The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-20
THE MEASURE PASSED
House Col Through With Naval Ap-
preparation Bill.
THE PURCHASE OF TORPEDO BOATS
Is Provided Fer by Authorizing Secretary
OF Navy in His Discretion TO
Make Such Purchases.

Washington. February lo--A the end OK
protractcd session the house today passed |
the naval appropriation I'LL. grcst many
amendments were offered 80 the provisions
relating TO she increase OF the personnel
and the authorization VI new ships 30 he
built The most mportaut amendment
adopted wos ouc to authortz' the secretary
cf the navy ga his discretion TO pirchaSo
or contract for submarine torpedo bonSs
after investigation Of uslr merits, aud ap
propriatns SIOo.o0 for hat purpose. Tho
amendment vas IL N" Language u q hill
introduced by Nj lIiu Como and Il was
stated on the floor that 1t had the sup.
port Of all the momhcrs ~ the naval com
mittce Il was adopted. practically with
ont debate The words authorizing the con.
struotiou Of the new ships by contract
were stricken out A. passed. the bill
provides for three new battleships aud an
armored cruiser, two steel training ships
and one wooden brig for training purposes,
In addition to the submarine boats discre-
tionNlly authorized. The Increase in the
personnel of the navy Went through as
recommended by the committee.
I Without preliminary business the house
1 today proceeded with the consideration Of
the naval appropriation Bill
3 NntO tne mousse OuJouJNeN AeSleIudN tAc
/ paragraph relating io the increase 81 the
I personnel OF the navy had beeu reported.
10 this an amendment was ourreQ, WMVn
WIS defeated TO provide that the Grndu'
nteS Of State nautical schools STANDING
highest in their classes should be appointed
An nnlcndment WAS offered by MIR Per.
Lins n " to make volunteer officers who
served In the m0riue corps durtps the war
with Spain eligible TO appointment MS cap
taus on the marine corps stan Ne said
here were but two officers who would bo
eligible under this amendment " Was
lost
An amendment was adopted giving mem
bers ot the congress whose districts, are
not now rcprcscuted NJ the naval academy
/ the privilege OF immediately appointing
students to MI such vacancies.
Mr. Kitchlu q. CD offered an amend
ment to liuht the iucroasc Of mldshipmen
to be appointed to two for each senator
aud representative between now aud l9ll
Lost
the numl.cr 81 chaplains Lost
Mr. Dick tOhiol offered on amendment
which WIS adopted to provide tor the sum
mary expulsion Of naval cadet founf
guilty Of hazinc.
When the paragraph proyidng for tb'
increase NJ the navy was reached, Mr.
Mudd MIDI a member ~ tho naval com
mttce. nude point Of order against thoS
portions ~ the paragraph providing tina
the machinery aud materials used In To-
construction NJ the shins shall b. Of d.
nestle manufacturing. and authorizing III
secretary Of the navy, I'm case Of com
biustion Of bidders, to have the ships con
Structcd In government wards
Nj Gilctt tMnss), who was In the chair
sustained the point of order. whereupon NJ
|, Kitchin N, CO appealed from the dc
Mr.. Fitzgerald Is, w raised poin
i NJ order against the provision requiring tn
construction Of tue ships authorized by tn
out
an amendment was then adopted reir
2 sorting the provision requiring the use 9
~ construction Of the ships
. Mr. Taylor Ohio on behalf of the nav,
: comCittee offered an amendment authors
u ing the secretary Of tho navy, In his diScr,
tion, to cJpend 100000 for submarine to
r podo bonts, tested and founi to DO A.
4" ccBtahic to TIE ,nnvv Agreed 10.
% The proyiso follows:
= That power ia purchase or contract f.
Y said boats And American Inventor
e owner of submarine torpedo hont ma
II give rpaTnunhle notice and have his, her
D. its Submarine torpedo hoat tested hrfnl
o August l. 1903. by comparison or coJupet
J tion. both With government snhmarll
j. torpedo boat or amy private competitor. HI
u thCrcVpnp the board appointed far ron 'Ur
u ing such toste shall report these compel
T. tions to The sccrctnr" 81 the navy, W
W ia mannc" that will best advance n
" interests ot the United StHtNS Tor su
'e marine warfare; md, provided furthe
IN that before any submarine torpedo bo
shall he purchased or contracted Tor.
shall no urrcrtod hy ths navy dcnartmo
as fulfilling all reasonable reqgremon,
srtisfaotica Of tho department
In Nj Cushman wv ,shl offered m amen
mont authorizing one % tho hattlrships
- cruisers to he huilt NJ ward on the Y
cifc coast This amendment led 10 ca
nd siderable debate ani was finally ruled o
he on point 81 order
lie RI unanimous consent the prov!s,
which mad gone ont IN n point ~ o~d
authorizing the secretary NJ the navy
construct the shlns in government wards
the cycnt Of combination ~ bidders W
rclnserted.
in Mr. Gaines Dem, Tcnnl ralse5 pol
AGAINST tho appropriation 90 10000
for domestic armor. hut Il was ov'
rrlcG, ''Thla is" said Mr.. Gaines 20
rovtin'- on the ruling ~ tho chair. a
addressing tho republican side. the foulc
tirist Won ever pressed to your bosom
Gu daughter on the republican ide.l
There werc no further amen 7ments n
es. tNe committee rose an1 the naval app
nv prlatlou bill was passed.
iat At 5;55 p IN. tho house adjourned