Los Angeles daily herald., 1884-12-06
THE NAVY.
Annual Report of Secre-
tary Chandler.
MANY MORE SHIPS NEEDED
Reduction Of Navy Yards Re
eommended--The Present
Navy Ineffective.


Especial 10 nc Herald b. associated Pres.
wAsmNeroN, Dec 5.-.rhe snnual report
Of the Secretary Of the Navy was made pub
lie today, Secretary Chandler says that
three new ships have been successfully
launched, and II has been shown that our
stcel.mskers can readily furnish excellent
npterial in large quantities, It's nigh quality
being assured BY the tests adopted. The
Department is confirmed IN the opinion that
the criticisms advanced last year against
the new ships were Of little moment. II
based npen theories at variance With the
progress Of modern ship-buiiding. compar-
lsous Of speed besween the new cruisers
and tIss xfsetsts.s.st4asie raoiax sleanters
are unfair, beeauke the latter attain lhoif
speed eply BY sacrifice Of the qualities es-
tected, unwieIdy aud Of enormous
draft aud dlmansions In number
OF them the pressure is very high nn
the speed Is small. and the new cruisers
could oyertake yd per cent. q The merchant
assigned the new ships are based on very
conservative calculations OF their probable
performance, and they Will undoubtedly ex-
ceed the estimatss, but the first unArmOred
tlulHtIi OF Tie litM AtNtllldn meet Nft not
intended FOR comparison In speed with uu.
protected racing shlps Of enormous size. or
Ia defensive paWer with modern iron ciads
The Department. IN adopting the recon-
fnenditions Of the Advisory BOARD for sddi-
tional new vessels, calls special attention 10
The necessity ior torpedo boats ii general
The Secretary gac0nlme ends the construction
OF seyeu modern cruisers annually for .
period oi ten years such plan. he
says, while conforming to the conserve
=. A.sa. s.ltq L.
and alfording ample time for adopting every
new device in construction, would give the
country, 1t q moderate Cost, navy adequate
to train rs oficers and maintain It's safety
and honor.
10 regard to the existing navy. Secretary
Chandler says. "lt appears from the c0ndl.
tion OF the hest that II the end oi fifteen
years the only cruising yeaseiso OF the present
iiA remaining viii be three smsh Iron yes
sells, the Mouocacy, Alert and Ranger The
real explanation Of the disproponion
between The ex penditnres and the resulls
accomplished 10 the navel administration
Is 10 be found IN the policy Of attempting. ~
great cost, 70 reEsbilitata Bornonl sfrno-
lures ander the name Of repairs. Repairs
and construction, ia the abxence Of fixed
limit. arc terms eaaily interchangeable, aud
the published atatements of expenditures
saDder the iEAt name, during many years.
show thai Il Il only too APT 70 moan the sec
end Bureaus are unrestricted In their ex-
peu1itarnS far repairs except BY the gross
amount OF their snnual appropriation The
practice OF the rer0ntfricii0u OF vessels un-
der the name Of repairs Is the only prete xt
upon which our vyefsrown navy .yard estab-
sishme ats ronIn be justhed aud Il appears
that instead Of making our yards for tho ad
Fnutase aud hfneht Of our Slips, the ships
have dragged out proiraeted existence for
the benefit af the yards
Concerning nayy yards. the Secretary
holds that only two naval workshops should
be maintained. one on the Atlautlc and one
on the Pacific coasts. The New london yard
issxss y Island ss' yard ~ gs e Phissdsphis saI IA
The Boston yard should be sold or
reduced Ia site. The Pensacola and
Portsmouth yards may be kept for naval
stations. The workshops would then be ~
New York, Norfolk aud Mare Island. These
need certain Improvements IN organisation :
First of an politics should be excluded from
theIr IaGussement second, the RESPONSE
biiiy for work must be more dshniteiy
hxed.
The secretary reports The arrival from
Siberia Of she body 81 Lieutenant commln.
der DeLong, Of the Jeanette. and his com
panions, aud gives the history Of the Greeley
relief expedition, the expenditures for
which were $40. .sss. In the preparation oI
the expedition there was no omission or
mishap and its success reflected high honor
snd credit On the American navy.
The Gun Foundry board was fec0nvsned
In April to decide on fnii plans and estl-
has obtained fninrmssion that there are re
epousible steel manufacturers In this coun.
try who. although nor provided q. present
with the necessary plant, are willing 70 con-
ftxuct the same and make bids for contracts
with the government for the supply Of ma.
terlai for the heaviest guns. II guaranteed
orders eu lfiefent iE magnitude, with posi-.
tive assurance that an appropriation cover
Ing series OF years shall be aade By Con
efess.
The expenditures Of Tie Deptrtmont
for the bseal year ended June 30, ie5s,
wrfe fi7,2f21iti- The esfimat6s for ordinary
purposes Hni pnblie work for the nekt NC i
year arr ;l7 - ~, and the estimates fof the
Increase of the navy, Hb07f IN OF this
latter sum, about one talt would be needed
daring the coming hzcni year.
Secretary Chandler next details the facts
connected With the icaudz 10 the Burean Of
psssd oassess ass Z ssaeas q ss
. period from 1876 - iztt me Surgeon
General neglected 70 reqaire the customary
evidence that goods had been received. The
frauds were made easier b the frequent use
OF the exig6nfy clause. aader which pur.
rhases are u. ade without advertising.
The Secretary comments severely upon
she existing practice OF securing by solieita.
lloh, fersons POSSESSED Of politfcl Or social
influence In behalf Of of8ccfz whether for
efccttBF the restoration BY legisiafion Of
those who have been dismissed Tor drunk
ennesx Or other misconduct, OF for incapNci.
~. he says such restoraiions deInoftiixe
the service, Public opinion should stern y
condelnn ell who have been guilty of mis-
condnet "a well as those who lead them
selves 70 efforts for the restoration Of officers
removed. fi discussing this snbieci he re-
frfs 10 the Presidents veto mess4ge on the
Fla John Porter oiil, Bs pointing out the
uneonstitutiopalitF OF sEch legislation and
shoying that the CONSULTATION has provided
an efeetsiRl barrser % any restoration. BY
the legislature, Oi particular officers
10 conclusion Secretary Chandler dwells
upon the close connection between the I'M
progements Of the navy aud the develop
meut Of the merchant marine, and shows
that 10 make the latter eemmensnrate with
our trade our coast line, and the uuinber
and wealth Of our commercial ciiies, we
must hsye gfeat line Of ccesn steamships
of high speed and barge carrying capsclty,
earring cur flag 20 the most diztant Lands
and saving TO our people the vast profits 0i
the carrying trade. The only Wy % accom-
pltsh this result, he says. n through direct
euaonragemen given hg The Government,
either "a the form 81 bonnties upon
sonStsneiton a. 9. Peymsni iel ,sa,fryias ,s.li
be induced 10 embark Ia the buxiness The
recent enactment repeailng the laws re
quirlng all American vessels arbitrarily 70
carry foreign nails he says should be sup
pieinenicd by q provision that contracts foi
carrying such mails on American line o
steamers over all the principal ocean high
ways should be let for term OF years 10 tht
therefore % be paid BY the government
upon The same principal az thai adopted II
the establishing OF our great national pofta
routes on land.
a FAfH DIVISION.