The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-05-18
NAVAL BILL PASSED
The Government May Make
Its Own Armor.
FREE HOMES BILL ALSO PASSED
Tongue Secures Board to Investt
gate Columbia River Dry
dock Question.

Washington, May le.-Aiter a dis.
cussion lasting five full days, the SEN
ate today passed the naval appropria-
tion bill. Pra ctically four days were
devoted to the consideration of the
amor plate proposition, which was
agreed to finally as reported from the
committee, with the exception that the
secretary Of the navy is authorized to
make contracts only for such armor as
may be needed from time to time. The
secretary OF the navy is authorized to
procure armor OF the best quality at
$445 per ton; but If he be unable tc
obtain 1t at that price, he is the
authorized to pay $545 per ton for the
armor for the battleship Maine, Ohio
and Missouri and proceed to erect an
armor factory, the cost not to exceed
$4, 900, 900. one-half OF which amount
is made Immediately available. The
committees proposition carried by a
vote of S2 to 10. The secretary OF the
navy is directed to purchase five Hol'
land torpedo boats, at a price not ex-
ceeding $l7O,0O0 each.
Just before adjournment, Nelson
(Rep. Mimi called up the free
homes" bill, and it was passed with.
out word of debate.
A bill for the establishment OF a
lighthouse and fog signal at Ship Point,
Wash, at ia cost of $l2, 900 was passed.
A concurrent resolution was adopted
for survey of the outlet of Flathead
lake, Mont, with view to keeping
the lake full.
A bin providing for the appointment
of a collector of customs for the GUS
toms district OF Hawaii, at salary OF
$4, 900 per year, and for such deputies
as may be necessary, was passed.
Hale (Rep. Me- then called up the
naval appropriation bill, the pending
question being on the amendment OF
Chandler (Rep. N. H.. J substituting in
Tillman's amendment $445 for $500 as
the price Of armor. The amendment
WAS EoJoOJout SU w ~ts
Hoar (Rep. Mass. offered the follow.
ing amendment to the committee prop
osition with respect to the construction
OF an armor plate factory:
"That If, under the operation OF the
above provision, no government armol
plate manufactory is begun or built
the secretary of the navy shall submit
to congress at the beginning OF It's next
session detailed report, in which hi
shall estimate the entire cost of fully
equipped government armor plate man
ufactory, including site and the probable
time at which the best modern armol
plate could be produced at said factory
and ready for delivery"
The amendment was accepted by the
committee and as amended the com
mittee's proposition was adopted, 81
to 10.
The next proposition of the committed
provided for the pun chase of five Hol
land submarine torpedo boats, at a
price OF $780, 900 each, and 1t wal
adopted after some debate with al
amendment making the purchase
mandatory.
Chandler offered an amendment re
ducing the number OF armored cruiser
provided for In the bill from three tC
two and the number OF protected cruis
ers from three to two. His purpos'
In offering it, he said, was to direc
attention to the fact that we are ex
pending too much money for our nav!
and too little for the development o.
our merchant marine.
Mcbride (Rep. Or) secured al
amendment providing for the appoint
ment OF board OF officers to determine
the desirability of constructing q dr..
dock on the Columbia river. Or.
Pettigrew (Sil. s. D. declared that i
was the purpose OF the dominant part.
in congress to make these great con
tracts for war vessels and armor II
order that it might be then in position
to obtain vast contributions to its cam
paign fund.
The bill then passed without division
Nelson (Rep. Minn.) secured tn
passage OF an act providing for fre
homesteads on the public lands TO
actual and bona fide settlers and resery
ing the public lands for that purpose
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