Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28
MONEY FOR THE NAVY
Appropriation Bill Reported
to the House.
A CUT OF S9,629,558
THE NAVAL COMMITTEES Elk
PLAINS ITS POLICY.
Two New Battle Ships Appropriated
For-Warships Now Under
Construction.
A CUT OF S9,629,558

the department amounted 10 $114,t5u,ooS, 10
which were added additional estimates to
the amount of so,169,Oo0, making in all es-
Inmates to the amount of $119.G99 63S. The
committee after careful consideration made
reductions to the amount of $500 559
leaving balance of 500 O70079 recon-
mended by the bill. The act of last year
appropriated $97,505, 55S, or s., 564, $3.50 less
than this years recommendations.
The appropriation recommended for the
Washington navy yard is only $137OO0 as
compared with s575.9O6 appropriated last
year. and $34S go asked for by the Secre
tary of the Navy.
The other navy yards suffered even more
than the Washington yard. The appropria-
ton for the New York yard is only 200,
compared with 1911 500 last year, and $685.
200 estimated for All the other navy yards
were cut also. The committee in it's report
on this subject says:
The Committees Policy.
''The general policy of the committee has
been not to authorize any new construction
at the several yards this year. but merely
to provide for the continuance Of work al
ready begun. This will explain in some in
stances why the appropriations for some
yards recommended this year are less than
they were last year or less than that of
other yardS this year."
The bill appropriateS SIT 500, 600 for the
pay of the navy. and the report says:
LAS will be seen from the report the es-
Inmates call for an appropriation of 800
100000 for the pay and allowances of Off
GERS and men in the navy The committee
recommend an appropriation of ST. 500 900
In view of the fact that they find that they
can safely recommend a reappropriation
OF $2500,OOO from the unexpended balances
remaining in the treasury from appropria-
tons under this head. so that $50 200 900.
the full amount of the estimates. will be
available. The committee recommend the
increase of 5000 men, making in all "a 500
enlisted men in the navy, the increase being
due to the necessity for providing for the
new ships which will soon go into COM
mission"
The committee also recommends that the
number of enlisted men shall be exclusive
of those undergoing imprisonment with
sentence of dishonorable discharge from
the service at the expiration of their con-
hnement. as the naval authorities have
often expressed the opinion that it is detri-
mental to the service to have those men
counted In the quota who are practically
out of the navy SO far as active service Is
concerned from the beginning of their i'm
prisonment and will never again be part
of the naval service.
Under the head of the bureau Of naviga-
ton $3So,0oO is recommended for transpor-
tation. an increase over last year of $685.
600 The appropriation for recruiting Is re-
duCed 81 900 from that of last year and the
contingent fund 1855. The appropriation
for gunnery exercises is the same, and the
appropriation recommended for outfits on
first enlistment is increased by Silt 600 due
to the increase in the number of men. OW-
ing to the increase in the collier service the
committee recommended an increase of
s16S, 4So In the appropriation for their main
tenance.
Bureau of Ordnance
Under the bureau of ordnance the ap-
preparation for ordnance and ordnance
stores is increased 81 100000 over that of
last year. The committee held that this
was in reality the working appropria ton
of the bureau of ordnance. including as it
did work of every kind except work for
new vessels under construction. An appro-
priation of 100000 is also recommended
for reserve torpedoes and appliances as
there are on hand today barely enough
torpedoes TO allow one torpedo for each tube
or torpedo gun.
Most of the other items under the bill are
Identical with those of last year. with the
exception of additional tools at the navy
yard and the Washington gun factory,
there being a reduction of $4,000 from that
of last year for reserve guns for auxiliary
cruisers and also a reduction of $50 900 for
miscellaneous expenses.
The appropriation for the bureau of
equipment is reduced S524.OO, due first to
the reduction in the contingent fund by the
elimination of the appropriation for coal
of S2i,OO0, which is carried elsewhere in the
Dill. and secondly to the fact that the COM
for depots for coal, instead of 100000 ap-
prOpriated last year
The appropriation for the bureau of Yards
and docks are practically the same as last
year. with the exception of two that for
maintenance and that for contingent ex-
penses. There is an increase of so eco in
the maintenance fund and the contingent
item is reduced by 10000. in view of the
elimination of the expenditures for freight
from this fund. The total estimates for
public works under this bureau amounted
to s6.764 ,0s0. which the committee cut to
2,S73. 800.
the Naval Academy that the building of
the additions are proceeding satisfactorily.
We have already appropriated 5000,
000, the report says, and this year we
recommend appropriation of $500, 900
more. This will leave 81. 10000 remaining
to be appropriated out of the $4,000, 900
which was the limit of cost fixed by Con-
gress for rebuilding the academy. 1t is
quite likely that all of this amount will
not be required. and it is expected that the
work will be fully completed within the
next two years
Some Increases Made.
Under the bureau of medicine and sur
gerry there is an increase of SIS. GOO for the
maintenance of the medical department,
made necessary BY the increase in the per-
sonnet of the navy.
Under the bureau of supplies and ac-
counts there is an increase of $4,000 in
the appropriation for provisions, due to The
1900 additional men asked for and the in
crease in the number of midshipmen. The
item for freight appears for the first time
general fund under the bureau of sup
plies and accounts and amounts to $780, 900.
Under the bureau of construction
and repair the appropriations recon-
mended are more than 100000 less
than those of the previous year. due to the
fact that last year the bill provided for the
construction of two sea going tugs and fur
thermore from the fact that the appropria-
tions for the construction plants in the
several yards have been somewhat reduced
An increase Of $4O5 900 over last year Is
recommended for the bureau Of steam engi-
neering.
There is comparatively little change in the
recommendation of the committee this year
with respect to the Naval Academy. al
though an increase Of 10000 Is allowed.
The Navy Department urgently recon-
mended this year that the marine corps be
increased by 20 first sergeants, l55 SER
geants, 2S5 corporals, 20 drummers and
trumpeters and 1900 privates, but the COM
mittee recommends that only one-half OF
this increase be allowed. which makes
necessary an increase in the appropriation
for pay of $170. 600: for provisions, SO 600;
for clothing, $4,000; for military stores,
$4,000: for transportation and recruiting.
S15 QD0. for contingent S300l0. total ~