The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-10
OVER SIXTY MILLIONS.
LARGEST APPROPRIATION EVER ASKED
FOR THE NAVY.
THE NAVAL BILL INTRODUCED.
1t Provides for Building two Battle
ships and Six Cruisers of the Most
Powerful Type other Extensive Ma
val improvements Provided for-In-
creased Price for Armor Plate-A NJ
nority Report Dealing Chiefly With
the Armor Plate Question.

Washington, April 5.-The naval ap-
preparation bill was today reported to
the house by Acting Chairman Foss,
of the naval committee. 1t carries
SCI. 219. 91s. the largest ever reported
TO the hous from the naval committee.
The bill, also, is remarkable for its ar
ray of facts regarding sea power n
world over.
Under the lead of Naval Pro-
g1amme", the committee recommend
that the president be authorized to
have built by contract two sea-going
% line battleships, carrying the
heaviest armor and most powerful ord
nance for vessels of their class, upon
a trial displacement of about IS, 800
tons and to have the highest practical
BILE speed and great radius of action
n to cost exclusive of armor and ar
mament, not exceeding 50, $780, 900 each;
three armored cruisers Of about 1900
tons trial displacement, carrying the
heaviest armor and most powerful ord
nance for vessels of their class, n to
have the highest practicable speed and
great radius of action, n TO cost, eX-
elusive of armor and armament, not
exceeding 4,25O,OO0 each; and three
protected cruisers, of abuot 5000 tons
trial displacement, carrying the most
powerful ordnance for vessels of their
class and to have the highest speed
compatible with good cruising quail
ties and great radius of action, and to
cost exclusive of armament not ex-
ceeding $500, 600 each.
Continuing the report says: THE
maximum cost of ships herein author
lied, exclusive of armor and armament,
will be $28, $50. 900. The past rear in
naval construction a been marked
by the most liberal naval programmes
on the part of all foreign nations"
AS to armor plate the report tells of
the futile efforts to secure armOr at
$500 and $500 and recommends author
ity for the secretary of the navy to
contract for such armor at a cost not
to exceed $545 per ton and says the So
called Krupp is the best o~btainable.
Provision is made for beginning con-
suction of wv more some dry docks,
one at New York and the other at Nor
folk, Va. AT the present time we have
no docks at either place large enough
ito take in our largest battleshipS with
/ safety.
Four members of the minority of the
naval affairs committee, Messrs.
Wheeler, of Kentucky; Rixey, of Vir-
4 1lo AIlStIlI Va III 0hlo
Vandiver, of Missouri, united in a re-
port opposing certain items of the ma
val appropriation bill. Their report
dwells especially upon the ailu of
the majority to make provision for a
future supply of armor plate at a rea-
sonable cost, though agreeing as to
the necessity for purchasing 400 tons
of armor for the battleships Maine.
| Ohio and Missouri, ever though at an
eXorbitant price, because longer delay
would injure the vessels.
The minority report continues: Five
hundred and forty-five dollors per ton
for armor is eXorbitant, II not outra-
geous. Estimating the labor at s1S5. so
per ton, would make the net cost per
ton $250.50 {, and estimating it at 1855,
the most acceptable figure, would be
$3.50 per ton. A profit of 1915 or ven
1926 per ton is certainly excessive"
The minority say: THE reason of all
his is the existence of a trust or
agreement between the armor plate
factories of this country-we are al
most persuaded we could say arlnor
plate factories of the world. There
are but two armOr plate factories in
the United States and they understand
each other so well there is no compe-
tition for orders or as to price. The
government is at their mercy. We see
but two ways of eScape-either stop
building armored ships or manufac-
ture our own aTmor."
The minority estimate the cost of
constructing an armor plate factory
complete at 1000, 600. 1t favors gov
m ownership of such plant, if
only for it's moral effect. The minority
point out tina this bill is s13, 600, 900 in
excess of any bill heretofore reported
and $26, 600, 600 in excess, or practically
double that of any bill ever reported in
time of peace, indicating a growing
disposition to forget how money is
collected from the people and a ten
dency of the American congress to
extravaganza.