The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-05
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.

The New Cruisers-Responsibility for the
Dolphin's Observation-Disclosures of Our Navy.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 4-The annual report Of
Secretary Whitney begins by giving list Of
vessels 10 commission, and eleven pages are de-
voted to statistics concerning the working of the
various bureaus of the department The amount
of appropriations applicable to the current ex-
penses of the first six months of the fiscal year
was 81, 255. As, the amount for the last six
months of said year, ending June 80, 1885, &c.
23O, 253 IS, making the total amount $l3 4S5 537 49,
The estimates for the navy for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1887 amount to $35, 104 695 Is,
in which sum are embraced estimates for new
objects. not those ordinarily for the service,
amounting to SIG 069. "a, leaving for the GUS
| tomary purposes of the service $19, 034 744 81.
They embrace for increase of the navy, $40 503,-
| ||0; for the completion and armament of the
double turreted monitors 81 ,202 &C., and for pub
lie works and improvements at the yards and
stations, 81, 26s 1874.
Secretary Whitney then gives an account of
the disturbances at Panama and the part taken
therein by vessels of the navy. The report
briefly relates the action of the last Congress in
authorizing the construction of the additional
for these vessels have been prepared and referred
to the bureaus of construction and engineering.
The Secretary continues
upon my accession to Office the department
had In process of construction, under contract
with Mr. John Roach, three modern steel cruis
ers and one dispatch boat. The constituted the
first attempt of the Navy Department for many
years to construct war vessel up 10 the modern
requirements They should be looked upon aud
judged as such. AS such they viii, trust be
found in the main creditsble TO those who have
been engaged in their creation. They will GER
tainly, if they have beer well built be an in-
provement upon the previous work of the de-
partment, but it IS not profitable toconsder then
as standards of excellence for future work, nor
was it to be expected that they would DE.
1T is to be regretted Il think all will now ac-
cede to this suggestion) that greater delbera-
ton was not had over the preparation of the
plans. 1t seems that the plans had not been
prepared when the publication of the advertise
ment for proposals for bids was first made In
fact, they were not passed upon and approved
by the advisory board and finally settled until
about the day when the bids were to be submit
ted From the complaints of the contractor
largely. am inclined to think, JUST long de-
lays took place in settling details after the con-
tracts were entered into.
I'm the case of the Chicago more than six
months of delay in the work was admitted by
the advisory board as attributable to these
causes, and to the delays arising from changes
in plans, and much longer time is claimed by
the contractor Greater deliberation over the
plans would likewise, doubtless, have resulted
in the avoidance of some serious mistakes.
1.-The Dolphin, as she now is, should be re-
garded a pleasure boat rather than as dis
patch boat. The absence of the most ordinary
and approved devices for protection against hos
tile fire in her design take her out of the cate.
CORY of war vessels The use, for instance of
vertical engines, exposing her machinery above
the water-line in vessel without arrnor protec-
ton, is far from being good practice at this time.
In fact, she does not bear favorable comparison
with similar vessels built at about the same time
by other countries.
1.-The Surprise, built by the English govern
ment contemporaneously with the construction
by us of the Dolpain, has horizontal engines,
placed below the water-ne. with a horizontal
steel-protective deck, and with coal protection in
addition. She has forty water-tight compart-
ments against the Dolphin's six. Her ma
chinery weighed 10 per cent less than the Dol
phin's, and produced 20 per cent. more power,
and her speed is from two to three knots better
than that of the Dolphin. The vital parts of
the Dolphin are so exposed that under fire she
would be quite useless; yet her design is charge
able to the government Ar the present time it
is quite proftess to discuss her characteristics.
She doubtless would not be thought worthy Of
duplication at the present time by anyone"
Secretary. Whitney here details the facts incl
dent to the offering of the Dolphin for accept
ance by the department, the various trials made
of the ship, and the report of the advisory
board and continues as follows:
THE decision of the department was that
under the circumstances no point could properly
be made with regard TO her general workman
ship, the contractor having remedied and being
willing further to remedy apparent defects, and
there were left but two points in the case for
considerations the one was her speed and the
other her strength The results of the trials
had shown that she had not the speed contem-
plated by Congress in making the appropriation,
nor that which similar boats built contem-
poraneousy. elsewhere were given, and ques-
ton was raised, although positive statement
was made with regard to her strength. The
board state in full the circumstances considered
by them with reference to her strength, and
state that nothing short of a trial at sea for
some time and in rough water can satisfactorily
determine her actual strength and Weakness
and expressed regret that it was mere matter
IF opinion without such test.
Under the circumstances the department
1cided to submit the question to the Attorney
eneral, whether, under the contract and law,
the contractor was responsible for the speed and
strength of the vessel. The opinion is annexed,
with other papers. the decision being that ne
responsible both for the speed and the
strength of the ship and that by reason OF
certain clause in the contract referred TO In the
opinion, the paper which purported to be con-
tract for the construction OF the Dolphin was
null and void as such.
1.-THE Dolphin case remains, therefore, to be
disposed of upon proof to be supplied TO the
court upon these points. | have, IN addition,
taken measures to ascertain and settle the ques-
ton as to her strength. If she proves well built
in that regard the other matters of dispute can
be, / think, settled by agreement or arbitration
out OF court.
'As to the Boston, Atlanta and Chicago, the
eleventh clause of the contract provided for the
contingency of work being stopped upon them,
and the provisions of the contract have been
pursued; the ships have been taken possession of
by the governments; an inventory OF the amount
of work performed has been made; the valuation
Ao1 10 FrRnf
complete them where they stand IN the yard,