Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-23
IN THE COMMITTEE ROOMS
Hearing on the Shipping Subsidy
Bill
Question of n Government Cable
Across the Pacific Considered
Estimates for the Army.

The hearings on the shipping bill were
continued today before the House COM
nlittee on merchant marine and fisheries, a
large representation of the shipping inter-
ests Commissioner of Navigation Chamber
lin and others interested in the economic
questions involved being present. Mr.. Os-
born Howes of Boston spoke in favor of
what is generally known as the free-ship
pian and suggested that the pending bill
be amended to include u section for free
ships. In this form, he said. it would
draw to its support that large element IA
vorable to free ships and would retain
those favorable to the bounty idea. Mr..
Hopkins of the shipping firm of Flint &:
Co. of New York pointed out objections
to the measure in its present form and
said provision should be made to give
larger consideration to the slow-going
ships which carried large quantities of
products abroad.
President ingalls, of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad is expected to be heard at
the hearing next Thursday, and the eX-
pectation is to close the hearings, and if
possible to reach a decision on the bill on
the Tuesday following.
Government Transatlantic Cable.
The question of a government cable
across the Pacific was considered today by
the House committee on interstate and for
eign commerce.
A large number of government officials
and private citizens interested in the prof.
ect We're present. These included Captain
q. o. Squier, acting chief of the signal
service during the illness of General Greedy;
Admiral Bradford. who has had charge of
the naval investigation of the subject;
General Wager Swayne of New York, long
identified with the Pacific cable movement,
and Governor Brady of Alaska, who wishes
to have the Alaskan route for a cable fully
considered.
Captain Squer had been designated by
Secretary Root and General Greedy to pre-
sent the subject. as he has had immediate
charge of assembling the large amount of
data bearing on government cable He
said there was no longer any doubt as to
the practicability of the Pacific cable from
Il technical and engineering point of view
and he gave the details of the routes, viz
That via Midway Island being 1853 miles
and that via Wake Island 1922 Either of
these routes he said was equal to. If not
superior to, the British route via Tanning
Island
The Army Appropriations.
Steady progress on the army appropria-
ton bill is being made by the house mill
tary committee. Surgeon General Stern
berg and General Wilson, chief of engin-
GERS. were heard today on the estimates
for their departments. The hearings are
about concluded and the committee eX-
poets to report the bin at early day.
fredericksburg Military Park.
The House military committee today
heard further arguments from General
Daniel Z. Sickes and General Albert D.
Shaw of the Grand Army of the Republic,
on the bill to make the Fredericksburb,
Va. battlefield a national military park
and resolved to make a pilgrimage to the
field next Saturday.
Captain Squer estimated S!,g5 900 for an
nGal maintenance and repair of the cable,
this including two cable ships and 300
miles of new cable annually. He pointed
out the advantages of the government man.
agement of the enterprise, as it would OPP
crate to the benefit of the whole people,
and not with the natural aim of private
stockholders. In conclusion Captain Squier
said:
1T is believed that there is no service
which is more necessary in peace and war
for the benefits of commerce. diplomacy
and sea power: for the security of our
coasts against sudden attack and the raw
ages of approaching storms; for protection
against the visitatiOns of infectious diseases
and the full realization of the influences of
the isthmian canal than a transpacific ca
BILE under the impartial and exclusive con-
troll Of the government of the United
States
hearing is resumed next Friday.