New-York tribune., 1885-10-24
EUROPEAN NAVY YARDS.
LOW WAGES PAID TO THE woRKMEN.
CONSTRUCTOR HICHBORNs REPoRr-THE WEAK
NESS OF THE MODERN WAR SHIP.

WASHINGTON, OCI. <o.-Ndfai NoHoeAoSeoA
Philip Hchborn. u g. NJ who was sent last year to viss
the principal dockysrds of Europe has submitted to the
Secretary Of the Navy long report is said by high
naval authorities be work Of great practical vaue
He visited the yards Of Great Britain, France Germany
and Russia He describes technically and with musn
detail the shops DOCKS discipline ana working systems
OF those institutions aud the vessels lately
finished or In process Of construction HIS rcport
is illustrated with photographs charts and fine drawings
lie says chat ia National Of Great Britain
about 49, 900 employed. their average pay per
day being 81 o. The total sum expended oy tile Brit
ish Government In the last fifteen years In the construc-
repair OF vessels OF the Royal Navy aggregates
Sl79649 6l5, with incidental charges which swell the
total to S2l7,319275 or about twenty-eight onehnn-
dredths Of total naval appropriation for the same
period
The Imperial Navy of Germany dates from October 1.
1867, from which time up to tho present aDous
SI40 has expended npou the naval estab-
lishineut with the result that Germany now ranks ~
the fourth naval power.
The navy list of Russia makes that country third in
the rank of naval powers. The apparent navy aggre-
gated at the beginning OF the present year $40 vessels
OF all descriptions. but cursory examination
revealed the probably not more than l2O ex-
elusive Of torpedo boas properly be classed AS yes
sells for offensive aid defensive warfare.
France five dock yards collectively comprising an
area OF 300 acres She has twenty-four dfy-
decks her establishments are complete In all ths
requirements for building. reLarDg. lifting out and
OF ships and the manuacure OF stores and
articles required for navy. The quays, basins and
sips are of the most substantial character which du
pcated In United States would require decades and
several millions OF dollars. Convict labor has been
largely utilized In such National work. while beside se
wages Of FREQ sufficiently low to accomplish
great deal OF outlay which in this country
would be regarded as Insignificant
In his chapter upon torpedo boats Mr. Hichboru
red - n
tial that European navy OF note has hotals
OF less than ffta, while the stranger powers
have feets OF hundred or more. Coasts nave been
divided into torpedo districts OF hundred or more.
each with its complement Of boats and the crews
thoroughly organized. kept continually exercised in
the Of the vessels. OF the s."orthiness
of such boats he there no longer be any doubt
their long voyages In some casos under steam and In
others under sail Rio JaEero Buenos Ayres and the
Black Sea having concusively demonstrated their ability
to survive very severe weather. Lately, during an
evolutionary cruise Of the French Mediterranean squad
rom the torpedo boats able keep the wbiio
Tonnere and vengeur. large ships were compelled
seek shelter from the violence OF the gale. The do
fensiye value Of fleet Of cruising torpedo boats he
says, can hardly be overated. No blockade can be
antaiued in their presence yet, properly supported
by tenders with coal and supplies. they form OF them
selves efficient bOckading force. The cost Of
one such a boat completely equipped Is from
100000 $4,000 and they require
fifteen To operate 70 the greatest ad-
vantage they must attack numbers IL is sufficient
to supply each port with II Is probable thAt
in tue uiurc ronelad viii venture TO attack pors
without the assistance of torpedo hotiliz equal or s-
periOr t. that possessed 10y the enemy.
In describing details OF the construction OF torpedo
boats he says some attention has lately been given 70
forty feet long and six feet beam, receat-
ly constrneted. seccd OF eight statute 70.
miles obtained. aid sufficient power was stored Ia
the secondary batteries for run OF several Lours The
silence Of this mode OF propulsion, the fact tlss
vesse aseHcc Of sparks aud the es.e with which
the may be- charged by tle Synsmos now Oh board
almost large ships he thinks. renders this
somewhat promising held for fur her Investigation
Ie.found the private yards in Great Britain,
after year unprecedented prosperity, marked by the
output million and quarter Of tons feeling severely
the effect OF LDe present depression oi the ,o
aua only could be srld to be fairly busy. These
latter lie noticed had the uest often largest
equipped with tne best Of lal o saving
TIC construction OF sailing vessels appeared Ia %
proporion"tey less depressed than that Of steamers
ia description OF ships built aid building, he las the
| following aonrueut upon tue Chiian Esneai ia : Egr
offence the Esmerada is ro~erfny equipped but she
yuucraDe throughout, and there can be doubt a. As
even ghty armed ahtasonist oouiu pa ia. os I s
machinery spaces aud destroy or dlsl0cae Tie uccse
| hydraulic mechanism by which the heavy gGns a1s
| worked. On account OF her small coal supply. vul.
neraLity. unshcathed bottom aud insignificant spread
OF sail. am unable to see the Drogrety OF DuileiAs
OF the wOrG aud the workmen IN British private yard.
M Hicbborn says: The bulk OF the work Is gwen ode
amount to more per OF what the same
trades receive IN the United States. In the Royal dock
|
OF the labor day WORK and the employees have consider
able attention paid to their comfort About thlrd OK
tuc men are called established, and have pension %
look when advanced In life and mcnpacated
IA wise pOvislou, encouraging good conduct on the
part OF the renderimE strike IL the dpckyard
AN iulossibity. lie average hired man In the Cav
ernmcnt yards gets shngs pence per day ana tho
average established man gets sbillDgs Gig pence
leading man OF snpwrghts gets shillngs 6i2 pence.
| In France" Mr.. HlckbOrn says, wages are ex-
tren,cy low aud the condition OF the wOrIpglau is
CORR poniingly depressed In the dock yards ahVrers
get about per day backsmiths helpers 30 TO 10
cents second class shipwrghts 90 10 %, and very
| competent shipwrlgbt may got 50 cents Average
blacksmiths, utters aud turner's get about To ccns
competent smith will 50. After years OF service,
when looking forward TO beconing foreman lie VIII ges
81 foreman gets more than eight francs,
| or 81 GO After twenty five years employment every
workman IL emitted 10 pension which B Two 'hrus VI
| his greatest pay
| In conclusion Mr.. Hichborn says: - naval war would
doubtless demonstrate that the elaborate schefIcS sf
feet tuccs which have been the theme o many essays
by naval officers have been chiefly valuable us mcntAl
exercise, and that though Importance may attach %
skilfu dlsposton OF forces In the bcgluuiBg OF en-
engagement, yet. view OF tue rGpldty with whlcn
vessels woad be disabled 10y the tremendous means OF
offence antagonized aud the inability To or obey
signals amid the confusion and obstructing smoke Is
evtnt that such engagement must presently become
nell nell scrimmage. Such war OF one snel Dattit
wanld prove what bas long been the apprehension OK
tncllicut oflcers--that the ship or our day has
become far too compile ated for the people who lay 10
called upon 10 work her. and that = balance OF sdvan-
t.pr by many rests with tAt vessel WHICH
has simplicity even though II be concou-
liant with greater apparent exposure OF HE or lower
and reduced power OF Ouence'