Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-28
DISPUTE ON ARM0R PLATE
Question Of Price LIKELY TO Defeat the Naval
Increase.
How Congressman Treat the Matter
Philippine survey-Other
Naval Affairs,

New York, March PA special TO the
Times from Washington says: The ma
val authorities are watching with con-
siderable interest and some fear FOR the
action Of Congress on the appropriation
for naval increase. Some Of the Depart
ment officials express the opinion that
the bin may be lost. The last appro-
prlatlon squeezed through by a narrow
margin at the close Of the session, and
this is by no means uncommon.
Naval officers interested In the fate Of
the appropriation are strongly inclined
10 believe that this years appropriation
for new battleshlps will be left until
near the adjournment. and some Of
them are not hopeful that IL Will be
passed az all.
No one doubts that on the mere ques-
ton Of whether the United States shall
have enough battleships or not, the ap-
preparation would go through with a
rush. But the old question about the
price OF armor etill retains its power 10
cause trouble and while there Is no
opposition 10 the bill, there IS so much
haggllng about the cost Of armor that II
may result IN no appropriation al ALL
III II goes through said naval offi-
Ger. IT win be on the day Of adjourn
ment In all probability and with only
few votes 90 spare. But there are so
many different views In Congress about
what we ought 20 do In the matter OF
buying armor that they are likely TO
end by not authorizing the purchase Of
any and thereby defeat the bill
The old idea OF having the government
establish an amor plant Of It's own IL
revived and some members Of Congress
favor II Il the companies which now
supply the government refuse 10 come
% their idea OF the right price The
trouble is that there l. not as yet any
agreement as 20 what the right price IT,
There Is some talk 90 the effect that
the comnlnies mght be willing 90 re-
duce the cost without any such menace,
but this ls always coupled With the
mention o. conditions which are not
likely % secure powerful enough sup
port In Congress % insure their adop-
ION.
A special 20 the Herald from Wash
lngton says Commander Z. o. Taus-
Gig. when be returns % the philippines
viii probably be placed IN control u
the naval surveying work IN the archi-
pclago. Rear Admiral r. D. Bradford,
chief OF the bureau Of equipment, has
recommended 20 Secretary Long that
the vessel under his command, which
WIN be the Yorktown. b. made the par
ent shin for the half dozen little sun
boats which are 10 b. converted Into
surveying ships
Rear Admiral Melville, engineer in
chief has submitted 10 Rear ADMIRAL
Hlchbofn. chief constructor the weight
OF the machinery the proposed bat
tleshlps viii REQUIRE The machinery
FOR each vessel win weigh l. 900 tons and
viii produce. Admiral Melville expects.
about iq 800 horse power This horse
poWor win drive the vessel through the
water al the rate of nineteen knots per
hour ana on account q their great beam
II IL thought that this will probably be
The maximum. The weight OF machln-
ery FOR the proposed armored cruisers
win be about 2. 900 tons and viii produce
about 5000 horse power. This with drive
The vessel through the water az speed
OF about twenty-three knots.