Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-29
NAVAL BILL is REPORTED
Committee Would Build Two Battle
ships at Twelve Million Each.
FOURTEEN OTHER BOATS WANTED
Measure Carries H1hdred and Twen-
ty-FIve million Douars-WOuid
Drop EIEht-Hour Clause
from COntrncts.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2s.-Carrying
total OF st25. 421 .53s, the naval appropriation
bill was reported TO the house today by
Chairman Foss Of the naval affairs COM
mittec.
The bill carries s5.9295is less than the
current appropriation and $2Ot4.62l less
than estimates submitted by the Navy de-
partment,
The increase Of the naval program calls
for an appropriation OF $3i,27O.Sl6 Of which
SIS, ,s32 92s for the first year is inserted in
the present bill. This increase contem-
plates two battleships OF 1900 tons at I'LL
1886. .4OS each; two collIers at H,O0OO0 each;
eight torpedo boat destroyers at $S25,OOO and
four submarines at $4,000 each. The cost
as given is estimated on the basis Of build
ing by private contract without restriction.
The bill increases the limit OF cost of
the battleship Florida, now being built At
the New York navy yard, for hull and
machinery exclusive OF armor and arma-
ment from SSOOO,OOO to ss,5Oo,OOo.
Would Drop Eight-HOur Clause.
The cause of the extra expense is that
the bill repeals the provisions in last years
naval act which authorized one battleship
to be built in a navy yard. The contract
for the Florida's sister ship was let by con-
tract well within the limit of cost, while
the estimates for building the Florida, for
all purposes the same ship, in the navy
yard. exceeded the limit Of cost for hull
machinery by $1,5OOOOO. or a total of $780,
co.
Both these ships are directed to be built
under the eight-hour law restrictions. The
1 committee recommends repeal OF this re-
! aOirement and also Of provision that no
more than one of the battleships provided
! for in last years naval act shall be built
| by the same contracting party
The committee recommends that the col
| lier authorized in the naval act Of 1905 to
be built in a Pacific coast navy yard be
constructed by private contract with a
! cost limit OF 81, 10000, against an estimated
navy yard cost of S1,sOOOOO.
owing to an increased number OF officers
and rise in the pay Of many officers, due
TO length OF service, an increase OF ST. 4O3, 40
in the pay Of navy is provided for.
An increase Of $4,000 for torpedoes and
appliances Is made
The subject OF the discontinuance OF the
bureau OF equipment under the reorganiza-
ton OF the department which has given rise
to prolonged controversy is dismissed by
the committee with the recommendation
that the trial Of the present system be ex-
{ tended for another year in order to test it
I thoroughly.
/ To facilitate a better coordination In
public works the committee has consoli-
dated under the bureau Of yards and docks
all the public works OF the entire naval es-
tabushment in the interest Of efficiency and
> economy. Under this head the bill makes
the following appropriations for 1919
Pearl Harbor naval station, designed TO
be the principal naval station in the Pa
/ clfc SEQ, 600, together with $4,000 for a
lOO-ton floating crane for use there; a pro-
vision increasing by $4,000 the limit OF
cost Of the floating crane al Boston; re-
pairs and preservation at navy yards and
/ stations and appropriation for the ,$.ious
navy yards and stations ranging from
tsSS 900 TO 5000
The department. recommendation FOR
coal depots al strategic points was cut in
half