The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-25
NO JOKE, DECLARES TILLMAN.
Senator Seems Serious Regarding His
Terror" Battleship Resolution.

Washington, July Ex-senator
Tillman resents the suggestion that
his battleship Terror resolution, call
ing on the naval committee of the
senate to ascertain from the proper
authorities the cost of building the
biggest and most powerful ship of
war that has ever been built, or that
| can be built under conditions now
known, was offered in any sarcastic
or fippant spirit He is not inclined
to let the naval authorities escape by
replying that all the information he
desires could be given only by a
prophet.
The senator received several days
ago the following letter from very
distinguished naval officer:
MY Dear Senator: 1 think you
have hit the nail on the head. Your
ship would render obsolete every
thing built to date and cause nations
to begin all over again in building up
their navies, or pursue policy of
arbitration in settling their differ
ences. Instead of The Terror how
ever, she might be called The Peace
MAKER as more powerful influence
for peace cannot be imagined. With
thirty knots speed, impenetrable ar
NOR and a battery of 16-inch guns,
she could sweep the seas. Your prop
osition created much interest here -
Senator Tillman's long service on
the naval committee has brought him
much in contact with naval Of
fcers and he is a great ia
vorite among them. AS he
himself says, he has never voted
against building a battleship before,
but considering the fact that mod
ern battleship, fully equipped, costs
100000 or more," he thinks eve
ought to know what we are doing
before we agree to the construction
of two more"
It will be seen that the gentleman
who wrote the letter which has just
been quoted is much interested in the
proposed battleship, and Senator Till
man says that the idea grows upon
him the more he thinks about it. He
has asked the navy department to
submit his resolution to the naval
board, now in session at Newport,
and hopes to have an authoritative
answer in time for consideration by
the naval committee next Monday.
'The brilliant record of the naval
officer who wrote the letter, and his
thorough familiarity with the whole
subject" remarks Senator Tillman,
"gives great weight to what he says" "
This would be admitted by anyone
familiar with the recent naval history
Of the country if the name of the
writer of the letter were published.
A statement was made in the
Washington papers and in one of the
New York papers this morning that
Senator Tillman had left the meet
ing of the house and senate conferees
on the naval bill in huff because
his colleagues would not stand with
him in demanding an appropriation
of 100000 for the better accommo-
dation of torpedo boats and Destroy
ers at, the Charleston Navy Yard, and
that he declared that he would not
sign the conference report. The SEN
tor asserts that this report is entire
ly without foundation; that he did
not leave the session of the coferees
because of anger, and that he does
not regard his fight for the $500, 900
not leave the session of the conferees
have not reached a decision as to this
item, and that if they should decide
against it he will carry the fight fur
ther.