The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-04
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
Abstract of the Annual Report of Secretary
Whitney, Disappointing Experience.


suggested in a former report The Secretary
says that Congress has not yet taken action in
the matter, and he has exercised the power pos
sessed by the Secretary toward bringing about
the changes suggested These changes consist
in dividing the work of the department into
first, a military branch, dealing with the per-
sonnet OF the navy, its enlistment and discipline
and the movements of the fleets, etc.; second, a
branch having to do with the creation of the inn
plements Of war-the construction branch; third.
the branch dealing with the purchase of supplies,
keeping of stores, etc.. and having charge of the
general accounts of the department. A board Of
three naval officers was appointed to make an in
yentory of stores AID other property of the
navy yards. This inventory has not yet been
completed, and its work has been found difficult
and laborious.
In reference to the new cruisers, the Secretary
says:
The experience of the Department. in it's first attempt
at the creation of modern vessels of war has been
such to excite the greatest and disappont
ment. An examination of the facts with reference to
them demonstrated that an entirely new departu
was necessary in undertaking further similar
struction. The one characteristic which unarmed
cruiser must possess is great speed. This is deter
mined by the function which she is expected per-
form in modern warfare. She is commerce de-
stroyer She must be able to escape from nclads
and outrun, to overhaul merchantmen. If
slower than roncads she could not keep the sea- and
If slower than merchantmen she might well stay in
port. This division of ships by the functions which
they expected to perform is one of the things
which has come about of recent years. When it be-
came impossible to concentrate in ship both the
greatest speed strongest armament and the highest
defensive power, without reaching tonnage displace
ment wholly out of the question, the division into
classes. according to the functions which they
ahNrf
have become distinct class, and the characteristic
absolutely indispensable to this class is very great
speed.
When the Dolphin, Boston, Atlanta and Chicago
were projected and the contracts for their construc
ton entered into it well known what speed ought
to be attained and what weight and character af ma.
chnery per ton of displacement necessary to OBJ
tain it. Commercial vessels had at that time attained
speeds ranging between sixteen ard nineteen knots,
and cruisers being built in other countries,
had already been built, attaining the same speed
The Dolphin and the Atlanta having both been com.
pleted and having had trial trips it is possible to
pare them in their results with similar vessels built
contemporaneously elsewhere The Dolphin, of l 500
tons displacement be compared with the Alacrity
and Surprise English dispatch vessels of 400 tons
each, and the Milan, French dispatch vessel of l.
$50 tons, all built contemporaneously. The Dolphin
was designed for $500 indicated horsepower, the
Alacrity and Surprise each 5000, and the Milan
$500. The highest mean horsepower developed up
on trial was, in the of the Dolphin, less than
200; of the Aacry. 3,173 of the Surprise. 3,079;
of the Milan 4 1872. The highest speed of the Dol
running light of the Alacrity, 1875 knots of the
Surprise, 178 knots of the Milan. 1874 knots.
The Atlanta. the sister ship to the Boston, can be
compared with the Esmeralda the Giovanni Bausan
and the Mersey All three built in England; the
Esmeralda for Chilli. the Giovanni Bausan for Italy
and the Mersey for the English government The At
ianta is of 600 tons displacement; the Esmeralda
1920; the Giovanni Bausan, 3 ,06S; and the Mersey
$3.50. The Atlanta was designed to attain indi-
Gated horsepower of 3. 500; the Esmeralda and Clio
vanni Bausan. EACH $500 and the Mersey, 5000
The trials had of the Atlanta indicate that her engines
will develop less than $500 horsepower, while the
Esmeralda developed 5000, the Giovanni Bausan
$3.50, and the Mersey G, 626. The maximum speed
of the Atlanta will oe less than Is knots while that
of the Esmeraida was 1928 knots, the Giovanni
Bausan 17.5 knots the Mersey 10
These facts are stated without any Intention of To-
eating responsibility or blame upon any person 1t is
impossible to ascertain where it should be placed But
they indicate simple abandonment on the part of the
department of any attempt to reach the conditions
which should have been attained. and the failure
the part of the contractor to reach the limited results
expected by the department. In considering the
matter of constructing the additional vessels author
lied by Congress in March, 1885, it decided by
the department to exhaust every effort to avail itself
of the most advanced thought and knowledge at
tanned by own and other countries upon the sub
ject. The machinery of naval vessels is entirely diff.
ferent in character from that of merchant ships and
modern vessels have been for many years
built in this country by our government. up to the
time of those just referred to. it probable
comparing results attained by the department in it's
first effort with those reached by other countries
that important advances have been made elsewhere
in the methods of attaining great speed and power
which it had become necessary for us to utilize For
twenty years the principal market for modem
vessels has been England. Russia Germany, Italy,
Chill Brazil, Japan, have all procured in the En-
glsh market vessels reckoned among the best in
their respective fleets Great efforts have been
made in most of these countries to develop ship
structon at home but not without first awaiting of
the latest products attainable elsewhere basis
upon which to build their subsequent improve
ments and Developments.
The necessary steps have been taken to offers
of MIA or two authorized nv
gress and the department is also engaged in prepar
ing designs for these vessels. The armor and the
ament of the vessels authorized by Congress involve
an estimated expenditure of $50 1872 900. In view of
the Importance of utilizing the occasion induce
1nent to steel manufacturers. it decided to put
the required for all of the vessels authorized
by Congress into one contract and offer the same to
the competition of steel manufacturers in the United
States and allow sufficient time for the successful
bidder, if should appear, to take the
essary stems in the way Of the creation of plant and
of initiating the manufacture.
The report of the Chief Constructor of the Navy
sets forth the present condition of the vessels in
commission and their probable duration. If his esti
mate is correct in six years the country will be pos
sessed of but three serveabe cruising ships of those
upon the list; and unless new navy shall be
created there will be in existence after that
lapse of time.
The small amount Of modern armor which has been
used by the department of late years has been pur
chased abroada policy certainly not in keeping with
proper dignity and PRIDE at all consistent with
wisdom.
At the present time and for many years to come,
in event of conflict with either first secondclass
naval power it would be quite impossible for the
United States at present situated to produce with
in it's territory either the required for armored
ships the guns necessary for their armament Nor
would it be possible for the navy of the United
States to protect such articles in transit the
ocean even if it possible to obtain them else
where in time of As at present situated the
country would be entirely defenseess in the absence
of any ability to produce armor or the larger high
powered guns
In the adjustment of the accounts for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1886, and after paying all liabilities
for the year it is believed that there will be
pended balance of from 5000 900 to $3.50 0OO
about onehaf of which is pay of the navy and of
the marine corps, showing expenditure of about
$13, 800 o00 or upwards Of $500 600 less tkan the
appropriations. These amounts do not include the
expenditures for steel cruisers and completion of the
doubleturreted monitors.
Under the head Occurrences of the Year" the
Secretary discusses the ship-building policy of
foreign powers, and refers 20 the trials made last
summer of the little boat Stiletto, with view
to determining its adaptability for torpedo serv-
ice These trials were very satisfactory, the
vaezal attaiuinp an averaoa Snaed of % so knots