The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-20
METCALF IS ON THE STAND Tells of Submarine Con-
 tracts. ADMIRAL cAPPS TESTIFIES Clayton Says Alabama Delegation
 Endorsed Hobson.
 - Edward L. Crarkson, Secretary to Cap sain Hobson, TeIIs of Conversa- sien He Had with officsl
 of Boat Company.
ADMIRAL cAPPs TEsrIFEs

Washington, March 1s--secretary of the Navy MetcaIf and Admiral capps. chief of the. bureau of con- struction of the navy department. to- day testified before the special com naittee of the House that is investigat- ing the charges made against the Electric Boat Company by Represen- tative Liiley. of Connecticut.
 Both stated that they did not be- lieve 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 future com tracts they may secure. Secretary MetcaIf explained the letting of contract to the Lake Boat Company saying that 1t was conditional one. as no money was to be paid the ooms pany unless 1t built boat that equaied fin speed and steaming radius the best submarine boat now possess ed by the government or under con. tract for it. Admiral Capps said that the navy was getting It's construc- tion work done at very low figure.
 Admiral Capps quoted unofficial figures to show that the English submarne boats have cost that country more than this class of boats have cost this government. Regarding the number of submarine boats this gov ernment could use, Admiral Capps said that the addition of ten would be by no means in excess of the requirements for the defense of the country. Representative Butler. of Pennsyl- yania, denied Q statement by Secretary MetcaIf that he had called oh hina in connection with sub-marine boatss
 C1mxknon a Witness.
 Edward L. Clarkson, private spcre- tary to Representative Hobson. testi- fled that Lawrence Y, Spear ytoe< president of the Electric Boat Com. many. told k1nn that his company AAa influence with Speaker Cannon and could use it to help Captain Honaon get on the naval affairs eorumtttees but before doing so, would have to know how he stood on the proposition in which he was interested. the quea- ton of sub b-marfne boats.
 Congressr1an Clayton. of Alabama testified that the Alabama delegation in Congress endorsed Captain Hobscn committee and l.. W. Busbey, Secretary to Speaker Cannon, stated that the only request made to the Speaker to appoint NT. Hobson on that coumittee was made by Mir. Williams the miuori- ty leader of the House.
 Representative LAlley did not at- tend today's sitting of the connittee except at the opening. The public sessions of the committee were ad- tourned until next Thursday.
 The committee had planned in con- sonance with the request of Rspresen- tative Hobson, to call Mr. Hobson's aec- retary, Edgar CIarkson. as the first n. .nf the Secretary of the Navy and Admiral Capps in response to invitation from the committee changed this plan.
 Roth Secretry Metcalf and Admiral Capps brought with them navy depart ment documents and records as reques- ted by the committse.
 Secretary MetcaIf was questioned concerning the section of his annual report of 1907 concerning submarine boats He said that in the same annual report recommendation was made for four additional submarine boats of the same type and those recommended as the result of the competitive tests. not developed in the meantime. That. he said. was, the only report he had on the subject.
 "Please state your view as to the value to the naval service of sub-tna- rine boats" suggested MT. olmsted 
 ppefer that that statement be made by the experts of the departmental
 Dewey's Recommendations.
 Admiral Dewey. he said, signed the report of the board recommending submarine boats.
 In reply to a question as to President Roosevelt's attitude Mir. Metcalf said that he did not have the Presidents message with him.
 Secretary Motcalf stated that the contract for the Lake Company's boat was entered into by the department on certain guarantees. That company's hid was SEAS 900 and the department agreed to pay S45O 900 for one of their boats to approximate 500 toms, no money to be paid on this contract un- til after the boat had been fully tested and had developed a speed as equal to the speed of the best submarine boat ordered by the government.
 How is 1t the contract was made for 6 boat that was a loser in the com- petitive trial?' asked Mir. olmsted.
 "Some question was raised as to the discretion vested in the department and the department referred certain questions to the Attorney General who decided that the Secretary of the Navy had authority to enter into contract with the Lake Company. The con- tracts for submarine boats were made under the act of Congress authorizing the expenditure of certain amount of money for submarines"
 "Who was 1t that asked you to sub init the questions to the Attorney Gen. eralT
 "Former Senator Thurston, the rep resentative of the Lake Boat Company"
 DO you remember whether any mem Der of Congress called upon you in fa- vor or in opposition to the letting of the contract to the Lake Companyr'
 "A number of Congressman called on me-not with reference to letting the contract but regarding the opinion of inc Attorney General and the question of the discretion that was vested in me under the act.
 "who called upon you?
 "of course am speaking from mem ory. I think Representatives hoeerts' I,oudenslager. Lilley Hughes and Sper- ry and Senators Bulkely and Brands- gee. I think Representative LQudena- lager called after the awarding of the