New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-13
RECoYsTRUGTING THE NAVY.
SENATE REPORT RECOMMENDING ADDITIONAL
VESSELS.

A SENATE REPORT RECOMMENDING ADDITIONAL
VESSELS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Hale report
ed favorably to-day from the Committee on Naval
Affairs with amendments his bin TO authorize tho con-
sruction OF additional steel vessels for the Navy. AS
amended the bill provides for the construction of one
cruiser OF 500 and Of 900 TONS dispatch YES
sci OF 500 TONS two heavily armed gunboats OF 1000
tons EACH guDboat OF 300 and OF $50 TONS TO
be built plans and specifications TO be furnished by the
Admiral OF tho Navy aud under his supervision and direc
tions subject to the approval of the Secretary OF the
Navy 1t also authorizes the President TO direct the oon-
struction OF one steel ram as recommend
ed by the Naval Advisory Beard OF
1881, one cruising torpedo boat advocated
by that Board and the present Advisory Board and TWO
OF the harbor torpedo boats recommended by tho nrt
Advisory Board and in the report from the Bureau OF
Ordnance IN 1888.
me committee in its report says that in addition to the
reports of the advisory boards and the Secretary OF
the Navy and the recommendation OF the President
which had before IT, It had been deemed advisable 10
ascertain with all possible lncss the precise views Oh
tho Navy Department and OF various experts upon the
requirements OF proposed vessels and especially upon
the plans ADOPTED by the Advisory Board for the vessels
now under constructions According the committee had
called for and received oral and written statements from
the Secretary OF the Navy the Admiral OF the Navy
members OF Advisory Board the principal chiefs OF
bureaus and other officers OF the Navy. These stste
ments committee submits with its report, ana 'he
report says Of the inquiry that developed some dnfcr
opinion certain special points connected with
new cruisers The committee says: Wnlle IL may DO
worthy OF consideration whether IL Is desirable 10 follow
I'm all minute details, about which diversity OF opinion
might reasonably be expected TO exist among expert
nothing has appeared that the confidence OF the
Navy Department and Of the Advisory Board In the sue
cess OF those vessels Ia misplaced" The committee
thinks that theAdvisOry Board may safely be inred
tine task OF designing and constructing the additional
vessels recommended.
Referring 10 statement showing the rapid deterfora
ton OF the vessels composing tho present fleet the COM
says This deterioration makes IL necessary that
the work Of reconstruction should be carried forward
constantly and "a rapidly the demands OF proper econ
oy and expenditure will permit I'm order that the old
ships are condemned and withdrawn from service new
ones may be available with which replace them" The
committee says that time should be lost In building
new ships prevent the United States being found az
an early practically without a navy" the OLD
ships represent types and models that maze oeen
abandoned by the naval powers OF the world ana me
committee does not think that single year should pass
without a material addition To the Navy OF new SHIPS
built after fashion of the best approved modern navy
construction. -
The House Committee Naval Affairs to day recon
sidered the recommendations recently sent IL 10 the
Committee Appropriations for reduction OF the hiim
Der of naval staff officers which recommendations hao
referred back 10 the Committee on Naval Anars py
the Committee Appropriations On monon OF hepre-
sentative Recommendations were iad aslne
thus leaving the responsibility for action or nonsction
with the Committee on Appropriations