Mr. RICE, of Massachusetts. I will do so. Mr. Chairman, I hope the members of this committee will well consider the action which they propose to take upon this bill, forasmuch as the action which was taken yesterday, if it shall be continued today, will materially change the naval polic of this Government and the position of the U.S. among the other 1stclass Powers, of the world. During the progress of the war this Government has as sumed a high position among the nations of the earth as a naval Power; but Idesire to state to gentlemen that the war in which we have been engaged on the ocean has been an offensive war against an enemy on our coast or in our own waters, and that the amount of money which we have expended during the last 4 years has been mainly expended in providing vessels and ordnance suited to repel invasion, and to put ourselves inn condition to carry on a defensive war at home and the results which we have attained in that direction have been such as any American citizen may be proud of. They are such as have commanded the respect and admiration of mankind every where. They are the most gigantic achievements that have ever been made by any nation on the face of the earth in the same length of time and if our territory were to be invaded today, and we were to wage a war at home, we are iretty well provided with iron vessels and with heavy ordinance to defend our terriry. But thus far our Navy is largely onesided. We are very poorly prepared to go into a Genernl war upon the ocean with any 1stclass naval Power. The reason is because our attention has not yet been directed to that subject. I desire to make this point here, particularly because my friendfrom Illinois [Mr. Issua som.) seems to give the impression to the House that we are fully prepared to measure strength today upon the ocean with the Governments of France and GreatBritain in a general maritime war. I am not willing to sit here in silence, holding the position I do by the favor and court esy of this House, and allow that statement to go out by my sanction and upon my responsi bility. I desire to say to my associates in this bod that we are not prepared for such a state oftings and any man who takes that impression to his heart deccives himself, and misleads this Government in regard to the position in which it will lind itself, should we unfortu nately be drawn into a foreign war. Sir, rest as are the navnes of France and Great ritain today, they have navyyards, a single one of which is greater than are all ours combined, and yet today every hammer and every anvil in those forci yards is ringing out with the strokes of laiorers employed in fabricating ships and machinery to defend the flags of France and England upon the ocean in the case of a foreign war. Are the members of. the American Congress prepared to sit here supincly and say that we are willing to take the hazards that may result from the political complications of the world without any preparation whatever“! Are they prepared to say that we will not maintain properly and cfliciently the limited naval establishments that we now have? Are they prepared to say that where rebels and traitors have come in and destroyedour property we will letthe ruins forever stan thereas monuments of the power of the rebellion against the only free republic on the face of the earth? Sir, we have nothing local, nothing sectional in respect to these navyyards, or in the appropriations that are made for them. For one, I disclaim the imputation that there is anywhere room for a feelin of sectional jealousy in relation to one or t (2 other of those navyyards. They are the property of our common countr; they are your property as well as mine; the property of men of the East, men of the West, men of the middle States; and I hope there will be, if there are not now, some time men in the southern States to whom this will also be common property. [Here the hammer fcll.]