship canal through
Nicaragua.
Mr.. Pettigrew objected to the
amendment, explaining that his objec-
ton was based upon the disposition
proposed to be made of the money re-
ceiYed from the railroads.
Mr.. Hale made point Of order
against the amendment. He said the
proposition would induce a weeks de-
bate.
Mr.. Wilson, q member of the special
committee or the Nicaragua canal, OBJ
jeeted.
THE general deficiency bill was then
passed.
HOUSE.
The House to-day insisted upon its
disagreements to the Senate amend
ments to the Indian appropriation bill
and agreed to a further conference.