New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-10

ment Professor LOckyer says that the
public can rely on WatsOn's discovery of
a new planet. 1t is expected that a brilliant
legal contest will take place over the South
Carolina cases.
IMPROVING THE NAVY WITH ECONOMY.
WHAT SECRETARY THOMPSON is DoIEG-HE DOES
NOT EXPECT TO ASK CONGRESS FOR A DEF
CHENEY BILL THIS YEAR.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-Secretary Thompson was
busy at the Navy Department this morning making
ready for the usual Cabinet meeting at II o'clock,
but he said he could spare few minutes to give his
impressions on the general business of bis depart
ment and the impressions gathered during his trip
to the several Navy Yards
In reply to r question as to whether the depart
ment feels itself crippled in undertaking to keep the
navy on a proper footing, thel Secretary said the
economic fiji" OF the last Congress had not seri-
ously interfered with some reforms in the Admins
tration of the Navy Department which he had laid
down upon assuming Office.
He said he is ecOnomizing closely, and is taking
the money thus saved and applying it to the work
of rebuilding vessels. He illustrated his mode Of
discussing and applying appropriations given him
by Congress. as follows:
eve will say, for instance that have 81, 100000
for the Bureau Of Construction and Repairs, and
81, OOO, 900 TOR the Bureau of Steam Engineering l
Will take these amounts and divide them by twelve,
the number of months in the year, and thus ascer-
tain how much money ] shall have to use each
month Whatever work there is to be done by
these bureaus must be estimated for by their re-
spective chiefs Now these officers proveTbially
apt to fix their estimates at the largest sum allowa-
ble in order to avoid asking for more money to sup
ply deficiency before the work can be finished. L
find that by rearranging these estimates, and direct
ing the work to done in the Navy Yard to be adapt
ed TO them great deal less money is required than
the officers at first called for find / utilize
all the old iron that accumuates in our Navy Yards
Scrap iron was formerly sold at public auction and
subsequently resold to the Government at
an advance of two OF three cents On
the pound. This is a practice that Is
no longer in vogue i have erected at the Washing
ton Navy Yard a rolling mill. and think of putting
a similar one n at the Mare Island Navy Yard
This mill cost SO 600 and there is being turned out
of 1t the very best of iron, especially adapted 10
navy purposes. In year l shall save a few cents
on each link in every chain-sutioient to pay the
expense of erecting the mill. can produce and
am producing the very best quality of iron from
this mill-better iron than can buy outside-at
less than half the cost OF iron sold in the market"
"What is being done the matter Of repairs to
our present ships of the navy the reporter asked
Before Congress meets" replied the Secretary
81 shall have SIX vessels out Of the stocks-as hne
ships of war as they ever were. aud credtable to
any navy Of the world. BY next SDring shall put
out three more. In short during the present fiscal
wear ten of our naval vessels will have been finished
mn in a manner which will make them equal to any
emergency. in point OF strength and durability.
Among this number are the Richmond, the Quinne-
bang the Lackawanna, the Pensacola, the Iicon-
deroga the Kearsarge,t the Wachusett and the Shen-
andoah."
Where do the vessels principally give wayP
The eauseD said the Secretary, Of the rapid
decay of ships which compose the American Navy
is on account Of the white oak wood which enters
into their construction. Live oak timber never
deteriorates Lot me give you an Illustration Inc
Saratoga has hive oak ribs and live oak enters INTO
her entire construction For thirty years she
has stood the hardest kind Of service and Is still
one of the stanchest ships in navy. Will cite
"a a contrary example, the Omaha. The wonder TO
my mind is how she ever got back into port She
il fnIl Of white oak timber which is almost entirely
des,roved Some of the uprghts in the Saratoga
which are attached to the ribs of the vessel to hold
he deck were made of laurel, which was put IN at
the Mare Island Navy YARD; ~ Is apparenlig ons
vr;t6 lave oak as il was worthless IN few years"
Twill YOU be able to put all our ships on war
O3ob no There are some that are so worthless
,baf ~ would be a waste of money 10 repair them
n Congress would abolish the law which makes i
obligatory me TO cover INTO the treasury al
,ooneys derived from the safe OF old material,
ooid seIl some Of them and build new ones. But
9s fine law row stands, j shall let these worthless
sLjos remain as they are awhile a good deal OF
work Is being done with the money on hand. lido
NOT intend to ask Congress for any deficiency, not
even to the extent OF 9l' ,
SHaye Won any hope Of securing money for the
new shpsP ,.t4 .b,4 co,,,ross -. -. 49,.
SESSION will pass the $3,00000O bill, which pro-
videg for the building OF new ships. There was
majority IN favor of it last session. but IL failed for
want of time" ,,. - n .. 81
al think II soon Will be. During my torn, which
will certainly not BE- longer than the present Admin
strafiOn and possibly not 50 long, believe snail
see tte American Navy competent TO protect our
commerce and, with new ships winch believe
viii soon be built, and our improvements IN torpe-
Goes arm confident il will soon be able 70 project
the Harbor Of New-iG,rk X from tne haNies OIL tne
Do Won consider that the maintenance OF our
NJ believe that the American people do not look
,non the SO 600 900 or 81, 100000 annually appro-
,,r,afed 10 keep up our navy VITA dtsfayOE What
they are anxious for is tnat It should be properly
expended 10 s my opinion that the people all over
the country are opposed 10 any deerloIatOh VI Vno
naval force Of the United States"
A TALK WITH L0CKYER.
rHr ENGLISH SCIENTIST on THE DIsCoYERY or
VULCAN.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.--1he Washington Post
Of to-day contains long account of conversation
between ope of its reporters and Professor LOckyer,
the English scientist, who Is on visit to this city.
The Professor speaking of the late eclipse said he
ala not look for Vulcau and did not see ii. But be
$3.50 IN In Verrier re urophecy that 10 would be