The Washington times., 1902-06-16
Provision for Five Sub
marine Craft to Be
Opposed in House.
Tackled ON BY THE SENATE
Amendment Striking Out Provision for
Government Construction of Ships of
War Likely to Be 0pposed--Large
Number of Advocates.

There promises to be a warm fight in
the House when the Senate amendment
to the appropriation bill providing for
five additional submarine boats of the
Holland type is considered.
While no vote has been taken. there
is an understanding among members OF
the House Committee on Naval Affairs
that this amendment will be voted on
separately in the House. when the ap-
proprlation bill comes up.
This action will be largely due to the
efforts Of Representative Foss. chairman
of the Naval Committee. and Mr. Day
ton of West Virginia. the ranking Re-
publican member of the committee Both
these members are bitterly opposed to
submarine boats. and have quite fol-
lowing. who believe with them that such
vessels have only arrived at the expert
mental stage. and deserve no further
consideration by this Government until
they have reached a higher degree of
perfection.
England's Attitude.
During the hearings before the Naval
Committee on this subject England's at
titude on the question of Submarine
boats was made an issue. one Of the op-
ponents of the submarine boat. Admiral
Melville. chief engineer of the navy.
contending that the British empire was
erdeavoring 10 distract the minds OF the
people from the disasters in South Africa
bt-f NJ moi m ssfh .Y-i 4.
navigation. This statement was eharac-
terized as puerile before the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs and iIrwas
shown that England had contracted for
ten submarine boats, regarding tiTenI as
a most necessary auxiliary to her navy.
When the matter comes before the
House and England's position in re-
gard to submarine boats is brought
into question, members OF the Commit
tee on Naval Affairs who favor the
further development of this adjunct of
the navy propose to call attention to
the attitude Of the English govern
ment. as stated in the London Times"
commonly known as the 'Thunderer,'
OF May 26, which speaks by the card
This editorial is based on the recent
Barrow before the lords OF the ad-
miralty, the fourth of its kind con-
s,ructed for the English government.
The editorial says the submarine boat
is without doubt the most striking and
sensational of new naval developments.
a, 81,
form, can hardly fail to open an entire
ly new chapter in the methods of naval
warfare.
Ready to Take It's Place.
a letter from the Times" CORE
spondent who witnessed the test at Bar
row writes that as these boats Will have
to be used extensively, according to the
traditions OF British naval policy. the
line of development in the near future
will probably diverge from that pur-
sued in America. He writes that all |
the tests passed off without hitch. |
and in conclusion says, 1T may be as
sumed that the submarine is now ready |
to take its place as an available weapon |
in the British naval service
Another important point of difference
between the bill rs it passed the House
and the form in which it was returned /
from the Senate is the matter of con /
struction of ships in Government yards |
AS the bill was reported originally to |
the House 1t provided for the construc- |
tion of one vessel, either battleship |
or an armored cruiser, in the discretion |
of the Secretary of the Navy. in a Gov
ernment yard and made an appropria |
ton to place some Government shipyard |
in suitable condition for ship building. |
Large Number of Advocates.
When the bill was considered in the /
House. Representative Roberts of Mass |
achusetts, member of the committee, /
offered an amendment directing the /
Secretary of the Navy to construct |
three ships in Government yards-one
one armored cruiser. and one /
gunboat-or one-half the number au
thorized by the measure. The vote by |
which this amendment was carried indi- |
cdtes tial the iiouse VIII Hot Willingly |
yield this provision which was stricken |
out In the Senate.
Several members Of the committee are |
willing to have the provision remain |
out and to accept the bill as 1t came |
from the Senate in this respect, but |
large majority of the members of the |
House are not.