Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-05
THE NEW NAVAL BILL
WILL NOT Big REPORTED UNTIL
NEXT WEEK.
COMMITTEES Did Not Decide on Policy
Regarding the Manufacture
Of Guns.

The nAvai appropriation OIL was conA-
pleted by the House committee on naval
affairs yesterday evening at 6 o'clock. The
committee had remained in session practi-
cally all day, having had Admiral Dewey
before it during the morning hours. The
bill will not be reported in the House until
next week, as the agricultural appropria-
ton measure is now under consideration.
The report Of the committee explaining the
provisions of the new naval budget has not
been drawn as yet.
Manufacture Of Guns.
Chairman Foss of the House committee
stated today that the committee had de-
cided not to go into the matter of outlining
policy with regard to the manufacture OF
guns by the government. Local interest in
the bill conferred largely upon this feature.
Secretary Moody, in a letter, asked that
the committee indicate policy with re-
gard to the gun shops at the Washington
navy yard. Capt. Pendleton, superinten-
dent OF the shops, supplemented this re-
quest in his testimony before the COM
mittee. He declared that If the majority
Of the guns for the ships now building and
under contract are to be turned out by the
time to provide additional buildings and
equipments
The committee, however, thinks the mat
ter is not so pressing as to call for any
dClioH IlVOAVlHE large dppTOpFldtlOUS dt
this time, when economy is the watchword
0S4he administration.
Admiral Dewey's View Prevails.
Admiral Dewey's suggestions in favor
of heavy fighting ships for the navy pre-
vailed yesterday with the House committee
on naval affairs over the Recommendation
of the general boards submitted by Secre-
tary Moody. The naval appropriation bill
was completed by the committee after a
hearing granted Admiral Dewey. 1t car
ries an aggregate appropriation Of 800, &C.,
COO. The ships authorized are one battle
ship, two armOred cruisers. three scout
cruisers and two squadron golfers.
The appropriation Of $5O00OO made LAST
year for two submarine boats was re-
appropriated, the boats to be purchased n
the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy.
This building program gives total OF
1900 tons of heavy fighting ships, as COM
pared with 62.OO0 last year. The heavy
construction provided will cost s2l $50, 600,
While the lighter construction will bring
the cost of the building program up to
$2S co., 600.
The recommendation of the general board
was for one battle ship, one armored cruiser,
three protected cruisers, four scout cruisers
and two Golfers. The committee elimi-
mated entirely the three protected cruisers
and one of the scout cruisers recommended
by the board, and added one armored
cruiser g
Provision was madesfor an armor plate
factory, to cost 5000 600 which the Secre-
tslry of the Navy is authorized 10 construct
In case he cannot secure armor from pri-
vate bidders at a srea sonable price. For the
Guantanamo, Cuba, naval station an ap-
preparation of $565,00 was made and for
that at Olongapo, P l., 1852 O0J was author
lied
An addition of 1900 men is authorized to
the personnel of the navy.
Description Of Ships Authorized.
The battle ship is to be ofs16,00O tons and
the armored cruisers 1900 tons each
Battle ship and cruisers are to cost about
$7,2o0,000 each, the SCOUTS 100000 each
and the golfers 5000. 900 each
Democrats on the. eommittee-Messrs.
Myer, Tate Rixey. Kitehin. Vandiver and
Wade-were opposed to adding to the fight
republicans-Messrs Foss Dayton Iouden-
slayer, Butler, Mudd, Cousins, Roberts.
Vleeland, Brick. Brandegee and Loud-were
in favor of material additions, with only a
slight division of opinion as to what types
should be authorized.
Messrs. Dayton Butler and Mudd advo-
Gated two battle ships, but the sentiment
of the committee was so strongly opposed
to this that 1t was not pressed.
The democratic attitude in the committee.
following Senator Germans attacks on
naval expenditures in the Senate for the
last two days, indicates that naval increase
branches.
The battle ship will probably be of the
same general type as the Connecticut, the
Louisiana, the Kansas. the Vermont and
the Minnesota, thus making a homogene-
Gus Squadron of six. Several officers who
have raised the issue that the gun positions
on American warships are too close to the
water line to give the gunfire thorough
effectiveness are expected to make a strong
fight for designs with higher gun positions.
The armored cruisers will probably be
of the same type as the Washington and
the Tennessee, authorized two years ago
The scouts are a type and are
pected to be able to keep out of the reach
of any fighting ship. 1t is probable that
one of the scout ships will be fitted with
turbine propeling- machinery.
Speaking of the bill Representative Day
ton said:
1T is no time now to be niggardly in our
appropriations for the navy, and while the
present bill does not come up to that of las.
year, it equals that of any other year.
Last year made a record and no one eX
pected to meet it now on the eve of a ma
tionaI campaign. l am satisfied with the
increase and so far as / can learn, it will
not be criticised in the Navy Department
The bin authorizes the addition of three
thousand men to the personnel of the navy
-s-es--