Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-20
tBy Telegraph to virginIan-piloty

(By Telegraph to virginlan- PilotJ
Washington, April 19.-The House
spent practically the entire day de-
batting proposition in the naval bill
designed to turn over TO the navy the
survey and charting of the waters of
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines.
The bill carried an appropriation of
100000 for this purpose. Mr. Cannon,
chairman of the Appropriations Com
mittee, led the fight against 1t, argu-
ing that such surveying of these waters
as should be made should be performed
by the coast and geodetic survey.
which, he said. could do the work
cheaper and better. In the end the
House sustained his view, adopting an
amendment offered by him TO oppro-
pirate only the regular $4,000 FOR ocean
surveys. The chairman of the COM
mttce of the Whole, Mr.. Payne, over
ruled the point OF order against the
appropriation for the new Naval Acad-
enly, but an amendment offered by Mr..
Cannon was adopted providing that be-
Tore the money appropriated by the bill
Tor the Academy be expended plans for
the whole Improvement not to exceed
S6,0uoO00 be submitted and approved by
the Secretary of the Navy.
Mr.. Cannon offered as an amendment
to the section (Which appropriated
100000 for surveys of the island OF
Guam, Hawaii, Philippines Porto Rico
and Cuba and charting the distractions
OF the Great Lakes) AZ simple provision
approprsting $4,000 for continuing
ocean surveys.
THE FIRST DANGER.
Mr. Moody (Massachusctts) advo-
Gated the amendments He pointed out
M TN, l,n li rta
signed 10 create u rival of the coast and
geodetic survey in the Navy Depart
mept. The navy had sought many
times to control it. TO yield would be
10 incur the first danger of militarism
so much dreaded. Coast survey work
properly belonged to the sphere OF civil
l.fc. He cited the case of the naval OBJ
serv&tury to prove that there was-not
proper admins tr;ltion OF scientific work
under naval officers. That ovserva-
torys work. he said. was the laughing
stock of the scientific world. Every
man to his own trade.
Mr. Foss. in charge OF the bill, con-
tended that the right Of the navy to
make ocean surveys and surveys OF the
islands of the sea had never been dis
puted hitherto Mr.. Foss asked if it
was fair 10 hold officers responsible for
ships sailing over seas charted by civil
ians? Every foreign navy in the world
made It's own surveys.
\ lively debate followed. Mr. Nc
Raw. of Arkansas, supported the
amendment.
WORK CRITICISED.
MIR. Cummings, of New York. argued
that the proposed surveys should he
made by the navy, not by scmi-politi-
cal bureaus like the Coast aud Gocdetic
Survey. He read u letter from Il man
now in the survey who had served
ma ~l,n late n
scribed the work as "ple." Nobody
knows anything but me- 1t said. II
am commanding officer. I was only
boatswain in the navy"
Mr.. Cannon concluded the debate IN
favor of the amendment. The officers
of the navy were educated to fight he
said. not to perform civil duties.
INCOMPETENT AND EXPENSIVE.
In the performance of civil duties"
said he. with emphasis they are the
most incompetent and the most expen-
sive"
In the burst OF applause that followed
this uttcrance some one cried out
something about Dewey"
"oh. am not talking politics." re-
spouded MIR. Cannon. II am talking
dollars and cents and an efficient sur
Ney. l am u great adnirer of Admiral
Dewey and all the other officers and
men who served In the Spanish war;
! love them so we'll that when see men
trying to set them TO work at something
ut which they cannot sustain them
selves. call a halt" daughter and
appause.)
The Cannon amendment. after pro-
tracted debate under the five-minuts
rule. was finally adopted-l1l to 10
THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
The Chair then ovcrruled the point of
order pending against the appropriation
Continued on page 5.