Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-23

pssuulDlSG THE NAVY.
WIN the var Of tho rebellion closed,
IN United States Was we'll prepared
- ths secs for offensive and dsfso-
siv warfare. We had q fairly credit
- euuadrou Of war vessels. armament
- - then latest models and e6ectivs-
=. and in service q personnel unex-
osa,ed by any other nation. We nad
- passed through a fierce struggle
lastine nearly four years, and our navy
I'm the army, vas composed OF ve'es'
.n. II vould have been comparatively
eosy 10 have, by proper annual soo'
siuos to the feet and retirement, con-
A.-..<ion and sale of unserviceabie
craft, kept the navy both in number
and efaeienoy up to a proper standard.
But The nation vas heavily in debt, was
annually paying large sums fol-. interest
upoo it's bonds and in settlement OF
claims, which, following the war; came
thick and fast, and Congress hes'tased
"a build new ships. A policy OF tinker
inc up and repairing unworthy, ancient
and in many cases irrepar ably damaged
hulks was substituted ir place OF the
annual construction of few effective
cruisers OF new and improved models
until at last the naval feet of the United
States has become a legitimate target
for ridicule Of every Civilized nation
and oause of shame to its citizens.
In 1882 Congress finally awoke from
II lethargy regarding the annual ana
rapidly declining condition of our naval
pover. and instituted a change OF poll
~ With regard thereto, iand by an Act
approved August Of that year, author
ized the Secretary of the Navy to adver-
sise for the submission OF plans for the
construction of three unarmored steel
cruisers and a dispatch boat. Plans
1sre duly received and. having been
adopted by the Department, under the
At Of Congress of March s, 1883, pro-
posals for their construction were re-
oeived, and in July last contracts were
made With John Roach, of New York,
for construction OF the four. The
contract price is $2,440,0O. which was
9TH, 100 less than the estimated cost
and $3l5, 900 less than the next lowest
bids. The three cruisers are to be
ua.,sed the Chicago, Boston and Atlanta
and the dispatch boat will be named
che Dolphin. The main measurements
are a. follows: Chicago-length Bib
fsst, breadth 48 feet, draft 10 feet. dis
basement 4500 tons, engines horse
power 1000, speed at sea IA knots,
smooth water 16 knots. Boston ana At
lanta each-lenath 270 feet, breadth AZ
1esk, draft IL feet, displacement 1000
sons, horsepower Of engines $500, sSa
apoed ID knots, smooth water IA knots.
Doaphin-length 2l0 feet, breadth 81
-, draft. II feet, displacement 15o0
eoas, engines horsepower 20oO, speed al
- u knots. The Chicago will carry
q hsavy guns, the Boston and Atlanta
osaeh and the Dolphin I gun. "These
vsnsls.' says Secretary Chandler in hia
sspost, represent three main types Of
0axmored war chips now universally
osasidsrsd - inseparable oomponsuts
- any nest suitable for general natisn.
a service upon the high seas. The Chi
saGs b an example Of the largest and
~ unarmored cruising and 6ghtins
vonsSls now built, and will have no %
pssisr In the world in the combination
II spsed, endurance and armament
IL cruisers will b completed in jan
1azy, 1855, and the dispatch boat il
July, 1884.
HouI nsv double turrsted monitor,
vsgo launched during We Summer o.
1ooA, andCe the act Of March 3, 1889
Sl0000o0 we're appropriated for thsil
oavgiass and machinery. Tho names o.
eAess formidable armored vessels ar'
the Puritan, Amplitude, Terror AMI
1onadnook. Contracts for the engines
and Attings for the first three have beer
0ads, to be completed by July 10Th
ASA. No contract for the Nonadnool
Aas yet been made. II will cost to com
plsts and arm these four monitors afte
~ machinery IL put in and paid for,
little over $3.500,O0O. Their speed.
completion 10 earnestly recommends
BY the Secretary on the ground tina
ssthsy will provide floating harbor de-
1snos sufficient Tor present purposes
and may justify us in further postpon
lnQ the construction of any such expen
dive broadside armored ships as have o
Asayily burdensd the treasures Of othe
nations"
lt In thus seen that the work Of re
6ailding our navy has really begun, AM
chat within q year moro We shall b
1hle 10 plume ourselves ON at least thre
Nsw cruisers completed. and at leaa
thRes iron clad monitors ready for tul
~ plating and armament. Followin
0p tho good work accomplished durin
~ past year, the Department recon
Usnds for tho present year the con
oRuo&ionlof seven additional unarmors,
oleel cruisers, three of which should b
31plioatcs Of the Chicago, Boston ant
Dolphin respectively, aud Of the othe
tour, two to be heavily armed cruising
Gunboats OF about 1900 tons, and tn
okhsr two to be gunboats Of about IS