The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-30

for the Pneumatic Trbe Service
By vote of 1G7 to 124 the House yester-
day refused to concur in the Senate
amendment TO the Naval Appropriation
bill, directing the Secretary of the Navy
to build an armor plate factory if he can
not buy armor fer $500 ton or less. In
stead it voted to concur in an amendment,
armor at q reasonable price, and II he can
not get ii at a reasonable price, then he is
to build factory, for which 100000 is
appropriated. Tie House declined to con-
cur in the amendments restoring the two
years sea cruise from the course at An
napolis, and appropriating 100000 fol-
ocean surveys to be made by the Navy.
The Postofiice Appropriation bill was
disposed of. as far as the House is con.
cerned, by adopting the conference report
and agreeing to the Senate amendmen,
Gppropriating s225, 600 for carrying on the
pneumatic tube service now in operation
at Boston. New York, Brooklyn, and Phil.
adelphia.
After the Journal was read Mr.. Gros-
venor from the Committee on Rules. pre-
scented a special rule ordering the previous
question upon the pension biils-190 in
number-favorably acted upon in COM
mittee Of the Whole last Friday, the order
not to interfere with conference reports
He said that the rule was made necessary
by the obstructive tactics of Mr.. Talbert
last Friday
Mr.. Talbert denied this, and said that
had quorum been present the bills could
have been passed.
Mr.. Dalzell sought to have included the
bill for the relief of Charles B. Dougherty
and the officers and men of the Ninth
Pennsylvania Regiment, but Mr.. Loud OBJ
jected.
The special rule was adopted, but was
Immediately displaced by Mr.. Foss. who
presented the conference report on the
Naval Appropriation bill.
The House agreed to the report, which
omitted three items from a full agree
ment-the appropriation for surveys by the
photographic Bureau. Navy Department;
the appropriation for Coast and Geodetic
Survey, and the item authorizing the con-
struction of an armor-plate plant.
Mr.. Cannon opposed the Senate PROPOSE
ton for photographic surveys, which. he
said, was about the broadcast ever sug-
gested in an appropriation bill. 1t author
lied the Navy TO survey every coast on
earth, every harbor. lake and river in the
United States. In his opinion, not a sur
vey should be made by the Navy Depart
ment.
II was finally agreed that the House
should recede from its disagreement to the
Senate provision with an amendment re-
ducing the appropriation for special ocean
surveys by the photographic Bureau of
the Navy Department to $4,000.
The Senate proposed $100, 600. The House
insisted upon Its disagreement to the Sem
ate amendment abolishing the two-year
sea course for cadets at Annapolis
To the Senate amendment regarding ar
NOR plate Mr.. Foss offered a motion that
the House recede from its disagreement.
and concur with an amendment giving the
Secretary, OF the Navy power to purchase
ermor for ships waiting to be armored, in
his discretion; failing to get it at a rea-
sonable figure in his opinion, he is author
lzed to build an armor-plate factory, for
which 100000 are appropriated.
Mr.. Wheeler moved to recede and con-
cur in the Senate amendment.
This motion took preference over that
of Mr.. Foss. 1t was arranged that there
Mr.. Dayton took the floor in support Of
Mr.. Fuss' motion.
He charged that this arnor plate ques-
don had already retarded the building up
OF the Navy to such an extent that unless
It was settled now once for all our Navy
would suffer.
Mr.. Dayton said he was Informed by the
Senator from Pennsylvania that it was
utterly out Of the question for the Govern
n n at ha
price fixed in the Senate amendment (s445),
and that, therefore the country was con-
fronted with the alternative of buying
armor at the price charged by the factories
or else embark upon the building of Gov
eminent armor plate factory.
Mr.. Rixey said that the adoption of Mr.
Foss' molten. giving the Secretary of the
Navy authority to contract for armor at
q reasonable price. would be tantamount
to agreeing to the price charged by the ar
NOR plate factories. He said he knew the
Secretary would be willing to agree to any
terms the factories might ask.
What evidence have you for that state
ment?' enquired Mr.. Foss.
81 cannot cite the gentleman to the evil
dence. but that is my impression. think
II would be a great mistake not to place
limit upon the price. We never secured
Harveyized armor for less than SAT- ton
says that the Government can make ar
NOR for 1914 a ton, and that the Krupp
process is not patented. If We can produce
II for 1914, why should we pay S545? |
consider that to pay over $500 would give
the manufacturers exorbitant profts.''
Mr.. Rixey had read from the advance
sheets of report by Consul General
Guenther. at Frankfort showing that the
krupp Company secured over 81 100 for a
certain class Of guns from the German
Government until competition developed,
and that the company then reduced its
price to s452
Mr.. Kitchin and Mr.. Underwood sup
ported Mr.. Wheeler's molten They
favored the building of an armor p ate fac
tory. and argued that as plain business
proposition IT would be TO the advantage OF
the Government to make its own armor
They produced the figures of the armor
manufacturers to show that the total C at
of material in ton of armor was s3Jl3;
coal, ETC., s56.75. and labor. s43, or total