The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-06
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The New Cruisers-The Construction of Sow.
enty Vessels Recommended.


enty Vessels Recommended.
WAsHJNGToN, Dec 5.-The annual report of
the Secretary of the Navy was made public to
day. Secretary 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, its high
quality being assured by the testsadopted The
department is confirmed in the opinion that the
criticisms advanced last year against the new
ships were OF little moment or based upon
theories at variance with tho progress of modern
ship building. Comparisons of speed between
the new cruisers and the great transatlantic
racing steamers are unfair, because
the latter attain their speed only by
sacrifice of the qualities essential to q ship
of-war They are unprotected, unwieldy, and of
enormous draft and dimensions. The number
of them possessing very high speed is small, and
the new cruisers could overtake 96 per cent. of
the merchant steamers Of tho world The rates
of speed assigned the new ships are based on
very conservative calculations of their probable
performance. and they win undoubtedly exceed
the estimates; but the first unarmored cruisers
of the new American iloet are not intended for
comparison in speed with unprotected racing
ships of enormous size, or in defensive power
with modern iron clads
The department.. in adopting the reeommeb-
dation of the advisory board for additional new
vessels, calls special attention to the necessity
for torpedo boats. In general, the Secretary
recommends the construction of seven modern
cruisers annually for period of ten wears Such
plan, he says, while conforming to the con
servative demands of our national policy, md
affording ample time for adopting every de-
vice in construction, would give the country, at
moderate cost, a navy adequate to train its
officers and maintain its safety and honor.
In regard to the existing navy Secretary
Chandler says; 1t appears from the CONDITION
of the fleet that, at the end of fifteen years the
only remaining cruising vessels Of the present
list will be three small iron vessels-the Monoc-
acy. the Alert and the Ranger The real ex-
PLANTATION of the disproporton between the ex-
penditures and the results accomplished in naval
administration is TO be found in the policy of at
tempting at great cost TO rehabilitate worn out
structures under the name Of repairs. Repair
and construction. in the absence Of fixed limits,
are terms easily Interchangeable, and the pub
lshed statements of expenditure under the first
name, during many years, show that
1t is only too apt to meet the
second The Ouroas are unrestricted
in their expenditures for repairs except by the
gross amount of their annual appropriations
The practice of reconstructing vessels under the
name of repairs is the only preteXt upon which
our oVergroWn navy yard establishments could
be justified and it appears that, instead of main
tanning orr yards for the advantage and benefit
of our ships our ships have dragged out pro
tracted existence for the benefit of the yards"
Concerning the navy-yards, the Secretary
holds that only two naval work shops should be
maintained. one on the Atlantic coast and one on
the Pacific The New London yard should be re-
stored to Connecticut and the League Island yard
to 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 i'll organization
First of all, politics should be excluded from
their management; second, responsibility for
work must be more definitely fixed.
The Secretary reports the removal from Siberia
of the bodies of Lieutenant Commander De Long,
of the Jeanette, and his companions and gives
a history of the Greedy relief expedition, the ex-
pendtures for which were 1862 996 In the prep
araton of the expedition there was no omission
or mshap and its success reflected high honor
and credit upon the American navy.
The gunfoundry board was reconveGea IN
April to decide on full plans and estimates to
carry out its recommendations, 1t has obtained
information that there responsible steel
manufacturers in this country, Who although
not provided at present with the necessary
plant, are willing to construct the same and
make bids for contracts with the govern.
ment for the supply Of material for
the heaviest guns if guaranteed an order of
sufficient magnitude and positive appropriation
Secretary Chandler next details the facts IN
connection with the frauds in tho Bureau Vt
Medicine and Surgery. The amount Of tho a',3