The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-06
SECRETARY CHANDLER.
Els Report on the Navy and the New
Ships.

=
Chandler says three new ships have
been successfully launched, and it has
been shown that our steel makers can
readily furnish excellent material in
large quantities. It's high quality is
being assured b. the tests adopted. The
depar ment is confirmed In the opinion
that the criticisms advanced last year
against the new ships were of little mo-
ment, or based upon theories at varl-
an with the progress OF modern ship
building. The comparisons of speed
between The new cruisers and the great
transatlantic racing steamers are UNI
fair, because the latter attain their
speed only by a sacrifice OF the qualities
essen tial TO ships of war. They are I'M
protected, unweildly and of enormous
draft and dimensions. In Il number OF
them the pressure of very high speed is
| small and the new cruisers could over
! take IS PEI cent. of The merchant steam
! ers OF tie world The ra:eS
OF speed assigned the new ships
| are based on very conservative
calculations of their probable per-
fOrmance, and they will undoubtedly
exceed the estimates. But the tirst,un-
armOred cruisers of the new American
feet are not intended for comparison
in speed with the unprotected racing
! ships OF enormous size, or in defensive
power with the modern irOn-clads. The
| department, in adopting the recon-
mendations of the advisory board for
additional new vessels, calls special at
tentiOn to the necessity for torpedo
| boats. In general. the secretary recon-
! mendS the construction of seven modern
cruisers annually for period of te,:
/ years, Such r plan, he says, while
conforming to the conservative de-
mandS. Of our national policy, and
atfOrdiug ample time for adopting every
: new device IN construction. would give
the country, at Il moderate cost. navy
! adequate to train It's officers andmaintain
its safety and honor. In regard TO the
existing navy, Secretary Chandler says:
cit appears, from the condition of the
feet, that at the end of fifteen years the
/ only cruising vessels will he three small
iron vessels, the N0nocdcy, Alert, and
Ranger. The real explanation of the dis
proportion between the expenditures and
results, accomplished in the naval /
ministratiOn, is to befound in the policy
of attempting, at great cost, TO rehabll-
itate the WORKOUT structures under the
name OF repairs. Repairs and coHstruc-
ton, in the absence of fixed limit,
are terms easily interchangeable,
and published statements of ex-
penditures under the first name,
during many years, show 1t Is
only toe apt to mean tie second. The
bureaus are unrestricted IN the eXpen-
ditures for repairs, except by the gross
amount OF their annual appropriation.
The practice OF. reconstructing vessels
under the name of repairs is only pre-
J text upon which our oyergrOwn navy
yard establishments could be justified.
and it appears, Instead of making OUR
yards for the advantage and benefit OF
our ships, ships have dragged out a
protracted existence for the benefit OF
the yards"
Concerning the navy yards. the See
rotary holds that only TWO navy work
shops should be maintained, one on the
Atlantic and one on the Pacific. Tie
/ New London yard should be restored
to Connecticut, and the League Islapd
yard 70 Philadelphia; the Boston
yard should be sold or reduced in size
the Pensacola and Portsmouth yards
may be kept for naval stations. The
workshops would then be at New York,
Norfolk and Mare Island. These need
certain improvements in organization;
, First of all, politics should be EXCLUDED
from their management; secondly, the
| -
: definitely fixed.
The secretary reports the arrival
Z from Siberia, Of the body OF Lieuten'
ant-Commander belong, Of the jean
eette, and his companions, and gives
history of the Greedy relief expedition
expenditures, for which there was
> s762, 1928. In the preparation OF the ex
, petition there was no omission or ms
; haps, and its success reflected higt
: honor and credit upon the American
. navy.
{ The gun foundry board was recon
!. vened in April, to decide on tuH plans
i, and estimates to carry out us recon-
: mendations. 1T has obtained lntorma
t;oI, that there are no responsible stee
manufacturers in this country, VINO
although not provided at present WITT
the necessary plant, are willing. to con
8 struct the same and make BID
h for contracts with the government 10
. n supply of material for the heaVles
guns. if guaranteed orders OF sutaclen
: magnitude with the appropriations GOV
} er1ng a series of years, shall be made b.
e Secretary Chandler next details tn
a facts in connection with the frauds II
: the bureau of medicine and surgery
The amount of the suspected voucher
is $124 80, extending oNcI
period from 1875 to 1884. III
Surgeon-General neglected to reqplr
l. the customary evidence that goods ha'
: been received. The frauds were mad
easier by the frequent use OF the exl
% gencv clause, under which purchase
g are made without advertising.
The expenditures of the department
for the fiscal year ended June 80, 1851
we're s17, 292, col; the estimates for ord
nary purposes and public work for tn
l. 1ext fiscal year are 81, $50, 658. and tn
! estimates for the increase OF reyenu
~ are sis. OF, 500. OF this latter sum, abou
=, one-half would be needed the comm
fiscal year.
the existing practice of securing the sol
Citations OF persons possessed OF podtlc'
Or social influence in behalf of officer
t. whether for the purpose OF obtanln
TO eereeabIe duty, or effecting the .resttori
s. ton by legislation, Of those who hay
% S dismissed for drunkenness or oth'
T D1s,, or for incapacity lie say
that such reservations demorahze L
service Public opinion snoOl
II sfarnIv condemn 81 who have pee
ID SniIfv of misconduct, as Wen