The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-04-29
NAVAL PROGRAM FOR 1903
The House Committees Report on
Appropriation Bill.
GERMANY HAS TWICE OUR STRENGTH
Chairman Foss Pointed Out that Com
parativeIy Few OF Our Ships Have
Any Real Fighting Value.

Washington, April 2S-The naval pro
gram for 1903, as presented IN the naval
appropriation bill and accompanying report
filed today by Chairman Foss of the house
naval committee, is one OF unusual inter
est. The report does not take as optimistic
view Of our naval prowcss as Is generally
held and Mr. FosS points ont that compar-
utivelv few OF our ships have any real fight
ing value. lie accompanied this with
statement Of the enormous naval arma-
ment ana programs of other countries, par
ticularly Germany.
1t is shown by the report that the total
number Of vessels Of our navy built and
building, is l3s, and the totar cost viii be
$50. 0S2. $50.
The report adds; "Whie We have built
and are building ali told 1870 ships yet com.
paratiyeiy few of them have any real hght-
ing value. Our naval prowcss lies almost en-
tirely in our eighteen battlCShips, Gig / arm
ored cruisers and sixteen protected CRUISERS
The rest of our ships would cut but lttt!c
figure in actual war. Ships Of the battle
| line practically alone determine the naval
strength OF Il nation.
Referring to the foreign naval program
| the report says "Of all the countries
! Germany has been building during the last
I few years faster than any OF the others.
{ ICr snip UOlidlnE program Sldittu III l'|N
| and will he completed in 1893, possibly IN
| 1907. instead of 1916 as first planned rms
! program viii give her In alt thirtN ,clEht
nattleships, fourteen large cruisers thirty
! eight smaller cruisers and ninety SLY inrPe-
| do boats. After the completion of TINS pro
| gram the plan contemporaries new coustruc,
/ lions to replace ships which, though sun
seryiceabe, may have reached tAe pre-
scrbed age limit"
Concerning new ships for our navy the
report says: The committee recommends
that for the purpose Of further increasing
the naval estimate Of the United states, lh'
president have constructed two first class
battleshipS carrying the heaviest armor ono
most powerful ordnance for vessels OF thal
class upon trial displacement Of ahou'
l6,Cco tons and have the highest pr9ct ca
BILE speed and great radius of action. nh'
TO cost. exclusive of armOr and armament
not exceeding S4,9l2,ONN each; two mrs
class armored cruisers Of about 1880 ton
! trial displacement to cost, exclusive OF ar
NOR and armament, not exceeding Sit19'''
each. and two gnnboats Of about 1000 ton
| trial displacement.
In view of the fact that there is som
public sentiment favorable 20 building SHIP
In our government navy yards Il has nee
deemed advisable by the committee 10 N
sert provision In the appropriation hui o
this year leaving II to the discretion OF tn
secretary of the navy 70 build any or a
ships In government yards, hut making
mandatory on him 10 construct at least On
hattlCshp or one armored cruiser In sue
navy ward as he may designate as an Cl
pertinent. anu IL Is iNElutI plbNll't ludl u
shall keep an accurate account OF an g
DcnditureS for labor and material in the ii
/ Spection and construction Of such snip, an
repor' TO congress ut each session, an
: Un0u the completion Of said ship he Ma
, make detailed report. showing the lel
Il tive cost of one built by the goyernmel
= and one by contract. II Is believed by vol
), committee that nothing short Of an eNpel
* mcnt OF this kind will show whether privni
contractors have been reasonable IN thc
J, bids. and. furthermore, an example for y
e tnrc guidance in the construction OF al
II navy
Important items under tho bureau o. or
s, .lance are: SmokclcSs powder S3iNut
battery for Newark $4,000; battery f
y New orleans and Albany S2C'.oM; rescr
J. guns for auxiliary cniSoIg $3.50 Coz; rcscr
guns for navy 500. O00: Newport torpc
If station SCI. 600; naval militia Sbc,OO2
It Tho bureau Of ordnance and bureau
. oouipment receives Sd4e099l for depota
l. SG.1G1. 075 is appropriated. o. about Of
third % what was asked for.
The navy department made estimates
naval station at san Juan, L. Il, 10 60
So 61G00c, but the committee report III
n il would he wise not to provide for a
" naval station in the West Indies until
o. have more definite knowledge as to the he
location for one Tho United sta
S, naval academy receives $4,000 to cal
on the plan ot improvement.
n, To meet the demand for officers for NJ
ships 100 additional cadets at the acadel
IL are provided for, IL each wear during
next four years Each senator deleg
- and member OF the house Of roprcSpn
ne tivca is ia have the appointment oi &
and the president twenty -four these boI
ST. allotted during the period OF four yea
An additional sum oi S22",N0I is provil
II, for tho civil administration of the ma
The bin also carries S2,9Ss, 46j for
marine corps