The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-24

Passes Bill Authorizing. Con-
struction of New Dread
noughts for Navy.
.APPRoPRlATEs sl34,ooo,ooo
Besides Big Vessels Building of
Many Minor Fighting Craft
Is Assured.

/ Washington. May 23.-By the action
OF the Senate to-day the construction
of two new battleships for the navy
was assured. Senator Burton's amend
ment to the naval appropriation bill,
to limit the authorization to one ship
of the Dreadnought type. instead of
Two as authorized by the House. was
defeated Is to 80. The bill then was
passed. 1t carried appropriations ag-
sreEating sl34OoO,O0o
Two important amendments were
adopted to-day. One of them, offered
by Senator Johnston. appropriates
s450.0o0 for the purchase of torpedo
boats whose vi'tals are below the
normal load line; the other. by Sen
ator Jones, eliminates railroad. coun-
~ and municipal bonds from the Sc
curities which may be deposited by
contractors.
Items of Naval Bill.
The naval increase for the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1911. provided by
the bill, is as follows:
Two flrst-class battleships to cost
not exceeding s6,O00,0o0 each.
Two fleet colliers to cost. not ex-
Ceeolng tSl,uuV,UUU edCn.
Five submarine torpedo boats no,
exceeding a total of $4,000
Six torpedo boat destroyers to cost
not exceeding s75O,ooo each.
The House; bill provided for onl,
four submarines and no, torpedo boa
destroyers. The Senate also added {
provision that not more than, one o
the battleships should be built by tht
same company.
The provision inserted In the House
bill requiring that the battleshp anc
fleet Golfers should be built under the
"eight-hour law" was retained by the
Senate.
Senator Depew.. of New York, re.
lated some history concerning the
Venezuelan episode of the first Cleve-
| land administration, An intimate
friend OF mine, who also was an nti-
mate friend of Lord Salisbury, then
the British prime minister. told me-
he said, that when the Presidents
message was promulgated Lord Sails
burg said to him.. 7 believe that or
account Of the rancor coming dowr
from the Revolutionary War and ac.
centuatcd by certain occurrences in the
Civil War, America means to have q
war with Great Britain at some time
and ! believe now is the best time
when America has no navy
THE views of the Prime Minister
We're 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 this incident t
| force an argument in favor of a strong
navy and for the present authorization
| of two new battleshps of the Dread
nousht type. 4
Change of Views.
Mr., Owen confessed to change o
views on the question of navy In
crease. He said thatla year he hac
| given his vote for the5naval program
because Of the Presidents representa-
tions Of the possibility of foreign com
| plications, but now, having reache,
the conclusion that war was next jtt
impossible.f he had decided to vote fo
the Burton amendment. He proposed
an amendment making an appropria.
/ tton for the direct purpose of promot
ing International peace, but 1t wa.
| ruled out on = point8of order, S
Mr., III HeNburn expressed the opinion
| that there should be a. continued IN,
crease Spf the navy until the compile
4 ton otsEthe Panama Canal. u .S, 4