The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-06
NAVAL APPROPRIATIONS
Congressional Bill Approprlafes Enormous
Sums to Build Warshlps.
AN INCREASED NAVY IS BADLY NEEDED
sox. the Committee-Big Appropr'a-
lions Are Made 10 the NaSai $50
envy and Various Naval YARDS

naval committee. nc
the bill is SCI, 21s,916 the largest ever re-
ported to the house from the naval COM
mlttee.
aside from this the report wnich ac'
comnanies the bill is remarkable lot its
ARRIVAL of fact regarding sea power Tue
world over, foreign naval programmes anu
the comparative strength OF the naVies Oh
tho great maritime powers, accompanied
by colored charts showing the uppuiidins
of the various great navles.
Under the head OF Naval programme
the report sets forth as follows as 70 ne"
ships For the purpose OF turtner ihcreae ,
ling The naval establishment OF the oh''V'
States the committee recommends WA. tne
PRESIDENT be authorized 10 nave punt Wy
contract two sea-going coast line pattie-
ships. carrying the heaviest arinor ana
most powertuI ordnance for vessels 81
their class upon a trial displacement OF
about ~, 800 tons, and to have the hiSnesl
practicable speed and Creates radius Oh
action and 10 cost, exclusive OF armor anu
armament, not exec ding S3,bOO,cou each )
three armored cruisers of about l3,0uo
tons trial displacement, carrying the heaV-
4 lest armor and most powerful ordnance
Tor vessels OF their class, and to have fne
highest practicabl. speed and creates
radius OF action and TO cost, exclusive OF
armor and armament not exceeding
ST. 250 900, and three protected cruisers o.
5000 tons trial displacement, carrying the
most powerful ordnance for vessels OF
their class and to have the highest speed
compatible with good cruising qualities
and great radius of action and 10 cost,
exclusive OF armament, not exceeding ST.
100000 each
I Continuing, the report says: THE maxi
mum cost of the ships herein authorized,
exclusive of armor and armament will be
S28 $40, 00C. This is the largest naval
programme ever submitted By the COM
mittee or naval affairs Of the house, and
is in accordance 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-
struoslon has been marked by the mos
liberal naval programmes on the part Of
all foreign nations. AT the present time
there is pending in the reichstag OF Ger
many naval bill which. II passed, will
increase the tonnage Of the present Ger
man navy l22,OO0 tons-a larger tonnage
Tran that Of her present navy"
1 AS to amor plate the report lslls of
the efforts to secure armor at $500 and $500
ton and says; THE battleships Maine
ohlo and Missouri, now in process of con
structlon, require 1884 - tens of arnor.
or 234S.l4 tons for each vessel II Is he
HeVea by the committee that these battle
ships of nearly 1900 tons Displacement
the largest in design which have over boeu
pianed by the navy department, should
nave the best obtlinable armor and ac
oordirgly your committee recommends ina,
the secretary Of The navy be authorized
10 contrsct for SUCH arcnor at cost no,
10 exceed S5l5 per ton. The best obtain
able armor at the present time is, accord
ing 10 all naval authority, Krupp arn,Y.
"h'eh is, at least, and has been So proved
uy Parasite tests. CT 25 per cent greater
armor.
Every nation 10 the world is u,ing
me kFupp armor today. Your COMMITTEES
hel!oYe that 1t is little shorf of di3lovsItv
10 recommend any other than the be3t nr1.
lection and the best armor for these hat
t!eSnips TO he placed bstween the bo4ie.
OF cur officers and men and the bulsts
OF the enemy" 1'-s'S
Chuer the last naval appropriation act
cor gress authorized the construction n;
me three h1ttleships Georgia. PennsvI-
wanna ana New Jersey and three armorod
cruisers, West Virginia. Nebraska and
california, but inserted provision tbe-eIn
as follows: "Thst no or.racts for ~
! armor for any vessels authorized BY this
act shali be made at a rate exceeding sSoo
per ION OF 224O pounds, including royalties.
ana ID no case shall contract be- made
VI me construction OF hull Of any yn7se,
~ Ileu oy TINS act until a contract has
'o ev miae ioT he armor of such vessel
ros.. u committee recommend that tails
RESTRICTION be removed and that contr,cts
be authorized so that the constructia.
me hulls Of these vessels NAV % %,
"iIhout further delay"
Inc most important items IN Tho mn
10 addition to thoss given are, CS,
rnsehcy fund. necessary n meal erns.
, constantly arising in view Of the
susetuea conditions in our insular poss.ss
LIS, 20 De expended at the discretion y,
Wv. .ne president 100000; ordnance 81 7o5
oVu' equlpping vessels, 50 600 con s,,r,,o,,-
ava eoaling stations IN insuIar nos., S?
sions, 100000. '"' posses-
pubic works al various points nm
.er inc bureau Of yards and dor'fs ro.eivo
ean as follows: Portsmouth sats
az oOo boston SS66.S00; New York q am
~, league Island, s9S9500; Wa,birgtnn
zoo, dOo Norfolk. $685. Port RoyaI
.so noO' hey West $4,000; San Juan
600 oSo,VVv, pensacola $500: Algiers Sfa5,
wv Mare Island 0ncluding nr,visinn
~, ,en psrracks) $3.50, 200 Puget Sound soos
soo, uredsing Dry Tortugas sion ooo. A.,
S SoSk Anglers. $3.50, four drv donh.
ri, repairs and preservation $500 00)'
ss77 n Cd naval academy items aeeregata
., ''VV' In this is included s353 ana - 10
"a. the erection OF building suitable ~,
60 sco o quarters at cost not excaedins
ino ,e, The Items for steam en,sira',re1
Isis .sSiuue new machinery plants NJ NJ.
Esnu. Aglers, Honolulu ana San t,an
our members OF the minority i,
v sse o. The naval affairs committee " ,
C) ana ~, Rixty tVa), Kitchen IN
port anno sanoiyer tMo). united IN re-.
appronrio eSus certain Items of the naval
esperis,i, eili Their report dwells
iorit, upon the failure OF Tho me-
Dly y, " make provisions for future ann.
Tho ra,n inor plate at reasonable COS,
the nsport says the minority agree ,,ltt
ct asina! oIity as 10 the neeessitv .for 80
tlesh,ns wv tons OF armor for tha ~,
thc,npps Maine. Ohio and Missouri sa
rrss, ~ a. an exorbitant price. hecansa ~,
suhis uesy would injure the shin .ns
tractor- ens government TO suits nv oar,
msta.i me report then oritfeisas ~
IN 10y Tor refusing 10 attemnt ~ ,he
MAI QUESTION Of future .supplv ~ sotss
s,',h Notwithstanding vessel. anoI
Ths $50 VII rsuulre $4,000 TINS ANY
eos, ,poet then goes into IN
clar,ro COMPANIES Of armor niats
saw ssa' Spf5 per ton is sxcsss,, nc |
-, ,prther: In oar tna,ras'sNe. IL