The New York herald., 1878-11-15

For support of the bureau. $l27S0
General maintenance of yards and docks and
contingent 46OOUO
Support of Naval Asylum. m.................. CO. SO9
Repairs and preservation of navy yards. 100000
improvements ut navy yards ................ 10000
Civil establishment. 37905
Total. ss4s 4s5
DEPARTMENT.
George i. Cutler, paymaser general United States
Navy. recommends that assistant paymastcrs of the
navy be placed the same footing AZ that enjoyed
by assistant surgeons or the navy. and be made
eligible for promotion to H. grade Of passed assistant
ORDINANCE.
Commodore Jcffars chief of the Bureau OF Ord
nance, submits the following estimates for ha next
Labor. tools, material and fuel used in fitting
ships for service and preservation OF ord
nance and ordnance stores. 900
Repairs to buildings, magazines. wharyes.
gun parts tugs, lighters and boats. $4,000
Torpedo service. 450cO
Miscellaneous items. freight tclcgrams, post
age. advertising. &c. &c....................... $500
Civil establishment ut navy yards .......... 1885
Total sas4 ss0
These estimates are simply based upon the neccssi
ties tire current OF fitting ships for aud
do not admit of any progress being made IN supply
ing new and improved ordnance. Great progress has
recently been made abroad in developing the power Of
artillery rendering the attack Ear superior to the de-
fence and detractng very much from the value OF
armed ships since any ships now built or building
II inches All these improvements inurc to our
benefit. have our whole artillery 10
sruc The Bureau eau, Is psspa%sd ~hensvsy
designs for guns quito equal 10 any OF which
have notice All these experiments appear TO con-
firm the views Of the Chief of the Bureau that the
rifle cannon adopted should be breech-loader, and
the latest and most successful experiments have been
with guns fitted with the breech on the French
Chief Of this Bureau. large part of the increased
effects with the new guns is due to the improved
powder adopted. From the published results this
progressive powder does not appear be superior
the United States standard navy powder adopted in
1872.
The stock Of powder has fallen very low and
special appropriation should be made for the purchase
OF 1000 barrels. She new powder cannot be manu-
factured in haste, to advantage in the winter
son. so u stock shouldsbe kept hand to meet cner
gences. Several machine guns have been presented
for trial but iy m "a rx oarl on s
Arms has made favorable report on, and recon-
mended for adoption, the Hotchkiss magazine gun.
Its adoption, however, would involve change Of
calibre and thus throw out OF service all machine
guns well az the small arm in use. Any immediate
change is, therefore, deemed incxpedient
TORPEDO STATION.
The torpedo station. under the command of Cap
tain X. r. Breese has graduated the usual number Of
officers, and, with the very limited means at its
nand, has practically Investigated the subject Of
electric lighting applicable to the defence against
torpedoes the experiments in courter-mining and
The clearing away os torpedoes Last year, however
was quite barren in torpedo results Notwth-
standing the war in tho East the offensive develop
been months engaged in the construction
Of vessel which bids fair to step in advance
pleton, and It is expected that so soon I trial
will be made. The Hotchkiss revolver can
non, ordered by the bureau two years ago.
has been received. The special advantages of this
gun that while it fires shell of pound weight
with high velocity it is pointed from the shoulder,
thus enabling veritable field piece to be fired with
all the accuracy and much greater rapdity than
the rife small arm. Its calbre is and . half
inches. 1t has five barrels its total weight being 44O
pounds II be fred at the rate Of fifty shots per
minute and pointing with care, from thirty to forty
shots II penerates at LOCO yards any Of the modern
torpedo boats such the Thorncroft and after
passing through the fragments have sufficient force
TO penetrate the watertight bukhcsds 1t would ap-
pear, then that have in the arm absolute de-
against surface torpedo boats, and except in
circumstances Of fogs darkness surface boats
approach within one thousand yards of vessel
provided with these guns This gun would also be
open ports OF ships for clearing parapets Of bar
bette guns The CHIEF Of Bureau, therefore,
mends appropriation for the purchase OF number
for actual trial in service.
MEDICINE SURGERY.
Surgeon General Taylor, chief Of the Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery says in his report that the.ecn
cral health of the navy has been good, with slight
increase however, In the percentage of sickness
compared with the previous year. The increased
death is due to the loss OF the Huron. The bal
ance Of the Naval Hospital fund hand is $47,746
The continuance of the Hospital establishment re-
quires about 100000 annually maintain in its
present state From $4,000 to $4,000 is received
nuaily from the officers and men of the navy conse
quently appropriation Oh $6OO0O will be required
STEAM ENGINI;ERING.
w. II. Shock, chief of the Bureau of Steam Engi-
*,
be entirely free OF debt. with small unexpended bal
ance of appropriation and surplus account of
the appropriat,.on for deficiency ssS4S2 In view of
it becomes matter of the first Importance to have
the Pensacola Navy Yard placed in the high
the OF additions e' to ns sops %
could be supplied to some extent from the other
wards without affecting sesn He
in yards and stations for whom there is provi
sion in Of death or disability in the discharge of
their duties An leg is broken, eye is lost,
hand IL crushed perhaps instant death overtakes
the laborcr aud that is the last of him and his family,
as FAR Us the the government is concerned. Upon the
feeling recommending that Congress make provision
for them.
CONSTRUCTION AND RErAIRs.
J. ". Easily, chief Of the Bureau Of Construction
and Repairs gives in his annual report the list Of
vessels on winch work in repairing or completion
was performed during the last fiscal year twenty
nine in number. several others. including four
monitors and two large torpedo boats. in good
condition and ready for service. Ono of the large
monitors now building (the Miantonomoh) can be
completed with the funds already in hand: the
others-viz., the M0nadnock, Terror, Amphitric and
Puritan-cannot be finished without addi-
tional appropriation. We are prepared To build and
fit out ships in all of yards, except Pensacola
ing Tho Lancaster, wachusett, Tennessee. Juniata,
Yanic and Iroquois. Tho service requires fast,
armorcd cruising ships, and also one or more powerful
rams. The cruising ships not only wanted TO
place of those now In commission, and which
Tor lack of speed not suited To the wants OF tho
service, Dut tney Noulu aUNOiutciy nctessufy
in OF war with any maritime Power. With
fast ships can destroy the commerce
Of an enemy and be on equal terms with his
ships of like character; while in the event
OF meeting with powerful but comparatively
slow armored ships could leave them at pleasure.
Believing that Congress would not long delay the APP
preparations needed for vessels Of tnis character.
directions have been givcrt to have plans prepared
by naval constructors having the WORK in charge for
iron unarmorei cruising vessels OF $500 tons dis
placement and iron Of 1000 toms displacement.
These plans will II is thought, coinbino all the inn
provemcns IN ship building for the last few years.
Tho estimate of Sl,500c00 for the next fiscal
year will be required in keeping in good or
der ships needing but slight repairs and In
completing or extensively repairing the follow
ing named vesscls:-Afohican, Brooklyn, Ossipee,
Hartford, Canandaigua, Monacacy, Lancaster and
AshGalot. The propriety of ridding our yards of
ships not worth repairing or completing. but which
constant source of expense either by selling
then. at auction or breaking them up, is again sug-
gcsted in either the proceeds to be made avaa-
BILE for repairing or building other vessels.
THE MARINE CORPS.
Colonel Charles g. McClwlcy, Commandant OF tho
Marine Corps reports $50 enlisted men IN tho Ma