National Republican., 1875-12-04

out the entire extent OF our magnificent domain.
Report Of Chief Naval Constructor Hanscom.
BUREAU OF cossrnUcTIos ,ASSs41 AS4 RErAIR. REIr:AIIR.
SIN: have the honor to ineloss the estimstsd
amount required for the annual expenditures
under the cognizance OF the Bureau Of Construc-
tion and Repair and also aist Of vessels repaired
with the usual statement Of contracts made, In
compliance with your instructions.
The estimated amount required for construction
and repair for the fiscal year ending the 3Oth Of
June, ISL, exceeds the yearly appropriation
made ST few YEAR Pas, 70, that s5 T
beg leave TO say that It VIII require all the
amount recommended to keep those vessels that
are worthy Of being retained In the navy In
Itis we'll known that wooden vessels will rap
idly deteriorate. and much more rapidly siree
steam has become the principal motive power.
The navy has been changed entirely within the
last twenty years, as regards fighting vessels,
not note quite double, the expenditure Is required to
ton.
In 1854 there were five steam frIgates. and one
rebuilding, three side-wheel vessels, and one pro-
peller Of the fourth class, and four small steamers
and tender: fifteen steam vessels and forty eight
sailing vessels, classed from iine-oEbattle ship
down TO o schooner. and which constituted the
whole force Of the United States navy. At the
steam cruising vessels, twenty-three small iron
and wooden steamers, with forty steam launches.
In 1854 the appropriation for increase and repair
was " 534 95o and for 1874 was s3 0O0 In 1854
we had forty. eight railing vessels and fourteen
steamers, and in 1874 we had one hundred aud
tW:ntysx ssns y,sss. ana i. nees.,esn oss,oss n
making comparison Of the co.t OF repairs In
1854 and In 1874, to notice also the dinereaee In
hours. The wages paid mechanics in the former
year averaged about slos per day Of ten hours.
In ls74 the average was s2s7 per day Of eight
above stated that II will be impossible to keep the
navy in good condition for less than the amount
asked for.
In the year 1871 there were nfty-two iron.clads
upon the navalregister. Ofthese three enly were
In proper condition for service; twenty-five were
tocarry ordnance or stores, and entirely worth
less as war vessels. Built by designs from an In
e1ReIie1needd q amateur, ,n violation d Of wsltnoSn ell
Government OF many millions Of dollars. Other
nations have lost money in the same way, and yet
We hnd every day men with limited knowledge
OF naval architecture and without any practical
experience, aided BY some draughtsman oflimited
capacity and knowledge, bringing forward de-
carded; and while objectng 70 the examination
Of thcir designs BY those Competent 20 Judge OF
their merits are strenuously urging their Sdop-
Pour OF the iron-clads Of the largest Dimensions
were on the stocks, built OF unseasoned whlts-oak
decayed. Three were river vessels Of small dimen.
sons and Of no use as fighting ve ssels for harbor
defense. Six lying at New Orleans were con-
ing. Fourteen Of the best were constructed Of
iron hulls, but had wooden beams and decks,
on ee Of asUe an aGS
twenty-one were found to be worth repairing, and
fourteen Of these before they could be sent 70 sea-
extensive repairs to be made to the machlnery
and boilers. Fourteen Of the number above stated
have been thoroughly and carefully repaired and
excellent condition and ready for sea- -Four Of
the twenty-one (the Monadnock and three others
Of her class were built Of white-oak timber, and
were the most powerful Of all the vessels IN the
navy, but they had become very rotten and un-
seryiceeble. Iron frames for these vessels have
is nearly completed. The work upon these four
iron-cads is well advanced, and n the funds
were available they could be completed in q few
Plans for the alteration and repair of the Puri.
tan have been prepared by the bureau, and her
repairs have been commenced.
Extensive repairs viii soon be required upon
rebuilt.
It viii be seen that at no time has the navy been
In such good and strong condition for harbor and
coast defense, as ut the present time.
