The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-20
THE NAVAL BILL DEBATE
Two Provisions of the Measure
Vigorously Opposed.
Friends of the Coast and Geodetic
Survey object to Its Absorption by
tion for Improvements Mt the
Annapolis Academy Cut Down.

Annapolis Academy Cut Down.
Representative Cannon took practical
charge of the Naval Appropriation bill in
the House yesterday and rallied a majority
of the members to his support in an attack
upon two provisions of the bill. The en-
tire afternoon was spent in the considera-
ticn of these two. One waS paragraph
approprating 100000 for ocean and lake
surveys, including the coasts of the in
sular possessions of the United States.
In effect this item was a practical alb
sorption OF the Coast and Geodetic Survey
by the Navy Department, and this Mr..
Cannon fought with strength and effect.
He quoted jefferson Davis, as a Senator, in
opposition to the transfer of the survey
TO the Navy Department, and received the
nearly unanimous support of the Demo-
cratic side. He offered as substitute
a paragraph appropriating $40, 900 for spe-
cial ocean surveys by the Navy. This was
agreed to after nearly four hours debate
by vote Of Ill to 30.
The other matter was the appropriation
of 81, 900 for a cadets hall or quarters
at the Naval Academy. For this Mr..
Cannon offered a substitute, reducing the
cost of the building to s35O.O and limit
ing the total cost of the reconstruction of
the academy, including s1,220, 900 already
appropriated, to $4,000, 900. This was also
adopted by vote Of 73 to AZ. Notice was
given that a yea and nay vote in the House
would be demanded on that amendment.
In Committee of the Whole.
The House convened at noon, and, on
motion OF Mr.. Foss of Illinois resolved
itself into Committee of the Whole, with
Mr.. Payne of New York in the chair for
further consideration of the Naval Appro-
priation bill. On motion of Mr.. Cannon,
the House took up the bill at the section
on ocean and lake surveys, which the
Clerk read as follows:
Ocean and lake surveys; the publication and
care of the results thereof; the purchase of nau-
tical books, charts, and sailing directions, and
freight and express charges on the same; for the
survey of the island of Guam, and continuing the
surveys of the imperfectly known parts of the
coists and harbors of the Philippine archipelago,
OF the Hawaiian group, and of the islands of Cuba
and Porto Rico, with their bordering keys and
waters and the minor outlying Islands; deep sea
soundings and other observations for the survey
Of sub-oceanic telegraph cable routes; determ-
nations of the magnetic variation, and other OBJ
erYatio1s necessary for the construction of charts
for the correction of the mariners compass IN
oceanic navigation, and continuing the inyestlga-
tions and chartins OF reported obstruciions 10
navigation in the United States waters of the
Great Lakes, including the hire OF vessels and the
compensation, not otherwise appropriated Tor, oil
persons employed in the field work, under the
authority OF the Secretary of the Navy, and for
every expenditure requisite for making hydro
graphic surveys that required under the reg
ulations for the government OF the Navy, Slo0OoO,
and anv lmexpended balance OF the appropriation
for ocean and lake surveys for the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1900, is hereby also Appropriated
Mr.. Cannon offered an amendment, which
the Clerk reported, substituting the sum
of $4,000 for special ocean survey for
100000
Mr.. Moody of California spoke against
the provisions of the section of the bill
read. He said this either contemplated
the creation of a collateral coast survey, or
the transfer of the present coast survey
from civil to military control. He re-
viewed at some length the history Of the
Coast and Geodetic Survey, reciting its
various transfers from Department to De-
partment until at last it was transferred
from the Navy to the Treasury Depart
ment, where it has remained for twenty
years. Attempt after attempt, Mr.. Moody
said, has been made TO remove the sur
vey from civil and replace ii under mill
tary authority. He wanted to limit as
much as possible the sphere of militarism.
Mr.. Moody said we should have one coast
survey for continental America and an
other for Americas insular possessions, IL
the bill prevailed. He further maintained
that the Navy had neither the ships nor
the men nor the officers to perform the
work which would be assigned to it should
the provisions in the bill which he at
tackled be enacted into law.
Already, said Mr.. Moody, the Secretary
of the Navy admitted that the Navy is
short !, 447 officers. He contended that the
work OF the coast survey could be better
done by civilians than by naval officers.
He attacked the administration of the
Naval Observatory, saying that although
st cost more money than many other OBJ
Its work is laughing stock
IN the scientific world Naval officers
could not perform the duties of hydrogra-
pliers as well as trained civilians. They
were trained to run ships and fight them.
ar. Foss, in charge of the bill, took the
floor in reply TO Mr.. Moody. He did not
understand the bill as the gentleman from
Massachusetts had misinterpreted II. He
did not understand that the section in
the bill complained of contemplated abol-
ishing the Coast and Geodetic Survey
Throughout the history of the American
Navy naval officers had claimed the right
to survey the seas and the coasts of the
islands in the seas. Twenty five years ago
the navy surveyed the Midway Islands, and
only recently surveyed the principal har-
Dor at Guam. Mr.. Foss maintained that
it would be economical for the men and
officers OF the Navy paid out of the Navy