The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-06
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL
THE LARGEST EVER REPORT
ED TO THE HOUSE.

81 Total of S61 ,219 ,91G-Pro-
.,es Tor Two Sea-goinS Hattie
and Six New Cruisers-Re-
,.pds the Purchase of ArmOr
mate at S545 Per Ton-Minority
a,.,octs 10 Price of ArmOr Plate
nd other Features.
,,-,.i,in-ton. April 5.-The naval appro-
ION hill was to-day reported to the
nv Acting Chairman Foss of the
,-,,.,I committee. 1t carries bl'2ls'slo'
~. i,rsest ever reported to the House
~, The Naval Committee. The bill also
-.r,arl,able for its array of facts re-
ting sea power the world over
s-.,5sr the head of NAVAL Programme"
.,,,n,ittee recommends that the Pres
',.a. h.. authorized to have built by con-
IVY, ,vo sea-going coast line battleships.
irving the heaviest armor and most
.r.rr,il ordnance for vessels of their,
., mon trial displacement of about
,a..o tons and to have the highest practI-
-ohla sDeed and great radius of action, ana
.ooost exclusive or armor and armament
~. wedding 49, 600, 600 each; three armor-
- or,issrs of about 1900 tons tQal dis
n,acement, carrying the heaviest
,rr,or and most powerful ordnance
-. vessels of their class, and to have the
ai,best practicable speed and great ra-
.t,s nj action, and to cost, exclusive OF
.rn,or and armament, not exceeding VI
o.,oo each; and three protected cruisers,
.sobo,t 5000 tons trial displacement car
zinc o most powerful ordnance for yes
Gals of their class. and to have the high
est speed compatible with good cruising
Qualities and great radius of action, and
n cost exclusive of armament not ex-
ceeding $2,SO0,OOO each.
cost of ships and ArmOr.
Continuing. the report says:
"The maximum cost of the ships here
in authorized. exclusive of armOr and
armament viii he $-S,350,00. The past year
in naval construction has been marked
nv the most liberal naval programmes on
the part Of all foreign nations"
As to armor plate the report tells of
futile efforts to secure armor at $500 and
S40 and recommends authority for the
Secretary of the Navy to contract for
such armor at a cost not to exceed $545
per tom and says the so-called krupp
armor is the best obtainable.
Besides the items given, the bill includes
$4,000 contingency funds, necessary to
meet emergencies constantly arising in
view of the unsettled conditions in our
insular possessions, to be expended in the
discretion of the President and ord
nance, M,75,5OO; equippage vessels, $780,
GEO.; surveys, and cOaling stations in insu-
lar possessions, 800, 800. In the appropri-
alton for yards and docks, Port Royal is
given $227000, Key West $4,000, Norfolk
$66,5O0 Pensacola IS. 800, dredging Dry Tor
ugas, 100000 four dry docks $500, 600 re-
pairs and preservation 100000.
Provision is made for beginning the con-
struction of two more stone dry docks,
one a New York and the other at Nor
fox, Va. Al the present we have no docks
az either place large enough to take in
our largest battleships with safety.
The amounts in detail for the increase
of the navy are:
Construction and machinery 81, 74O 500;
armor and armament, 1900 600; equip
ment, $3.50 600.
The bill directs that the contracts for
each of the new vessels be given to the
lowest responsible bidder, not more than
two or such vessels to be built in one
yard, and TWO to be of Pacific coast con-
struction, subject to certain cost restric-
IONS.
The Minority Dissents.
Four members of the minority of the
Naval Affairs Committee Messrs. Wheel
er Of Kentucky; Rixey of Virginia, Kitch
en- of North Carolina. and Vandiver Of
Missouri, united in a report opposing GER
tain items of the naval appropria ton bill
Their report dwells especially upon the
failure Of the majority to make provision
for future supply of armor plate at a
reasonable cost, though agreeing as to the
necessity for purchasing 7,40O tons of
armor for the battleships Maine, Ohio and
Missouri even though at an exorbitaut
Price. because longer delay would injure
the ships
The minority report continues:
$5lo per ton for armor is exorbitant If
not outrageous. Estimating the labor at
SlA7.50 per ton, would make the net cost
per ton $20O5O, and estimating it at $l65,
the most acceptable figure, would make it
VIZ per ton. A profit of 1915, or even
S9l per ton is certainly excessive"
The minority says the reason of all this
Is the existence of a trust or agreement
between the armor plate factories of this
eountry-"we are almost persuaded we
could say armor 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
competition for orders or as TO price.
The government lis at their mercy. We
oVv HuI Two ways OF eScape-elther stop
building armored ships or manufacture
our own armor''
The minority estimates the cost of con-
s.ructing an armor plate factory com
plete at $4000,C00
IL favors government ownership of such
PLANT if only for it's moral effect. The
minority points out that this bill is $l3-
Wooto in excess of any bill heretofore re-
ported, and $26 100000 in excess. or prac-
ucaAy double, that of any bill ever re-
ported in time of peace, which facts in
create growing disposition to forget how
money IS collected from the people and
te1aenoy Of American Congresses to ex-
travagance