The power Of our iron-clads for harbor and coast
defense, where the fighting will be done In smooth
water, must be considered equal, II not superior,
TO that OF large number Of sea going IRON -clads
the Russan casemsted sPeuar soneaS bas 1ps
been designed which presents the same amount of
resistance on the like draught Of water as that of
the monitor. Their decks are near the water
which forms an impregnable resistance, and tho
turIet, constructed 10 offer the largest amount OF
resistance In proporifon to the amount Of weight
enemy's shot. No officer in command of one Of
our monitors would hesitate TO engage In action
yet aroat, except, perhsps, a few OF the latest
Since the year 1871 three Of our very servieeable
vessels, the Oneida, Saginaw and Saranac, have
been lost at sea, and twelve Of our largest mem
of-war have been broken up and sold, Two SAIL
irg ye.sels have been repaired and. turned over
forn ahtw 1T
haveb condemned and pronounced unworthy
OF repairs. Thus It will be seen that TWENTY
three cruising vessels have gone out Of the navy
have been constructed and added, leaving the
navy thirteen vessels short Of the number az that
still others In commission which are deteriorated
In such parts "a viii require too extensive repairs
at the end Of their present cruise to be Of any
The usual appropriations are barely suficient
to keep those vessels worthy Of repairs in good
in the navy additional sppropTiations must Be-
made for the building of new vessels. The build
ing Of st least four new vessels is earnestly recon-
would require the Government to have 4 navy:
justice to our nation, and our obligations to the
civilized and christisniEed people Of the world
The science of naval architeetureis Is steadily and
constantly being more fully developed and bring
ing INTO action greater power IN the different eie-
nar-of war, and requiring new mechanical inTen-
Hons for their practical operation. Ordnance
changed and Improved every day, ali reouIrsns
new designs Of vessels for development, and de-
harding Of the naval architect careful and con-
improvements must be practically tested By the
coz uuction OF new war vessels TO prove their
value. No maritime nation can maintain re-
Spectacle position as naval power without
yearly Increase Of naval vessels with modern i'm.
provements. u is only by the annual construc-
tion Of YesseIsofwar that the U5ited States can
the nd afnfa frh harl
well known reputation Of being the originator OF
the finest forms Of naval vessels and q type for
BY your direction board Of naval constructors
have visited the principal navy-ysrds on the At ]
lante coast, and their report is herewith respect
that there fs on hand ct the several yards. with
addition Of about 30 600 Gu bic feet of lveoak
TIN Ss5 snossn to build Thirty Ave yssselsofwar
Der are required, which should be purchased and
carefully stored, that It may become properly
new vessels. The Government. 10 be prepared |
fer any emergency which may arise, must have on |
hard enough OF welLseasoned timber TO build |
all OF which could be built in six months II the
were ready. The loss TO the Govern
nent Of many millions Of dollars by the building
war. Is SUFFICIENT reason why our nayy-yards |
should be we'll supplied with seasoned materials |
h Il.
and France, which Will explain the difference In /
70 maintaining navy In the several Governments. /
In the United States the average wages paid to /
at the several yards, for the past five /
yearf, has been S2.S7 per day OF eight hours. In /
England the average has been o. % for nine |
hours. In Germany tl.oo for eleven hours. In |
France seventy cents for twelve hours work. The /
cost Of materials used in building war vessels in |
England, Germany and France has not been |
over four fths Of the cost OF the same articles in
The United States. II will be teen from the above
that the cost Of building ships OF war IN the |
United States must necessarily be double that
In either Of the countries above named; aAd II our
Government should adopt the policy OF England, |
of building 20 900 tons OF war vessels every year,
NJ cost OF ten millions Of dollars an appropria-
lion Of at least twenty millions Of dollars in ad-
tit!on TO the amount required for the repairs and
maintenance OF the navy, would have TO be made. |
A tabular statement Of the comparative power /
snd qualities OF the cruising vessels Of the United
States, with these Of other nations, is herewith /
submitted.
! have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, 1.HANscoM,
Chief Of Bureau.
Hon. Geo. N. Rebeson, Secretary Of the Macy;
Listof Senator'S, with their Resi-
derces in Warrington.
J ohm K. French, SigtatArms. 1879 Pa. ay. west.
Isaac Bafsett, est Doorkeeper Is Second st. n. E
Alfifop, VIM. b., Iowa, Wofmley's hotel.
Cameron, Simon, Penn. Congressional hotel.
Uhrfytiancy, Isaac p. Mich $40 IudiaL av. w.