The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-20

]
Annapolis Academy Cut Down.
Renreseutative Cannon took practical
charge Of the Naval Appropriation bill in
the House yesterday and rallied majority
of the members TO his support in an attack
upon two provisions OF the bill The en-
tire afternoon was spent in the considera-
tion Of these two One vas paragraph
appropriating SlOo. 600 for ocean and lake
surveys including the coasts OF the in
sular possessions Of the United States.
In effect this item was a practical alb
sorption Of the Coast and Geodetic Survey
hy the Navy Department. and this Mr..
Cannon fought with strength and ehect'
He quoted jefferson Davis, as Senator IN
opposition to the transfer Of the survey
10 the Navy Department, and received the
nearly unanimous support OF the Demo-
cratic side. He offered as substitute
a paragraph appropriating $4,000 for spe-
cial ocean surveys by the Navy. This vas
agreed to after nearly four hours debate
BY vote Of III to 40.
The other matter was the appropriation
OF 81. 500. 600 for a cadets hall or quarters
at the Naval Academy. For this Mr..
Cannon offered a substitute, reducing the
cost OF the building to SS5O.OOO and limit
sng the total cost Of the reconstruction of
the academy, including Sl,220.0O0 already
appropriated. to s6.OOO.OOO. This was also
edopted by a vote Of 73 to AZ. Notice was
given that a yea and nay vote in the House
would be demanded on that amendment.
In Committee of the whole.
The House convened at noon, and, on
motion of Mr. Foss OF Illinois resolved
itself into Committee Of the Whole, with
Mr. Pavne Of New York in the chair, for
further consideration OF the Naval Appro-
priation bin. On motion OF Mr.. Cannon,
the House took up the bill at the section
on ocean and lake surveys, which the
Clerk read as follows:
Ocean and lake surveys; the publication and
care of the results thereof. the purchase Of nau-
sicsl books. charts, and sailing directions alu
freight and express charges on the same; for the
survey Of the island Of Gusm. and continuing the
surveys Of the impufectly known parts Of lhe
,yaa~,s and harbors Of the Philippine archipelago
uf the Hawaiian group, ana OF tie lslahus oi NuuS
md Porto Rico with their bordering keys and
waters and the minor outlying islands, oeepsea
sorrndines and other observations ioF ule suNt9
q s1ll-1opQTlc TClegTlpl came lulAt-f Nest-it.A
frstions Of the magnetic Narlallon' anu othe5 W
.s7z,tio,s Necessary for the CONSTRUCTION oi charts
for the cprrcction Of the mariner s compass az
oceanic navigation, and continuing tne llAes.'sa-
xions and charting Of reported oustIucti1l.s "
,,s,-,g,tian in the nited States waters oi lle
Great Lakes including the hire oi vessels ana ~
s.,nr,e-lsqtio-1 not otherwise appropllateu ioi' "a
pe-Sons employed in the neid WeLhr uluels
,s,,fbaritt ot the Secretary Of the Navy ana l1I
every expenditure requisite for making ny ulo- %
frar,hic surveys that are required unoeI - ~,
q 81 AmnaHa
uations for the government oi lnt N4ss5 tio1
and anv lmeApended balance oi lne appIVpll3lLoi4
fo- or.ar and lake surveys for the fiscal year emu
ing June 30. 1900, is hereby also apropIla'eu-
Mr.. Cannon offered an amendment, which
the Clerk reported, substituting the sum
of SlOOe0 for special ocean survey iof
SIO0. 900.
Mr.. Moody OF California spoke against
the provisions Of the section OF the bill
read He said this either contemplated
the creation OF a collateral coast survey OF
the transfer Of the present coast survey
from civil to military control. He re-
viewed at some length the history OF the
Coast and Geodetic Survey, recitng It's
various transfers from Department 10 De-
partment. until at last 1t was transferred q
from the Navy to the Treasury Depart
ment. where IL has remained for twenty
years. Attempt after attempt Mr. Moody
said. has been made to remove the sur
VeN from NlklA anu ltllaAt IL NA---N- ------
tsrv authority. He wanted TO limit as
much as possible the sphere Of militaTism.
Mr.. Moody said We should have one coast
survey for continental America and an
other for Americas insular possessions. Il
the bill prevailed. He further maintained
that the Navy had neither the ships nor
the men nor the officers TO perform the
work which would be assigned 10 II should
the provisions in the bill which he at
tackled be enacted into law.
Already. said Mr. Moody, the Secretary
of the Navy admitted that the Navy !!
short / 447 officers. He contended that the
work OF the coast survey could be better
done by civilians than by naval officers
He attacked the administration OF the
Naval Observatory, saying that although
It cost more money than many other Cd
servatories. its work is laughing stool
in the scientific world-' Naval oihcer
could not perform the duties Of hydrogTa
phers as we'll as trained civilians. The
were trained to run ships and tight them
Mr. Foss. in charge Of the bill, took th'
floor in reply 10 Mr.. Moody. He did no
understand the bill as the gentleman from
Massachusetts had misinterpTeted IL. IL
did not understand that the section il
the bill complained Of contemplated abol
ishing the Coast and Geodetic Survey
Throughout the history OF the American
Navy. naval officers had claimed the righ
to survey the seas and the coasts Of th
islands in the seas. Twenty five years ag
the navy surveyed the Midway Islands. ans
only recently surveyed the principal har-
Dor al Guam. Mr.. Foss maintained tha
il would be economical for the men anC
officers OF the Navy paid out Of the Navl