The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-06

Extravaganza and Argues in Favor
of Government Armor Plant.
The Naval Appropriation bill was yes
terday reported to the House of Represen-
tatives by Mr.. Foss. acting Chairman o.
the Committee on Naval Affairs Ii was
accompanied by minority and a majority
report. The amount carried by the bill is
6l,21s,916, the greatest sum ever carried
by an American naval appropriation bi /.
The estimates were Sos. SIS, 634. The sun
provided for the use of the Navy is sl2,-
So s97.
The Bureau of Navigation is allowed
s566, 425. For the Bureau of Ordnance,
s., SSS, 124 is set aside, which is S755 600
less than last year. The appropriation for
the Bureau of Equipment is $S,i64,O'2,
which is s69s597 more than last year. Out
of this appropriation coal sheds and
wharf for %, 600 tons of coal are TO be es-
tablished at Cavite, Philippine Islands an
allowance OF s60s 1879 is made to the Blu
resu of Yards and Docks, an increase CT
1854 1897, Of which s125,0O0 is for the main
stations at Havana. San Juan, and Manila.
Public works are given s7,797 ,467, an in
crease of s2.9321S
Under this head the Brooklyn Navy Yard
is given 81, 300, 200, as against 1912 .U62 for
1900; the dry dock at Algiers is allowed
$3.50, 900, and four new dry docks are p:o-
vided at a cost of 100000. The Naval
Academy is allowed s6T7,50o of which
sS50,000 is to commence a building for
Other allowances are: Bureau OF Medi Inc
and Surgery. $3.50 000: Bureau of Supp .es
and Accounts, s2,53l,2 32; Bureau OF en-
struction and Repairs, ss.235,S24, an in
crease of 81 So, on; Bureau of St an Eng-
Deering, geo, an increase of $1,56o,-
200; support of Naval Academy, sl9s,ts;.
A provision for the restoration of the
title of midshipman, abolished in 1882, is
inserted in the bill, ard the two ye-rs'
course at sea is discontinued. The Mar ne
Corps is allowed 81 ~, $40; for increase Of
the Navy, SIG, $3.50, sos is allowed an in
crease of s674s,297.
Under the provision for the armor pl
the committee recommends that 1853 tons
be purchased for the Maine, Ohio. and Mi -
souri,, at not to exceed s545 per ton.
The Naval Programmed
Under the caption Of Naval Programme
the report on the bill recites: For the
purpose of further increasing the naval es-
tablishment of the United States the COM
mittee recommends that the President be
authorized to have built by contract two
seagCing coast-line battleships. carrying
the heaviest armor and most powerful ord
nance for vessels of their class upon a trial
displacement of about Is SEQ tons, and to
have the highest practicable speed and
great radius Of action and TO cost. exclu
sive Of armor and armament, not exceed
ing So, SOC COO each; three armored cruisers
OF about 13.CG0 tons trial displacement, car
rying the heaviest armor and most power
full ordnance for vessels of their class and
to have the highest practicable speed and
great radius Of action, and to cost, ex-
elusive of armor and armament, not eX-
ceeding "a $50, COO each; and three protected
cruisers OF about 5000 tons trial dispIace-
ment, carrying the most powerful ordnance
for vessels of their class, and 10 have the
highest speed compatible with good crus-
ing qualities and great radius of action,
and TO cost exclusive of armament. not
exceeding 81, 100000 each.
The maximum cost of the ships herein
authorized, exclusive of armor and arma-
ment, will be SIS, 350. 600. This is the larg-
est naval programme ever submitted by the
Committee on Naval Affairs OF the House
and is in accord with the wishes and rec
concentrations of the Secretary of the
Navy and Admiral Dewey, and will, we
believe. meet the Just demands of public
sentiment. The past year in naval con
struction has been marked by the most
liberal naval programme on the part OF all
foreign nations. Al the present time there
is pending in the Reichstag Of Germany
naval bill which. il passed, will increase
the tonnage OF the present German Navy
422 eco tons, larger tonnage than that OF
her present navy"
The Naval Policy.
Under the heading Naval Policy The
report, after reviewing the growth of the
Navy Under Secretaries Chandler. Whit
ney, Tracy, Herbert, and Long. continues:
I'VE have navy today which includes |
a considerable number of vessels Of every |
class, and, ship for ship, it will equal that |
Of any navy in the world.
Seventeen years ago We had practically |
no facilities for building ships. and what |
we had were discredited. We were obliged |
to buy our armament ana armor and even |
in one case our plans, from foreign coun-
tries Today we are not only building |
ships In American shipyards of American |
material by American labor on American
plans for ourselves, but also for some OF
the leading nations OF the world. Such
has been the advance which has been made
in naval progress in our own country.
The question may be asked, What shall
be our future naval policy?
Let us build as we have been building
gradually on broad lines and upon the
most advanced ideas Of naval construction;
not so fast that We will be ahead of the |
advance of naval progress. but slowly
enough to secure all the benefits OF new
improvements and new Inventions or
better STILL TO do as the American Navy
has always done when given an oppor-
tunity TO lead the march of the best naval
construction
Armor Plate.
On the subject of armor plate. the ma
jority report recites the efforts put forth
to secure the best plate for $500 and 500
ton, and proceeds:
The battleships Maine, Ohio and Mis-
souri,. now in process of construction, re
quire .35g.42 tons Of armor or 2,f53Ii for
each vessel. II is believed by the com
mittee that these battleshps of nearly
1900 ions displacement. the largest in
design which have ever been planned by
the Navy Department. should have the
best obtainable armor and. accordingly.
your committee recommend that the See
rotary of the Navy be authorized to con-
tract for such armor at a cost not to
exceed S54j per ton. The best obtainable
armor at the present time is. according
10 all nth