Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-24
BUILDING uP rME NAVY:
rhe Unanishea and Projected Cruiser

The Unanishea and Projected Cruisers.
THE PLANS FOR THE NEW vEasErs pNpER
CONSIDERATION By NAVY DHfARfNENr Du-
REAU cHrEFA
The plans for the new cruisers aoufouxfated
for by the last Congress have not yet been
adopted, but some progress has been made.
Secretary Whitney says he IL NOT yet ready 20
give any particulars concerning what has been
done, but that he has placed the matter in the
hands Of the bureau chiefs, who are now at work
This takes the matter out Of the hands of
both the old advisory board and the new board
ceived from various sources, anu places II In the
hands Of responsible officers whose duty it 10 TO
ordnance, according to their respective func-
TONS 1t has been the complaint that hereto
fore the engineers and constructors Of the navy
tion OF naval vessels has been entrusted to the
line officers, who know nothing whatever OF
marine engineering, but are merely sailors.
The chiefs of the bureau Of ordnance. construc.
ton and repairs and of steam engineering,
however, are officers who have made = study 81
these branches, and 1t is expected that they will
present some practical plans.
THE COMPLETION OF THE UNFINISHED oRUIs-
ERS ORDERED.
Secretary Whitney has received the report OF
the board of appraisement appointed to esti-
mate the value Of the three unfinished cruisers,
the Boston, the Chicago. and the Atlanta.
proved by the Secretary and referred to the adj
visory board with instructions for them to take
charge of the work for the government and
complete the vessels in the yards where they
now arc, employing the workmen, tools, &c,
of the failing contractors The report gives
minute details of the proceedings of the board
and states that they had the cordial co-spera-
ton of the contractors in conducting their work.
IN making the appraisement they followed the
ct4Ah fhaS ft,0
contract price of the vessels es the market
value when completed, taking this minus the
sum they estimated 1t would cost to complete
them according to the specifications, as the
present value. The board examined the ma.
terial and workmanship Of the vessels with
great care and found them to be good ia each
The total contract price OF the Chicago, In.
Guiding extras, was $685., 602.11. This the
vessel, were it completed. and estimated that It
would cost S93, 179. 80 to complete the hull, and
SIP 1850 to complete the machinery. &c,
S2OS. O4b.4O. This they deducted from the
ent value OF the unfinished vessel.
21S.74. The estimated cost Of completion is
chinery, 90, leaving seIo. oas.H as the present
The Atlanta was contracted for at 1851, !.
97S. 16. The estimated cost OF completion is
$17,OSs.6 5 for the hull and $24, 500. 80 Tor ma
These estimates are made after q careful ex-
Mr.: Roach and the naval inspectors, and deemed
sumcient to complete the vessels according to
profit.
The government now takes charge of the
work, and will complete 1t as soon as possible
Secretary Whitney says it was decided to con-
as it had been done Before, because the CON.
tractor was in a certain way still responsible
for the work, which was being done at his risk
SECRETARY wHIrNEY's LETTER.
The following letter was written by Secretary
Whitney to Mr.. A. j. Vanderpoel, the counsel
OF Mr.. John Roach, after q conference In New
York In August last with Roach's counsel and
assignees, as to the best method of completing
the unfinished cruisers:
"At our interview this morning, I said would
put In writing the course which / intended to
pursue with reference to the Boston, Atlanta
reference to them. My authority is, of course.
limited by the terms Of the contract. My view
OF the matter is that the present circumstances
ment with regard to the boats and I consider
not to take such steps as are found
cordance with the terms of the contract and
specifications. When the inventory has been
made and the appraisal been had, contem-
plated by the contract, see no reason to doubt
that my decision will then be precisely what it
would be at the present time. namely: that
under existing circumstances the government
should rescue its property by awaiting Of the
terms of the contract, and carrying the ships
forward to completion. In doing SO, inasmuch
as in the end 1t is practically done at the ex-
pense OF the contractor because an accounting
Is provided for at which the balance of profit OF
loss is struck for or against him., should
deem 1t entirely proper, while keeping control
and direction of the work, that il should be
done in the yard OF the contractor and with his
force. The plans are there; the organization is
there.
ties of the government are fully met II an OK.
acting supervision is retained, and control over
the force is retained, but the work 10 conducted
with the foremen and the force which the con-
tractors yard is able to supply.
In this way, probably, greater economy OF ex.
penditure would be effected than in any other
way, and the large force now ont of employment
would be able to resume work.
All this express Informally as my intention,
which have no reason to suppose will for any
cause be changed. 1t, in fact, results from the
necessities of the situation and is the only
course which seems to me good sense and busi.
ness judgment dictate"