Helena weekly herald., 1884-04-03
President Arthur in F;..or OF More
Naval Vessels.

V ruSGTON, March 26.-The President
to-d.r sent to Congress the following mes
sace commencing an appropriation for
the r.. .,,truction of naval vessels:
J., INV annual message impressed upon
you ,hc necessity for continued progress IN
recopstructing our navy. NOW L deem IL
my duty to advise that appropriations be
made al the present session toward design
ing and commencing the construction of at
least three additional cruisers and four
puDboats as recommended by the Secretary
of the Navy, at a cost which, including the
armament. will not exceed $4,2S3,OOO, of
which one half should be appropriated the
next fiscal year. The Chicago, Boston,
Atlanta and Dolphin have been designed
and are being built with care and skill,
and there is every reason to believe that
they will prove creditable, servlceable
cruisers Technical questions concerning
three additional vessels cannot wisely be
settled except by experts, and naval ad-
yisOry board should be organized by dlrec-
ton of Congress under act OF August D,
1852. and consisting of three line officers,
naval constructor, and a naval engineer, Sc
lected only with reference to character, eX-
perience, knowledge and skill in avail ar
cA,ecture, and marine engineer from
civil life, Of established reputation and
standing as experts in naval and marine
construction is appropriate authority to
decide finally all such questions.
| am unwilling to see the gradual con-
s,TuCtiOn of naval cruisers now happily be-
-un in conformity with modern require
,nents delayed for one full year for any un-
substantial reason. Whatever condition
Congress may see fit to impose in order to
secure judicious designs, honest and eco
nomic construction will be acceptable to
me- but to relinquish or postpone policy
already deliberately declared, will be, in
my Judgment, national imprudence. Ap-
nropriation should also be made without
delay for finishing four dOuble-turretted
monitors, the Puritan, Amphitrite, Terror,
and Monadnock, and for securing their
armament, and that of the MlamtOmah.
Their hulls are built, their machines under
contract and approaching completion, ex-
cept that of the Monadnock on the Pacific
coast This should also be built and armed
and the heavy guns of all be produced at
the earliest practicable mOmeut. The total
amount appropriated up to this time for
the four vessels is S3,546,54l. A sum not
exceeding $3,S35,76 including SS66,725
for four powerful rifled cannon and for the
remainder Of the ordinance outfit will COM
plete and equip them for service. Of this
sum only two million need he appropriated
for the next fiscal year. 1t is not expected
that one of these monitors will be match
Tor the heaviest broadside iIon-clads which
certain other governments have constructed
al a cost of four or five millions each, but
they will be armed vessels of approved
and useful design, possessed of such sea-
going capacity and offensive power as shall
answer our immediate necessities Their
completion having been decided upon at a
recent session of Congress no time should
he lost in accomplishing this necessary OBJ
ject.
The gun foundry board appointed by di-
rection of Congress, consisting of three
army and three navy officers, has submitted
report, duly transmitted on 2Oth Fehru-
airy, 1884, recommending that the Govern
ment should promote the production at
private steel works OF the required material
Tor heavy cannon, and that two Govern
ment factories, one for the army and one
for the navy, should be established for the
fabrication of guns from such material.
An early consideration of the report is re-
commended, together with such action as
Will enable the Government to construct
It's ordinance upon its own territory, and so
to provide armaments demanded by con-
Siderations which concern national safety
and honor.