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"TAE Marine. REVIEW Thermit used ol .6 605 O00 ee 420 lbs. Rivets "(estimated) G00 4c 84 lbs Manganese oti. a Pe 2 per cent Gross section 'before welding.:204..036,.... 4x 9 Cross section after welding THERMIT: REACTION. NAVAL PROGRAM. The naval bill as submitted to congress by Represen- tative Foss, chairman of the naval committee, carries an appropriation of $99,734,215.77, of which $13,250,000 is for new construction. The program outlined is as follows: "One first. class battleship, carrying as heavy armor and as powerful armament as any known vessel of its class, to have the highest practicable speed and greatest practicable radius of action, and to cost, exclusive of ar- mament and armor, not exceeding $6,000,000 provided that before approving any plans or speci- fications for the construction of such battle- ship the secretary of the navy shall afford, by advertisement or otherwise, in his dis- cretion, a reasonable opportunity to any competent constructor who may desire so to do to submit: plans and specifications for his consideration, for which plans, should the same be used by the department and be not submitted by or on behalf of a successful bidder for the contract, such compensation shall be paid as the secretary of the navy shali deem just and equitable out of the amount herein appropriated under the head of 'contingent, navy'. "Three torpedo boat destroyers, to have the highest practicable speed, to cost, ex- clusive of armament, not to exceed $750,- 000 each. "The secretary of the navy is hereby authorized in his discretion to contract for or purchase subsurface or submarine tor- 'pedo boats to an amount not exceed- ing $1,000,000, after < stich competitive tests. as he shall see fit to prescribe to determine the comparative efficiency or tie which bids . may be submitted. different boats for 33 Provided, that such competitive tests shall take place within six months from the date of the passage of this ack Regarding the proposed increase the report says: "The cost of such a program as above recommended would be one battleship (estimated) at $10,000,000, three torpedo boat destroyers, $2,250,000, and. subsurface, submergible marine boats, $1,000,000; in all $13,250,000. "The great naval powers of the world are building battleships of greater ton- nage. England has recently launched the Dreadnought, a ship of nearly 19,000 tons. Japan is building one of even larger ton- nage, and Germany has recently increased the tonnage of some of her ships hereto- fore authorized to 18,000 tons. "The secretary of the navy recommends that if congress should authorize but one 'battleship this year 'it shall be the 'largest and strongest battleship that is known to be afloaty "The committee recommend three tor- pedo boat destroyers, cost not to. exceed $750,000 each. : "The committee further recommends that the secretary be authorized in his discretion to contract for or purchase sub- surface or submarine torpedo boats to an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 after such competitive tests as he shall see fit to pre- scribe. The purpose of this is to give the secretary of the navy full and complete latitude to secure the best 'boats and to give every manufacturer of said boats a fair and square deal. The committee recommends that the limit of cost of the battleship Connecticut, authorized by act of congress approved July 1, 1902, be increased | 'to $4,600,000. This is an increase of $380,000 over the limit of cost provided for in the original act, and is made necessary by the increased cost of construction in navy yards. The committee further recommends that the THE WELDED STERN POST. -limit of cost of each of the two training vessels author- ized by act of congress approved March 3, 1903, be increased