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

more effectively by civilians than by high
salaried naval officers. AS Mr. Cannon
made sharp replies to questions with which
he was bombarded by Messrs. FOss, Little
field, and Dayton. the Democrats crowded
down in the centre aisle, blocking it, and
repeatedly interrupting Mr.. Cannon with
applause and approving laughter. In the
matter of the competency of naval officers
in chartmaking and in issuing sailing di
rections, Mr.. Cannon said they are expert
enough. The law authorized them to do
that, but it did not authorize them to make
surveys.
Mr.. Cannon argued that the cost of sur
veyiIfg by naval vessels was much greater
than by the Coast Survey vessels. The
Blake made 10000 soundings, at an average
cost of 80 cents. In the same period and
doing substantially the same work, the
Eagle and Iankton. naval vessels. made
$4,000 soundings at an average cost of SlS0.
In this connection. MIR. Littlefeld endeav
ored to ask Mr.. Cannon a question. but the
the latter, waving him aside, said: III
answer what the gentleman is going to
ask
Mr. Lttlefeld-It is not ofte- We meet
omniscience here below.
Mr. Cannon-Oh. when l get my Xrays
on you / know what I'm about:
Mir. Littlefield-Youd better not my it on
me, for you don't know what youi. md
Time for Debate Extended.
The time for debate on the item aav-
ing been extended, the paragraph was ad-
vocated by Messrs. Dayton of West Vir-
ginia and Dinsmore of Arkansas, and op-
posed by Mr.. Cannon, in a brief supple
mental speech. After some desultory dis
cussion under the fve-minute rule, the
m nf
$4,000 for special ocean surveys instead
of 800, 900 for ocean and lake surveys. in
cluding those of the insular possessions,
was agreed to by vote of Ill to 40.
Chairman Payne then overruled the
point of order made against the appro-
priation Of $500. goo for a cadets hall at
the Annapolis Academy following prece-
dents acquiesced in by the committee and
Congress.
Mr.. Cannon offered an amendment lin
iting the cost of all buildings at the Naval
Academy, to include the 81, 500, 900 in this
item, and 81, 227 900 already appropriated,
and to reduce the appropriation for the
building to S1,000000. Supporting his
amendment, Mr.. Cannon said the plan
upon which the Naval Committee was pro-
ceeding in the reconstruction of the Acad-
emy would cost s12. 100000 to complete. If
the hall was constructed in accordance
with the recommendation of the commit
tee, he said it would cost $10.500 to house
each cadet that would be accommodated.
Mr.. Mudd of Maryland opposed the
amendment, and Mr.. Hill of Connecticut
advocated it. He-said that the appropria-
tion was extravaganza run mad. All the
dormitories on Yale campus, New
Haven, including the 81, 900 Vanderbilt
Hall, providing accommodations for 1900
to 1000 students, he said, did not cost, all
told, as much as the committee proposed
to spend for this one building TO house $50
cadets.
Defending the committee, Mr.. Dayton
said the condition confronting the House
was due to the action of the House itself
1t had oyerridden the committee last year
and adopted the plan upon which the com-
mittee had reported the pending amend
ment. TIE committee then opposed the
scheme. but had been compelled t3 accept
IL by the action of the House.
Mr.. Cannon's amendment was voted
down and a substitute for the paragraph T!
adopted offered by him. reducing the cost |
of the cadets hall to $3.50 600, and limit
ing the cost of the reconstruction of the |
Naval Academy to $4,000, 600. The COM
mittee then rose.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Fitzgerald |
OF Massachusetts, was read, to appropri- |
ate $4,000 for the construction Of a monu- |
ment to commemorate the bravery of the !
farmers at the battle of Lexington, which |
occurred 125 years ago yesterday
At 5:20 o'clock the House adjourned un- |
til today.