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VOL. 39. CLEVELAND, FEBRUARY 25, 1909. NEW YORK No. 8 MILLION MORE FOR NAVY. On February. 10, Senatoh: fiale, chairman of the committee on naval affairs, reported to the senate the bill making appropriations for the support of the navy. The 'bill carries $136,825,199, an increase of $1,058,428 over the amount carried 'by the bill as it was passed by the house. No change was made in the item providing for the construction of two 26,000-ton battleships. The senate committee provided that no part of the 'appropriation for -the marine corps may be expended unless the corps is continued in service as here- tofore on battleships, cruisers, and other naval vessels. The recommendation of Secretary of the Navy Newberry, for the ap- pointment of a commission to- con- sider the reorganization of the navy department in order to provide for preparedness in case of war, and for the most economical methods of ad- ministration, was adopted by the committee. The commission is to consists of three senators, three rep- resentatives, three rear-admirals, with at least one in the active list; and three eminent civilians, to 'be ap- pointed by the president. It is re- quired that the commission shall re- port to the next session of congress. AMENDMENTS TO BILL. Some of the important amendments made by the senate committee are as follows: . The office of vice-admiral on the retired list is created. This, it 1s understood, is in the interest of Rear- Admiral Robley D. Evans. (This item was eliminated when the bill was discussed in the senate.) Provision is made for the appoint- ment of a commission 'by the -secre- tary of the navy to investigate and report to congress the advisability and necessity of establishing a naval base, including a navy yard and re- pair station on the California coast. The commission is to prepare an estimate of the cost. There is also an amendment re- quiring that prisoners discharged from naval prisons shall be furnished with civilian clothing, and others authoriz- ing the employment of fifteen con- tract dental surgeons; providing for the use of the crypt and window spaces 'of the Naval Academy chapel for memorials for naval officials, and striking out the provision which re- quires the secretary of the navy to submit to congress. statements of amounts expended for repairs) which have been made to ships. INCREASES OF APPROPRIATIONS. Some of the more important 1n- creases in appropriations are as fol- lows: For the 'Mare Island navy yard, $224,000, of which $100,000 is for the improvement in the channel and $100,- 000 for ordnance stores. For 'Puget Sound, $237,000, to tbe'used largely for the extension of the rapair shops "at Bremerton navy yard; and to carry out the orders for placing marines back on ships $308,761. \A provision was inserted in the ibill authorizing the secretary of the navy to investigate the subject of acquiring all or part of the James- town Exposition grounds at Norfolk, Via., to 'be used as a site for a naval training station. The committee restored to the bill the provision adopted by the house committee on naval affairs, which was stricken out on the floor of the house, for the construction of three sub-surface 'boats: .|,. The. provision limiting the price to be paid for any collier to $900,000 was stricken out of the bill. An appropriation was recommended for the purchase of land at Charles- ton, S. C., for the marine corps. WIRELESS ACTIVITY. General Manager Bottomley, of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. stated recently that the Republic dis- aster and the projected wireless leg- islation are resulting in a marked ex- tension of wireless installations. The North German Lloyd Steamship Co. has ordered the apparatus put aboard the steamships Koenig Albert, Fred- erich der Grosse, Prinzess 'Alice, Neckar, Koenigin Louise, Prinzess Irene, Rhein, Main and Barbarossa. The two new steamships of this com- pany, the Berlin and George Wash- ington, are also to be fitted with this system, while the Hamburg-American Line will equip its new steamships Cleveland and Cincinnati. In addition to these many steam- ship companies trading at South American ports have given orders for the equipment of their ships. With- in the past few days the owners of fifteen ships have ordered tthe latest form of installation for their vessels. Since the Republic disaster the American of the American-Hawaiian Line, which just cleared from Mexico, the Hawaiian of. the same Jine, and the United States cable steamer Jo- seph Henry have been equipped. In addition to these George Gould has just equipped his yacht Tonawan- da and Leonard Richards has in- stalled the system on the Columbine. J. Pierpont Morgan was the first of the yachtsmen to adopt this sys- tem, as the Corsair has carried it for several months. Senator Kittredge, chairman of the committee||'on intersocéanic canals, declared in the senate Feb, 9 that it will be necessary to abandon the plan for a lock canal through the Isthmus in favor of a sea-level ditch. His declaration was indorsed by Senators Foraker and Teller.