The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-12-10
THE AMERICAN NAVY.
What Secretary Whitney Reports as to til
Navy Department.

what Secretary Whitney Reports as 60 the
Navy Department.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-The report Of
Secretary of the Navy Whitney. given out
last night opens with a renewal of his
former recommendation for the consolida-
ton of bureaus 50 as TO insure responsibility
in purchase and care of supplies, and states
that so far as his power extended he had
consolidated in one bureau the general pur-
chases of department and the care and Gus
tody of stores, creating a system of book
keeping by which the responsibility for
care and disposition could be had. The re-
port says: ''HheTe is at present no real re-
spOnsibility for the care and disposition of
property. In one bureau a property ac-
count is kept and in others none. Property
lost, missed or stolen can not be traced or
accounted for and no person can be held re-
spOnsible. The Fourth Auditor in his re-
port Just issued calls attention to this re-
markable circumstance which was also re-
ferred to In my last annual report. The in
ventOry shows very large and unnecessary
accumulation of stores and supplies by the
different bureaus, aggregating over twenty
millions of dollars in appraised value. The
board reports between three and four mil
lions in value to be obsolete and useless at
the present time, only entailing expense for
keepers and constant care to preserve them
in condition"
Regarding the new cruisers the report
says: The experience of the department
IN its first attempt at the creation OF
modern vessels of war has been such as to
excite the greatest concern and disappOint-
ment When the Dolphin, Boston, Atlanta
and Chicago were projected and contracts
for their construction entered into it was
well known what speed ought to be at
tanned and what weight and character of
oh die nIr0r
necessary to obtain it. Commercial vessels
had at that time attained speeds ranging
between sixteen and nineteen knots and
cruisers were being built in other countries,
or had already been built attaining the
same speed.'
The Secretary compares trial trips of the
Dolphin and Atlanta with English and
French boats only recently completed to the
disadvantage of the former. The Dolphin
was designed fer 1890 indicated horse
power and developed less than 1900, while
the Alacrity and Surprise, English boats of
5000, developed 3,173 and 3,O79 respect
lively. The Atlanta was designed to attain
$500 horse power, but her engines deveI
Oped less than that The report says:
These facts are stated without any inten-
tiOn of locating the responsibility or blame
upon any person. 1t is impossible to ascer-
tain where it should be placed.
In considering the matter of constructing
the additional vessels authorized by Con-
gress i'll March, 1885, it was decided by the
department to exhaust every effort to avail
itself of the most advanced thought and
knowledge attained by our own and other
countries upon the subject The report
says the department has accumulated q
large amount of Information which will be
utilized in the construction of vessels in the
future. The report then gives resume of
the bids and awards for the new cruisers.
1t also treats of armOr and guns for mOni-
tors and irOnclads at great length and dep
recates that this country should be content
to be dependent upon manufacturers of
any other nation for the fabrication of ar
NOR and high-pOweTed guns.
The report says: 1T would be a great
benefit at the present time if the appoint
ment of a commission should be authorized
to lay before the next Congress a cOmpre-
hensiVe scheme of construction, such COM
mission to be composed Of both civilian and
naval experts fit to deal with the subject
If Congress should at its next session
make provision for the manufacture in this
country of armor and of high-pOwered guns
and should take steps for securing broader
and more intelligent consideration proper
to be undertaken, no time would in the
end be lost and mistakes would be avoided.
Meanwhile it is my duty to call attention
to the urgent necessity for immediate
action"
Concerning the expenditures the report
says: 'ln the adjustment of the accounts
for the fiscal year ended June so, 1856, and
after paying all liabilities for the year,
it is believed that there will be an unex-
pended balance of from 100000 to $780, 600,
almost One-haIf of which is pay of the navy
and pay of the marine corps showing an
expenditure of SI3, 500, 900 or upwards of
S5OO,OOO less than the appropriations.
These amounts do not include the expendi-
lures for steel cruisers and completion of
the double turreted monitors" 1t is cited
that this is the first time in many years
that the expenditures have been kept with
in the appropriations.
The Secretary recommends that the Naval
Academy course be shortened to four years.
as recommended by the commander Of the
academy. lie also urges that apprentices
be admitted to the academy, and says: 1T
is the desire of the department that the
naval service should not be open to aI4y
charge OF exclusiveness-the sole exception
to this sound and wholesome principle of
our national policy. To this end it would
recommend that measures be taken by
which, under proper safeguards, admission
to the Naval Academy might be given to a
limited number of apprentices, who should
then be subjected to the same course of
training and examination as the other
cadets, and who, under the application of a
uniform test, should stand or fall solely ac-
cOrding to the strength or weakness of their
own merits"