Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-06
CHANDELIERS REPORT.
The NEEDS or THE U. 8. NAVY.
The Secretary Describes the Condition
OF Our Men-of-War. and Explains
Why They are No Better.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Secretary Chandler )
annual report was made public to-day. A
considerable portion is devoted 10 the ques-
uon of strengthening our navy. The new
cruisers, the Atalanta and the Boston, have
been launched. and the Chicago is nearly
completed The department is confirmed in
the opinion that the criticism advanced las I
year against the new ships were of little mo
ment, or based upon ideas at variance with
the progress of modern ship building As to
the want OF full sail power and the absence
of sheathing, IT appears that the British ad-
miralty is now building steel cruisers of the
Leander and Mersey classes absolutely
without masts or sails and unsheathed The
objections To the machinery of the Chicago
are met by the satisfactory performances OF
the Louisiana, vessel with machinery gen.
orally similar. The armor of the Miantono-
mon l. nearly completed and in place. The
machinery OF the Amphitrite and Terror il
about one-half completed, while that of the
Puritan II finished. No work has been done
upon the hulls Of the monitors. Common
prudence, the Secretary says, demands
that immediate steps be taken to
remedy the defenseless condition of our
coasts and harbors. And the most rapid
economical measure which can be adopted
at the present time Is to push the partially
constructed monitors To completion. The
report states the conclusions of the advisory
board recommending the construction OF
one cruiser OF 4,5OO tons, one cruiser of
d,UD tons, one dispatch vessel of go tons,
two heavlly-armed gun-boats of LOO tons
each, one steel ram, one cruising torpedo
boat, two harbor torpedo-boats, and
one armOred vessel not exceeding 1000
Tons The department In adopting the
recommendation calls special attention to
the necessity for torpedo boats. In general
the Secretary recommends the construction
OF seven modern cruisers annually for the
period OF ten years. Such plan. while con-
forming TO the conservative demands of our
policy, and atording ample time for adopt
ing every new device IN construction, would
give the country, at a moderate cost a navy
adequate TO tram its officers and maintain its
safety and honor. The Secretary says that
at the end OF fifteen years the only cruis-
ing vessels OF the present list remain
ing will be the three iron veseels, the
Monarch, Alert and Ranger. He renews his
former recommendation that the limitation
OF repairs To wooden vessels should continue
at twenty per cent. of their cost. The real
explanation of the dsproportion between
the expenditures and results accomplished In
the naval administration Is TO be found.
Secretary Chandler says In the policy of at
tempting at great cost to rehabilitate worn
and reconstruction in the absence of a fixed
limit are terms easily interchange
able. The practice of reconstructinp
vessels under the name of repair is only a
pretext upon which our overgrown navy yard
establishments could be justified, and, it ap-
pears, that instead OF maintaining our yards
tor the advantage and benefit of our ships.
the ships have dragged out protracted exis-
tAnce for the benefit of the yards. Only two
naval works, the Secretary thinks, should be
maintained on the Atlantic coast, and one on
the Pacific. The New London yard should
be restored TO Connecticut, and the League
Island yard to Philadelphia. The
Boston yard should be sold or re-
duced in size. The Pensacola and Portsmouth
yards may be kept for naval stations The
workshops will then be at New York, Nor
folk and Mare Island. These need certain
improvements IN organization. All politics
should be excluded from the management.
and responsibility for work must be more
definitely tixed and there should be at each
working yard supervising naval instructor
appo. ntsd 10y the President and confirmed
by the Senate, from civil life or from the |
navy. who should have direct charge of all |
work. The gun-foundry board, the Secre- |
tary says, has obtained information that |
there are responsible steel manufacturers in |
this country, Who although not provided at |
present with the necessary plant, are willing |
to construct the same and make contracts |
with the Government for supply of mate |
rial for the heaviest guns. If guaranteed an |
order of sufficient magnitude, with a positive |
appropriation covering series of |
years shall be made by Congress
The report comments severely upon the ex- +
isting practice of the securing by solicitation |
OF persons possessed of political or social /
influence in behalf of officers, whether for /
the purpose of obtaining agreeable duty or /
of eHecting restoration by legislation of /
those who have been dismissed for drunken |
ness or.other misconduct. or for incapacity.
Such restoratlons demoralize the service. |
Public opinion should sternly condemn |
all wAo have been guilty of misconduct. as
!. we'll as those who lend themselves to efforts
for the restoration of officers removed. He /
refers TO the Presidents veto message on the
FitzJohn Porter bill, pointing out the uncon-
etitutionality of such legislation. and show
ing that the constitution provided an effec-
tuai barrier 20 any restoration by legislation
of particular officers.
The report dwells upon the close connec-
ton between the improvement in the navy
and the development in the Merchant Ma
rine. IL shows that to make the latter com
mensurate with our trade, our coast line and
the number and wealth of our commercial
cities, We must have great lines of ocean
steamships OF high speed and large capacity,
carrying our dag TO the most distant lands,
thereby saving 70 our people of the vast pro-
fits of the carrying yrade. The only way To
accomplish this result il through direct en-
couragement given by the government either
IN the form OF bounties upon construction.
or OF payment for carrying the mail, so that
American capitalists may be induced to em-
bark IN the business.
Tho recent enactment repeating the laws
requiring all American vessels arbitrarily 10
carry foreign mails 70 be supplemented By
provision that contracts for carrying such
uails IN American lines Of steamers over ALI
The principal ocean highways should be let
for term of years 20 the lowest bidder.
adequate compensation therefor % be issued
By the Government upon the same principal
as than adopted in establishing cur great
Rational post-rates on land.
The expenditures Of the Department dur
.ns the past fiscal year we're Ell. 29o. Sol. The
estimates for ordinary purposes and public
works Tor the next fiscal year are al. so. 65S
A Serious Charge.