New-York tribune., 1900-04-06
THE NAVAL PROGRAMME.
OVER S61 100000 CARRIED IN THE APPRO-
PRIATION BILI.-NEW SHIPS
AND ARMOR.

Washington April THE Naval Appropriation
bill reported to the House to-day by Mr. Foss.
acting chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee
The carried in tine bill is s1.219916, the
largest reported the House from the Naval
Committee. The report which accompanies the bill
presents facts regarding power the world over.
foreign naval programmes and the comparative
strength OF the navies of the great maritime Pow
ers. accompanied by cOlored charts.
Under the head of Naval Programme" the report
gives the following details ships:
For the purpose of further increasing the naval
recommend that the President be authorized TO
eshps caTrviDe Ibe Seay,ess armop and most
powerful ordnance for vessels OF their class upon
the highest practicable speed and great radius OF
action M and to cost eseinstSe OF srmSr and arms
cruisers Of about 1900 tons trial displacement
nance for vesses Of their class and to have the
highest practicable speed and great radius of action,
exceeding 81 $4,000 each and three protected cruis
the most powerful W ordnance for vessels Of theif
class and to have the highest speed compatible with
and a. TO cost exclusive of armament exceeding
SsSsn S1Sogon eacn The maximum cost OF the ships
ment, Will be $2S, $50 900.
AS to armor plate. the report tells of the futile
efforts to secure armor at $500 and 500 and says:
The battleships Maine Ohio and Missouri now in
armor. or 2,45S IA for each vessel 1t Is believed
1900 tons displacement the largest in design which
nave ever been planned by the Navy Department
should nave the best obtanable armor and accord
ingiy your committee recommend that the Secretary
OF the Navy be authorized for such
armor at cost not to exceed s545 per The
optalnaDle armor at the present time is according
10 al naval authorities, the SO-called krupp
which Is at least and has been so proven by bal
listic tests of % per cent greater efficiency than
that of the Harveyized Every nation in
the world Is using the Krupp armor to-day Your
committee believe that it Is little short OF disloyaty
20 recommend any other than the best protection
ano the best armor for these battleshps to be
placed between the bodies of officers and men
and the bullets OF the enemy.
One OF the interesting features Of the report
is that which discusses "our naval policy It gives
the gradual u?building of the new Navy year By
year, under. Secretaries Chandler Whitney Tracy
Herbert and Long. and says:
we have a Navy to-day which includes a con-
siderable number of vessels of every class and
snip or snip 1t will equal that of any navy in the
Seventeen years ago we had practically no facii
ies Ior building ships. and what we had were dis
creuited We We're obliged to buy our armament
S i,u az NOR, and even in one plans from
sbis countries To-day we only building
SHIPS IN american shipyards, of American
oS american labor. American plans for our
sSFes, put also for of the leading nations Of
the world such has been the advance which has
oeSh MADE In naval progress in own country
future naval policy? ~ 'O 0Ui
Let us build have been building -erad,alrr
y. on broad hnes and upon the most advanced Idess
Ot naVaI construction; not fast that we will he
a.eau OF the advance of naval progress but slow
Hlents and new inventions: or better sttII 70 AZ
as the American Navy has always done when siveD
an opportunity, TO lead the march OF the best naval
construction " '' naval