New-York tribune., 1909-02-17
SENATE COMMITTEE
LIMITS BATTLESHIPS
REDUCES SIZE IND AP-
PROPRIATION.
President Dag Keep Part of NdUy
ON Pacific Coast Bloc at
PO1cder Trust.


Washington. Feb 16-The Senate spent the
entire legislative day and all OF its evening ses-
sion discussing the naval appropriation bill An
amendment adopted in committee OF the whole
and reserved for further consideration by Sen
ator Lodge limits the size Of the two battleshtps
authorized to 21,OOO tons each. and the cost.
exclusive Of armor and armament. to S4,5OO.0oO
each
The House provision was for two first class
battleshfps. 70 cost exclusive Of armor OF arTna-
ment. not exceeding $6.0OO.OOO each. It was the
idea to construct ships of $4,000 tons dispIace-
ment Mr.. CIapp offered an amendment which
was adopted by the committee. making the type
of the ships TO be built similar 10 the Utah and
the Florida. the two 21.oO0-ton Dreadnoughts
now being constructed. and limiting their cost
The Senate agreed TO the provision that no
part of the appropriation for powder in the
naval DILL should be paid to any trust or COM
bination in restraint Of trade. to any cor
poration having monopoly IN the manufacture
or supply of gunpowder. after amending IL 10
read except in the event OF war instead OF
in the event of ar emergency
SHIPS FOR PACIFIC COAST.
The Pacific Coast Senators obtained the In
sertion in the bill Of provision that one-half
of the navy be maintained on the Pacific Coast.
but not until it had been amended. at the sug-
gestion Of Senator Hale. by the addition Of the
words at the discretion Of the President"
which. of course. reduces the amendment merely
TO an expression of opinion by Congress and
eliminates the mandatory feature 1t is knowT1
that the discretion OF President Roosevelt is
against dividing the navy. and that ne would
not deem it good policy to keep one-half on the
Pacific Coast.
The California Senators say that no difficulty
would be encountered in keeping one-half the
navy on the Pacific Coast, as there is already
an excellent drydock at the Bremerton yard
and several adequate private docks at San Fran
cisco, which could be used IN emergency,
They are also anxious. Of course. to obtain the
additional S1.OOOOOO which. they say. IS re-
quired to construct the twin drydocks provided
for at Pearl Harbor. There is already a second
dock being constructed at BremertOn and the
harbor at that point. they say. is so good that
probably ten battIeships could enter abreast.
were it necessary.
The provision for commission to investigate
the Navy Department organization was stricken
out point OF order Senator Cummins made
the point of order against the provision requir-
ing that not less than S per cent Of the marines
be maintained on board ships. and. speaking to
the question Senator Lodge presented the OBJ
jections to the amendment which we're outlined
in these dispatches u The Tribune on Monday.
The president decided not TO rule on the
point of order. but to submit it TO the Senate.
and then declared it rejected vive voce
vote. When the bill is reported from the COM
mittee Of the whole TO the Senate the point cf
order will again be made end Mr.. Lodge will
demand yea and nay vote. but the retention
of the amendment is practically assured SEN
ators who oppose the amendment insist that its
insertion and retention is due to antagonism TO
the President
ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE
Senator Dixon occupied considerable part OF
the time speaking in opposition to what he
termed the keeping up of yards OF a previous
generation at a great annual waste OF public
money, instead of maintaining several large
naval bases completely equipped for Overhaulins
the largest vessels OF the navy" He especially
opposed the appropriation of $4,000 for tha
erection of new foundry and for other i'm
provements at the Portsmouth yard While at
times the deabte was decidedly acrimonious. the
appropriation for the Portsmouth yard was
adopted by a viva voce vote
At the night session the bill further con-
sidered in committee Of the whole Mr.. Lodge
also reserved for further consideration the
amendment relating 10 the marine corps being
kept on board naval vessels Senator La
Toilette offered an amendment for the appoint
rnent of a commission to consider which navy
Yards and naval stations should be retained as
naval bases and which should be dispensed with
On a point of order by Mr. Clay the amend
nent providing for a commission TO examine
into the business methods of the Navy Depart
rnent was stricken out This commission had
been incorporated in the bill at the request or
the Secretary of the Navy and it was expected
that under it's recommendation the bureau sys-
tenn in the navy would receive its death blow.
Some opposition TO the provision existed on
that account
At 1885 the Senate adjourned until II o'clock
tomorrow, when discussion Of the bill will Be
resumed.