Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-20
OUR NAVY.
Annual Report OF Admiral David ID.
Porter.

The annual report of Admiral David ID.
Porter has been submit d TO the Secretary Of
the Navy. Admiral Porter saws tnat there is
general impression throughout the country
that very large amount OF money, over
$500, 900, 900 has been spent on the navy
since the war without anything TO show for it
and this impression has hindered the advance
OF the navy. II must be remembered, he
saws, that after the war and no TO 1869, a
large sum of money was drawn from the
treasury for war debts as well as to provide
for the malntainsnce OF the navy and it was
not unlil 1869 that the navy settled down 70
business.
During this time, bills TO the amount of
$3.50, 600, 600 in round numbers had to be paid
for work contracted during the height of
the war. while $50, 900, 900 was refunded into
the treasury. When it is considered he SAYS,
that all the naval appropriations since 1863
were simply for the maintenance of the navy,
with the exception of about S., 900 900 on new
cruisers, it must be large enough to command
the Respect of the greatest naval power. Up 10
1850 or thereabouts, our policy was to build
better vessels than were built in any part of
the world and thus for some years we main
tanned small but very effective navy.
All the powers OF Europe have been en-
gagged for the past 20 years in increasing
their navies, while we have been indifferently
looking on, not even taking the trouble to
profit by their successes or failures in modern
shipbuilding. Daring this time some grand
ships had been built, while others have been
shown TO be unequal to modern requirements
AdmirPl Porter proceeds to describe features
OF modern vessels. citing Esmerelda. a ship
OF 1000 tons, built in England tor the Chilian
navy, as the most perfect ship of her class
rVA t4H Shl b.. inks
a more formidable vessel than either the
Boston or Atlanta and shows herself to be
unsurpa. sed as commerce DESTROYER There
Is no reason, he says. why we cannot build a
ship of 5000 tons on the plans of the Esmeralda
that will give speed OF 10 knots an hour,
which would quite equal the speed of any
merchant vessel atlOat. Admiral Porter
submits plans for good boat, which. when
completed. he says will be match for any
thing in our navy. He estimates that her
hull and engines will cost $3.50 900, and
requests that AN appropriation of that amount
be asked for. He says we have but one tor
pedo boat and she is not completed. He
recommends her completion and that she be
put in condition for offensive warfare. All
other nations are paying great attention to
the building of torpedo boats. France,
Russia and England have about 100 each,
for cruising and home defense. She will
probably complete the whole number of them
while we are considering the project of build
ing three or four.
The admiral submits in conclusion what he
thinks the government ought to do in the next
two years
First-Complete the unfinished monitors
and arm them with heavy ritled guns, making
them Iam As far as their models will permit.
Second-Appropriate money for all vessels
tha; were proposed to Congress last winter.
Third-Build as commencement four of
the heaviest monitors, of great endurance
and speed. each to carry four six inch rifles
in turrets.
Fourth-Buld 20 torpedo boats of not less
than 100 tons each, with speed of twenty
knots
Fifth-One cruising ironclad OF not less
than 1000 tons.
Sixth-Have all our ships of over 1850 tons
supplied with torpedo boats fitted with noise
less condensing engines so that they cannot
be heard when approaching the enemy. The
ships launches which are now called torpedo
boats in our navy are perfectly useless.
Admiral Porter appeals to report table
exhibiting the expenditures of leading nations
of the world for the msutainance of their
navies during the last 10 years as well as for
the construction of new ships since 1865. 1t
shows that the expenditures for the maintain
ance of England were SS05, 900, 900; of
France, $500, 900; of Russia, S345 900, :
600; of Italy. SAP 100000; of Germany,
Sl44, 900, 900; of the United States, S25I 900, :
600. For the construction of new ships,
England expended S9I .0O0,0O France,
Sl2l, 900. 900; Russia. SS3. 900, 900; Italy,
S3S,000, 900; Sweden. Sl4,000,O 900; Germany.
S26 000, 900; United States, 81. 900, 900.