The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-20
Secretary MeIcalf and Admiral Capps Defend the Purchase
 of Submarines
CLARKSON TEST|EIES
 IN HOBS0N'S BEHALF
ce- l-s ton Takes Stand For Hobson anA\4ys the Only Indorse- ment Hobson Had Was From
 John Sharp Williams.

Washington, March 19.-Secretary of the Navy Metcalf and Admiral Capps' | chief of the bureau of construction oi
 the navy department, today testified De- fore the special committee of the House | that is investigating the charges made
 against the Electric Boat company by
 Representative Lilley of Connecticut. I Both stated that they did not believe the | Electric Boat company had secured an
 excessive profit on the contracts already
 awarded them nor did they believe they
 would make an excessive profit on any 1 future contracts they may secure. Sec | retary Metcalf explained the letting or a contract to the Lake Boat company, say ing that 1t was a conditional one, as no | money was to be paid the company un-
 less it built a boat that equalled In
 speed and steaming radius the best sub
 marine boat now possessed by the gov
 ernment or under contract for it. Ad- | miral Capps said that the navy was f getting its construction work done at a I very low figure.
 Representative Butler of Pennsylvania | denied a statement by Secretary Metcalf
 that he had called on him in connee-
 ton with submarine boats.
 Edgar l.. Clarkson, private secretary f to Representative Hobson testified that | Lawrence Y. Spear, vice president oi the Electrict Boat company. told him Il that his company had influence with N Speaker Cannon and could use it to helr H Captain Hobson get on the naval affairs | committee, but before doing so, would 4 have to know how he stood on the propo- Il sition in which he was interested, the H question of submarine boats" Congressman Clayton of Alabama tes If tlhed that the Alabama delegation in Con H gress indorsed Captain Hobson for as H signment to the naval affairs committee ' and l.. w. Busbey, secretary of Speaker X Cannon stated that the only request Il made to the speaker to appoint MT II lIobson on that committee was made by N MT. Williams, the minority leader oi N the House.
 Representative Lilley did not attend to- Il days sitting of the committee except al the opening The public sessions of the
 committee were adjourned until next h Thursday.
 Metcalf Questioned. A Secretary Metcalf was questioned con. \ cerning the section of his annual report 4 of 1907 concerning submarine boats. He H said that in the same annual report rec H ommendation was made for four addi. I tional submarine boats of the same type II and those recommended as the result Of H the competitive tests, provided a more Fl satisfactory type has not developed in the :. meantime. That, he said, was the only I report he had on the subject
 Please state your view as to the value Y to the naval service of submarine boats, T l suggested Mr. Olmsted and the Secretary replied:
 \ 'sI would prefer that that statement be l made by the experts of the department. T Admiral Dewey he said signed the re- \ port of the board recommending subma- | rine boats.
 In reply to a question as to President \ Roosevelts attitude, MT. Metcalf said \ that he did not have the Presidents mes Il sage with him. Secretary Metcalf stated H that the contract for the Hale company H boat was entered into by the department Il on certain guarantes. That company \ lid was $525,00O and the department agree1 ' to pay $45000O for one of their boats tc r approximate 800 tons, no money to be H paid on this contract until after the boat \ had been fully tested and had developed N speed equal to the speed of the best II submarine boat owned by the govern I ment.
 How is 1t tine contract was made fol f a boat that was a loser in the competi-
 tive trial?" asked MT Olmsted.
 Authority For Contracts. Some question was raised as to the dis X cretion vested in the department, and the Il department refused to submit certain A questions to the attorney general. who II decided the Secretary of the Navy had \ authority to enter Into contract with \ the Lake company. The contracts for sub N marine boats were made under the act | Of Congress authorizing the expenditure Y of certain amount of money for sub-
 marines.
 \ "Who was it that asked you to submit Y the questions to the attorney general?' "Former Senator Thurston, the repre- II sentative of the Lake Boat company \ Do you remember whether any member
 of Congress called upon you in favor or in \ opposition of the letting of the contract e to the Lake company"
 H "A number of congressman called on me Il not with reference to letting the contract Il but regarding the opinion of the attorney H general and the question of the discretion H that was vested in me under the act H ''Who called upon you?"
 f "Of course I am speaking from mem- Al ory. I, think Representatives Butler, Rob H erts. Loudenslager Sherman, Liiley N Hughes and Sperry. and Senators Bulkely \ and Brandegee. I think Representatives 8 Butler and Loudenslager called after the Al awarding of the contract and the others | before the contract was signed"
 '.In the interest of whom?'
 l "They asked me about the attitude of III the department. I told them what l had done and what I proposed to do. No sug- II sestions were made by them to me in any Hay q. They simply felt, they said, it was tP the nvnterest of the government to have Eo comr0annies building boats
 XMr.f 'alf and Chief Constructor
 ' declared they knew of no n A Ntits being realized on the "NNNp the former held that. the
 ENCNEEk sh0ps af tha ts 3spe %'oTfa of Soas eG ar a Dps 9quoted unofficial figures N r al the EgFnglish submarine boats II Cut Gaat cttpuntry more than this
 
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