Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-01-27
THE LAKE BOAT.
csatrsssman Hill Prsssutsd . Protest
 In the Houss.

Nrom Our Special Correspondence
 Washington, Jan 2I-C0nyressman aul rO-uay presented i'll tile house Il protest, slgiied ny Captah slmoll Lake, of briugeport, reiauve to tlra treatment or tue Lake torpedo Boat Co by the navy department. The document is quite long anu sets fort's the slue Of the Lake company in tnls controversy. The Lake company pre- sent thelr complaint tor the purpose Of having 1t printed and reIerred to the house cGnlnlrrec on naval aH;lirs for such acIlOn as the committee may see nt. atrer tuil and compete ill- yestlearlOn.
 The protest is called forth. accord ing to the statement of CapIaln Lake, by the numerous raise statements in the press, most of Which have been In- splred by the enemles of the Lake company. The protest states: '.Tne Lake company mas not, nor dld it ever have. any intention of preterrIng chargea agalnsl the secretary of the navy, Morton, Us the public press has been led to believe. and such intima- uons have not come from the Lake company III any shape or form
 One paragraph is as follows: "The Lake company mas not refused to put its submarine Simon Lake X into con.- petition With Holland submarine, but on the contrary has insisted upon actual direct competition at sea under the hardest conditions possible Rath- CT than wave such competition side py side with Holland government submarine. the Lake company abso. lutely refused to accept trial alone Tor comparison on paper.''
 The protest shows that congress ap. prOprlated the sum of $S5O,OuU for submarines last year, and congress provided for tests before any awards were made under this appropriation The Holland company, on the. very day this appropriation became avail able, asked the secretary of the navy for trial with any of the government boats or with private boats, but the navy department refused the request ot the company, unless the Lake com pany signed q statement that it would accept as final trial of its boat alone and not side by side with q govern ment submarine. To this demand of the department Captain Simon Lake repled: Il want fair, open, actual competition under the 1905 submarine act. The proposition of the depart ment, as set forth by Captain Lake. amounts to q departmental amend ment of an act of congress, and is up- lawful.
 The department then gave to the iolland people contracts for $45O. .OO, worth of submarines. and notified the Lake people that the balance of S4OO.- oto would be awarded to the Holland '" unless within ten days the Lake 70 signed the statement demanded by tue department and agreeing that it would have Simon Lake x at New port, R. l., before May 1. 19O5. for trials. The Lake Co ignored the last proposition and decided to quit the navy. The department then entered lnto an agreement with the Holland 70 Tor four more submarines without any competition or comparison with the Lake boat.
 Captain Lake closes his appeal to congress- by saying that the simon Lake A has been sold to a foreign gov ernmeDt, and that the Lake Co will never luore build q boat out of it's own treasury for a chance to compete under directions of the United States navy department. The protest created quite q sensa. tion and it is expected will be consia cred by the committee on naval affairs III the near future. Captain Lake courts the most searching investigation and is ready to back up his statements wlth facts and letters on file with the department.
 Bridgeport Board of Trade.
 Collector Frank Narramore and for. mer Comptroller William F.. Seeley of Bridgeport came to Washington yes. terday as q committee from the board of trade of Bridgeport to secure sneak CTS for the annual banquet of the hoard, February 10. With ihe assist. ance of Congressman Till and Con sressman Lillcy they secured promise. from Congressman CIisflman of Wash ington and Congressman Lloyd of Mjs. scuri that they would go ID. if nothing prevents them in the meantime. Mir henry also interviewed the secretary Of agriculture. with ihe two gentlemen from Connecticut. and urged him to go. He also promised to attend if he can get away on the date named
 Connecticut Visitors.
 Captain John \. Hagberg of Nor. wich paid q flying business to Wash ihgton to make arrangements for Com. pany A. Third regiment of the Con heeticnt militia. during tine inaugura ton, when they expect to come down.
 Captain and Mrs Edward Q. Grnener of New Haven are in inc city for :, few days.