Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-07
A GREAT navy.
Bill Reported to the House by Chair
man FOss.
IT CALLS FOR $6l,2l9,9l6.
Report Accompanying the Measure
Gives In Detail the Upbuilding
of the Great Nnvies of
the World.

preparation bill has been report.w to th'
house by Acting Chairman Foss of th'
naval committee. The amount carrie,
by the bill is SOL ,2l93lG. the largest eve
reported to the house from the nava
committee. Aside from this, the rppol'
which accompanies the bill is remarkabl,
for its arrayal of facts regarding sci
power the w0Sld over, foreign naval pro
grammes and the comparative strength o
the navies of the great maritime powers
accompanied by colorcd charts shown.
the upbuidihk> of the various great ma
vies. y
Under the head of naval programme
the report sets forth as follows as t,
new ships:
"For the purpose of further increusn:
the naval establishment of the Unitet
States the committee recommends tina
the president he authorized to have buil
by contract Two Seagoing coast line bat
tlcships, carrying thr heaviest armor ant
most powerful ordnance for vessels o
their class upon II trial displacement o
about 13.5O) tons and to have the highes
practicable speed and great radius OF
action and TO cost, exclusive of armol
and armament, not exceeding S3.G0O.0Ul
each; three armored cruisers of abou
$4,000 tons trial displacement, carrying
the heaviest armor and most powerful
ordnance for vessels of their class ant
to have the highest practicable speed ant
great radius of action and to cost, cXclu
sive Of armor and armament, not exceed
ing $3.50, 900 each. and three protected
cruisers Of about 5000 tons trial dis
n amt NJ; j., ,rf,,
ordnance for vessels of their class and Il
have the highest speed compatible witt
good cruising qualities and great radius
Of action and to cost. exclusive of arma
ment, not exceeding S2,SOO.000 each"
The Maximum, Cost.
Continuing. the report says:
"The maximum cost of the ships herein
authorized. exclusive of almor and arma
ment, will be S2S,35O.OO0. This is the
largest naval programme ever submitted
by the committee on naval affairs of the
house and is in accord with the wishes
and recommendations of the secretary of
the navy and Admiral Dewey, and will
we believe, meet tn just demands OF
public sentiment. The past year in naval
construction has been marked by the
iHoSt HbtIul lliiN III programmes On tut
part of all foreign nations. At the pros
ent time there is pending in the reichstaa
of Germany. Il naval hill which, if passed
will increase the tonnage of the present
German navy 10000 tons, larger ton
mage than that of her present navy
AS to armor plate. the report tells OF
the futile efforts to secure urmor at $500
and $500 and says:
"'rhc battleships Maine. Ohio and Mis-
souri,, now in process of construction, re-
quire 1853. ~ tons of armor. or 2.1J3. "A
for each vessel. 1t is believed by the
committee that these battleshps of near
ly 10000 tons displacement. the largest
in design which have ever been planned
by the navy department, should have the
best obtainable armor, and, accordingly
your committee recommends that the sec
Rotary of the navy be authorized to con
tract for such armor at a cost not to eX-
coed S145 per ton. The best obtainablc
armor at the present time is, according
to all naval authorities. the so called
krupp armor, which has been proved by
ballistic tests to be of - per cent great
or efficiency than that of the harveyized
armor. Every nation in the world is us
ing the Krupp armor today. Your com
mittee believes that it is little short of
disloyalty to recommend any other than
the best protection and the best armor
for these battlcshps TO be placed be
tween the bodies of our officers and men
and the bullets of the enemy"