Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-21
House Of Representatives. Leaders
Will Flight Ths|r Construction.
WANT 10 Smoke our" SOMEBODY
Friends of the Plan to Have Four
eattieships Have Not Yet Given
UP Aope-Many Democrats With
the Administration.
(py Associated pressl


WASHINGTON. n. c.. Feb. 20
Leaders of the House of Representa-
tiyes having to do with appropriations
are considering an attack upon the
eight submarines authorized In the
naval appropriation bin.
In casting about for loopholes IN
the bill where expenditures for the
next fiscal year may be cut down they
have hit upon the increase made by
The committee over the recommended
lions of the navy department from
four submarines TO eight MS the most
undefensible item in the whole bill.
and they ask that the entire eight
submarines be stricken from the pro-
gram.
In taking this position they declare
the committee can offer no reasonable
excuse for increasing the program OF
the administration. particularly OH
behalf of an experimental warshlr
such as n submarine. Such proceed
IRE oil the floor of the House Is ex-
pected TO "smoke out the friends OF
the submarine IN the committee and
reveal the whole action of the COM
mlttee whereby the hnttleship pro-
gram was reduced from -four to two
ships aud the submarines increased
from four to eight.
Hobson to Marshal Democrats.
Representative Hobson has told the
committee that he would muster nifty
Democratic votes in favor of four bat
tleshlps when The bill came MP on the
| floor OF the House. II Is being con-
ceded by the opponents OF this pro-
gram that II the submarine men sup
port this proposition II will have n
fair show OF passing the House.
The leaders of the House now nd
NIT that they must turn their guns
on tho four battleships program and
they have little hope OF defeating tho
two battlesh!n recommendation OF
the committee in any event.
II has developed that on the seven
Holland submarines commissioned IN
1903 Mt cost OF s1,190.000 the sum
of $4S01l9.09 has been expended in
the last four years In maintenance
and repairs.
OF this amount three vessels alone
have taken most of these appropria-
! lions. Upon the Porpoise, the Plung-
er and the Shark tho following
amounts for repairs have raen ex-
pended: -$4a592.1S. $41,1ss.31. $44.-
GASES, and for maintenance. s5s.741.-
10. $3S,670, s54,S76.9S.
It is further ascertained that the
Grnmpus and the Pike, Mt Mare Is
land navy yard are now laid up. nev-
er havlng worked to the entire satis
faction of the department, while Con-
gress has lust been asked to nppro-
pirate the following sums for repairs
in addition to materials already mr.
chased: The Adder. S245O6; the
Grampus S33,500; the Mocassin, s34. :
500; the Pike s33,500.
Must Keep Contracts Secret.
An Investigation of the contracts
under which submarines are purchns-
ed by the government shows there IL
confidential paragraph In each con-
tract by which theAgovernment Is
bound not to reveal any data con-
corning plans. specifications. models
weight records. speed records or any
other information without specific au-
thority In writing from the manufac-
tirers In contrast to this secrecy It
Is pointed out that millions of dollars
worth of battleships have been built
and their performances and other da-
Ia are duly chronicled In the annual
register OF the navy department.
Friends Of the submarines have
been urging in the House that Score
tnry Metcalf is on record In the hear
ings of that committee in favor OF an
increase IN the number of submarines
to be authorized by this Congress.
Ills testimony. as printed by the com
pittee, contains no such statement.