The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-18
To BUILD ARM0R PTALE PLANT
IL Factories Refuse to Sell the
Material at a Certain Price -Secre.
tary OF the Navy Instructed to Pur-
chase Five Holland Torpedo Boats.
n Daniel scouts the Idea OF
Trouble over the Monroe Doctrine.
House Passes Deficiency Bill.
SENATE.

SNoIc ~ ne OuSlutEdAiOn Oh the AT-
NOR plate proposition which was
agreed TO finally as reported by the
| committee. with the exception that the
secretary OF the navy is author
lied 10 max contracts for such
armo- as may be needed from time
TO time. By the committees amend
ment 10 the house bill the secre-
tary of the navy is authorized TO
procure the best quality at s445
| per ton, but if he be unabl to obtain
it at that price he is then authorized
to pay s545 per ton for the armor for
] the battleships Maine, Ohio and Mis-
| souri, and proceed TO erect an armor
factory to cost not TO exceed 100000
| one-half of which amount is made
| Immediately available.
Today, after the rejection Of the
| pending amendment offered by Sena-
| tor Chandler, the committees pGopo-
| sition was agreed to by a vote of 81 10
19.
| The secretary of the navy is directed
| to purchase five Holland torpedo boats
at a price not exceeding $4,000.
The free homes bill was passed
withou a word of debate.
Il "A ulIi prov III Iol iit dpBOliNiiiNhN
| of a collector of customs at $4,000 a
| year for the customs district of
| Hawaii and for such deputies a. nee
essary, was passed.
The naval bill was then called up.
| Mr.. Chambers amendment the pend
| ing question substituting in senator
| Tillman's amendments S425, for 300 as
the price for armor was rejected-2o
to p.
! Senator Hoar offered an amendment
| providing that if under the committee
| proposition no government armor
| plate mandatory is built, the secre-
tary of the navy shall submit TO the
| next congress a detailed report with
| estimates as to costs of the equipment
| of such government plant and the time
| when the best plate could be delivered
| thereby. The senate agreed to this
| amendment and the committees prop
| osition as amended was agreed to-32
! to 10.
The next committee proposition was
| for the purchase of five Holland sub
| marine torpedo boats al $40, 600 each.
| Senator Stewart offered an amend
ment increasing the number from five
| to ten.
| Senator Daniel thought the Holland
| boat presented the solution of harbor
| defense. If it be true, he said, and L
| may say I do not share in the belief
| tina some foreign nation has its eye
on us and and proposes, as has been
| feared by some senator's, to test the
| Monroe doctrine, then this boat is the
| thing we desire for the defense of u
| harbors and our coasts. He would, he
! added. vote for twenty of the Holland
boats to be built to allay the sensitive
ness and apprehension of our s~eacoaSt
| cities and he would therefore support
| the amendment of Senator Steward.
| Adverting to Senator Lodges speech,
| delivered last Friday, with respect to
a possible challenge of the Monroe
| doctrine by Germany Senator Daniel
| said: THAT speech has had its echo
| throughout the world and Is even now
| reverberating on the continent of Eu-
| rop 1t has been circulated around
I the throne of Germany; n Germany's
war lord, who always has his a set
| for rumors of war, is even now reflect
| ing upon and commenting upon the
| idea that sometime Germany is to
have a war with the United States. I
| do not believe it. The war lord Of
| Germany is right in stimulating the
| military animuS of his people. He Is
| but maintaining the traditions Of his
| fathers; but that the lord of Germany
| or the chief ruler Of any other nation
| is projecting or building up a navy
| with the idea of some day testing the
| Monroe doctrine Is not susceptible to
| the view of common sense. We ought
| always to keep in view our objective
in the construction of a navy. If the
ide of those who want to build a great
navy because England Ia great empire)
has a great navy, or because Germany
| Ca progressive nation) has an eye on
the aggregation Of a navy and the ac-
QUESTION of Jul countries, and because
Italy has a similar view as to a navy
is that we shall ave a navy capable
of going on the seas and meeting these
combined ravies or even n navy OF
Great Britain then we are going into
a big undertaking and one which Is
not in accordance with the rationale
Of this republic. This Is a peaceful
nation and I would preserve in the
hearts Of our people the conservative
doctrine that would keep 1t a peaceful
nation. The object which leads me to
vote for liberal appropriations for the
navy is simply hat we may have nee
essary weapons Of defense and not
that we may have a vast navy which
shall go about the world seeking whom
we may devour."
Senator Hale. OF Missouri. proposed
that the committees proposition should
/ be so changed as to make h purpoS<
of five of the Holland boats manda-
tory instead of discretionary with the
secretary of h navy.
Senator Stewart accepted this and
withdrew his amendment The COM
/ mltteetS proposition was I1eu d1opleu
Senator Hale for the committee Of
fered an amendment providing in effect
for the removal of the naval station
at Port Royal, s. c., to Charleston, s
c.
The bill authorities the expendute
for SAP, 900 at h Port Royal station
but the amendment offered by Senator
Hale makes the e~xpedEure OF TINS
money discretionary, and If the secre-
tary OF the a deems IT expedieni
to expend the none on the new sta
ton and dock at Charleston, $lOO.00
is made available for the purchase OF
a site.
Senator Butler, of North Carolina
proposed an amendment extending the
right Of choice of the secretary of the
navy to some point In North Carolina
He urged that Wilmington was the
best place in the south for the station
Senator Buffers amendment was re
jected and the committee amendment
was adopted.
Senator Tilman offered an amend.
ment providing that no armor should