The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-05-26
MILLIONS FOR NAVY.
Senate Passes Appropriation
Bill Providing for Many
New Warships
CARRIES Sl34,OOO,OOO

Naval Appropriation Measure Calling
for Expenditure of S13i,OOO,OOO for
New Warships of Various Descrip-
tions passed BY Upper Branch OF
Congress, With House Amend
ments.
Washington, D. c., May 23.-Voting
down 26 to SO, an amendment offered
| by Mr.. Burton to authorize only one
new battleship instead of two, the
Senate today passed the naval APP
preparation bill. The bill carries an
appropriation of almost $134,0OO,OOO
Two important amendments were
adopted today. One offered by Sem
ator Johnson, appropriates $45O,OOO
for the purpose of torpedo boats
whose vitals are below the normal
| load line;" the other by Senator
Jonse, eliminating railroad, county
and municipal bonds from the securi-
ties which may be deposited by con-
tractors.
The naval increase for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1911, provided
by the bill, is as follows:
Two first class battleships, to cost
not exceeding $6000,000 each, and
when equipped with armor and arma-
ment about $12.000,000 each.
Two fleet colliers, not exceeding
S1,000,000 each.
Five submarine torpedo boats, not
exceeding a total of $2,5O0,000.
Six torpedo destroyers not exceed
ing $750,000 each.
The closing hour of the debate
elected two important historical rev.
elations by Senator Depew. One
bore on the war with Spain and the
other on the Venezuelan imbroglio
| with Great Britain in the second ad-
ministration of President Cleveland.
The statement regarding the Spanish
war was ELECTED by an assertion by
Senator Hepburn that the people
themselves did not want wars, but
generally were compelled by their
| rulers to submit to them.
Taking issue with the Idaho Sem
ator, Mr.. Depew said that popular de-
| mand had forced the war with Spain
on the country and the President
Mckinley had been opposed to it. He
said also that as favorable terms
could have been obtained from Spain
without war as were obtained with
war.
Does not the Senator believe that
I,,t 1o nf hat o
President would have negotiated
Spain off the American continent?"
asked Mr.. Hale.
81 do responded tn New York
Senator. 81 know of my own know
ledge that Spain was prepared to
vent humiliation if she could be as
sured in advance of the acceptance
| of the proposition"
Mr.. Depew also related some his
tory concerning the Venezuelan epi-
sode of the recent Cleveland admins
| tration.
"An intimate friend of mine who
also was an intimate friend of Lord
Salisbury, then the British prime
minister" he said, told me that when
the Presidents message was promul-
] gated, Lord Salisbury said to him 1
believe that on account of the rancor
coming down from the Revolutionary
| War and accentuated by certain oc-
currences in the Civil War, America
means to have a war with Great
| Rritain at some time and | believe
now is the best time, when America
has no navy. The views of the
prime minister were overruled by
Queen Victoria, but if Lord Salisbury
had had the powers possessed by
some of the English prime ministers,
the issue certainly would have been
tried out
Mr.. Depew used the last incident
to enforce an argument in favor OF
strong navy and for two new dread
noughts.