The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-24
THE COST LIMIT REDUCED
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER
TON Topped OFF.
Attempt to Show That the Expensive
Krupp Armor Was Superior to
That Used On American Ships
The Rank of Admiral Created
With Whoop.


spent upon the question of rehabilitat-
ing the naval academy at Annapolis in
accordance with the scheme inaugur-
ated by the appropriation Of half u
million in The last naval bill, and the
proposition 10 increse the maximum
price TO be paid for armOr plate 10 S545
per ton, existing law limiting il TO $780,
Upon both propositions the naval COM
mlttee suffered signal defeats. The
amendment TO build a great armor
plant was ruled out upon a point OF
order, but after a rancOrous debate the
price to be paid for armOr was cut
down from s545, the price which the
committee insisted was being paid for
the new Krupp armOr. 10 S445, and
proVlSO was also added Drecluding the
I government from paying more than
was paid by any other foreign govern
ment for similar armOr
| Another victory over the committee
was secured by the adoption of gro
I vision to the naval bill creating the
rank of admiral of the navy. This was
accomplished by Mr.. Moody OF Massa-
chusetts who offered a copy of the
/ senate bill creating this rank as an
/ amendment To the naval bill The
amendment was clearly subject TO the
/ point OF order against il raised by AR.
| Boutelle, but the sentiment of the
/ house was so apparently unanimous in
.
drew the point of order and it was
adopted without a dissenting vote. The
naval committee had amended the sen
ate bill so as TO also create the rank OF
vice admiral, but Mr.. MOOdy's amend
ment was the original senate bill with
out the provision
The house declined to consider the
Brown Swanson contested election case
in the Fourth Virginia district, by a
vote Of 49, to 90. This is the second
attempt 10 call uD this case
The house took up the naval aporo-
priation bill and the amendment to
provide a government armor plant was
ruled cut OF order.
The question then required on Mr..
Boutelle's amendment fixing the srice
Of armOr at 500 per ton. Owing to its
resisting power. Mr.. BOutelle contend
ed that the cost of kruDp armOr for
like protection would be slightly less
than of Harveyized armor at $500 per
ton.
\ BUNCO PROPOSITION.
Mr.. Hopkins Rep., Ill moved to
amend the BOutelle amendment so as
to fix the price of armOr plate at $445
per ton. Mr.. Hopkins declared that he
had been informed upon reputable au-
thOrity that the proposition in the bill
was an attempt to "buneo" the govern
mert.
8lr. Rixey Dem. Ga-). a member Of
the naval committee, opposed the COM
mittee's proposition, which, he said.
would increase the cost of arnOr for Il
single ship $4,000.
Mr.. Hilborn (Rep.. Cali explained
the difference between the KruDD and
the Harvey process. Samples of the
KrupD armor, he said. had been tested
al the Indian Head proving grounds.
and our officials reported it To be Gully
o.
NOR
MIR. Hepburn rep, Ia.) made vio-
lent assault upon the committees rec
ommendatiOn 10 increase the cost Of
armor. The committee, he said, some
times vacillated as to the number Of
ships TO be authorized, but it never
Vacillated in recommending that the
government should annually be held up
by manufacturers of armOr plate and
compelled to pay extraVagant prices.
Mr.. Hepburn said he had no doubt that
every ton of armor bought from the
two companies which supplied the gov
eminent had yielded more than a hun
bred dollars of illegitimate profit. He
would not make such a statement. he
said, without warrant. He asserted
that the committee always resisted
every effort of the government 10 get
from under the dominion and raoacity
of these companies. Now that the cost
of Harveyized armor had been reduced
to $500. the committee appeared with
something Infinitely superior" but. he
added, sarcastically. the committee
does not seem to know in what the su-
periOrity consisted.
COMMITTEE DEFENDED.
Mr.. Boutelle and Mr. Cummings de-
Tended the action of the committee.
The latter said the proposition of the
al
tary OF the navy to secure the best
possible armor at the lowest possible
cost and Exed the maximum cost at
500. This limit was fixed because the
Cramps, under their contract with the
Russian government, paid that price
for Krupp armOr.
Mr.. Walker (Rep. Mass.). offered an
amendment to Mr.. Hopkins amend
ment providing that the government
should not pay more for armOr plate
than any foreign government paid.
After much debate the amendment
carried. III to 4S-
Mr. Hopkins amendment to the
amendment was carried, 1O2 to IS, and
as amended. fixing the price at $40
per ton. the amendment was adopted
without division.
Mr. Moody (ReD. Mass). then Great
ed something of a furOre by Offering
at the end of the bill a copy of the
senate bill TO create the rank of ad-
miral of the navy UprOarious APP
plause greeted the reading Of the
amendment.
The naval committee had amended
this bill so as to create the rank OF
vice admiral. as well as admiral. the
purpose being to allow Dewey to be
appointed admiral and Sampson vice
admiral. This move euchered the
naval committee.
Mr. BouteIle at first reserved a point
of order against the appointment. but,
turning suddenly upon Mr. Moody. de-
clared he would withdraw the point in
Difference to what appeared to be thu
general demand Of the house. If the
could be voted upon with
out debate.
1--WE will vote without word said
Mr.. Moody.
Vote" vote" went up in chorus
from all sides The question of the
amendment was nut and was carried
With a rousins cheer. When the nays
was called for there was the silence OF
The grave. The bill was then reported
20 the house
Separate votes We're demanded BY
Mr. Boutelle uDOn the naval academy
and armOr plate amendments. both or
which We're carried. the former - 10
10 the latter. $50 TO 5S.
Mr. Boutelle then moved to recon-
nit the bill with instructions TO restore
the price of armor plate TO SOLO per
ton, as originally recommended BY the
committee. The motion was voted
down, 10 to 155. The bill was then
passed.
Mr.. Hull, chairman of the military
committee, gave notice that he would
All up the army appropriation bill to-
norrow. in