Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1883-12-13

ware journalism.
90
Navy Department Report.
Secretary Chambers report ives made |
public Saturday. Like the annual reports
of his fellow members of the Cabinet, 1t
lie lengthy document. L: opens with a
statement of the progress which Roach ia
making in building the three new steer
cruisers and the armed dispatch boat.
The Chicago, chief OF the oruisers, the |
Secretary says. will have no superior In |
the world in the combination of speed,
endurance and armament. The dispatch |
boat, Dolphin, is expected to furnish
model from which may be expanded
high speed commerce destroyer. The
total cost for the hull and machinery of
the vessels, exclusive OF rigging and
equipment, is 50. Az, 900. The cruisers
will be completed within is and the dis.
patch boat within IL months, dating from
the last week OF July, 1888.
The completion of the double-turreted
monitors, Puritan, Amphitrite, Terror and
Monadnock, is next considered. The
unfinished hull OF the Amplitude, 1t will
be remembered, has been lying at the
Harlan & Hollingsmorth company's
yards, in this city, for many years past.
The advisory board having determined
the prices for the engines and certain
connecting hull fittings of these mont
tors, contracts for this work at the
prices fixed were made, the work to be
done within Is months from January
18th last. The sum adjudged to the
Harlan & HOllingsworth company for this
work on the Amphitrite wsa 1908 7l3 80.
The cost of completing the tour, monitors
is estimated by the naval advisory board
at S9,598, 1852 81; the estimate for the
Amphitrite being $797,56 IS. Their
completion ia earnestly recommended,
g as they will provide floating barber de-
:" lenses sufficient for present purposes,
" and may justify us in further postpon-
''iug the construction OF any such sxpsn-
'sive brosdaide armored ships as have
$50 heavily burdened the treasures of
"otber nations"
The condition Of our f5et, the report
continues, makes it necessary that recon-
strueson ahca'd be continued as rapidly
as dua tsg I'd for economy will admit.
The recommendation Of .he advisory
board toT the construction Of even new
vessels, u cost "a, 2s3, 900, 7hould there
fore be CARRIED out, and there should be
built, H. addition, one ateel ram, one
cruising torpedo boat and two harbor
torpedo boats The immediate object
must be to replace, at moderate expense,
our WORKOUT cruisers with modern vessels
fitted for general service.
The department believes that the limit
Of combined efficiency and economy in
war vessels is reached in the Chicago,
(the contract prics OF which ia 1888, 0OO),
and condemns the building of enormous
vessels, costing $4,000, 900 each, in which
every other quality ia sacrificed 20 speed.
With oar Isolated position and traditional
peace policy, we need cherish no ambi.
tion to take the lead among naval powers;
bnt We should De prepared to assert at all
times our nstural; unsuitable and necessary
ssceudency in the affairs of the
American hemisphere. VS. are not go
prepared by any means. our vessels are
insufficient 20 give training to the officers
and sesmen We should need, unequal to
the present uscsssitiss of the G0vernme mt
and unworthy Of q great aud prosperous
maritime state. Provision should
then be made for building
at Least seven modern vessels
each year, and attempts to rebuild our
present wooden fleet should be- aban.
doned. The standard, fixed by the first
advisory board OF 43 VESSELS at sea and 81
in reserve, making 20 in all, may be
taken az the maximum naval force
needed. By building seven new ships
annually during the next ten Yeas the
country will obtain modern steel navy
in every way adequate to the mainte.
nance Of the safety aud honor of the
nation.
The gradual reduction in the number
OF naval officers, provided for by Congress
should be allowed to continue. Congress.
should be careful not to restore to the
navy officers who have been dismissed
for deliuqueuoies or failures at examins
ton. The recommendation applies with
especial force to cases OF dismissal TO,
drunkenness. ~
The navy yard commission recommends
thai the New York, Norfolk and Mar,
Island yards be kept as working yards
~. A. rt.-.