The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-22

cleaned and painted, and independent OF the
work which had to be done by the government
to ht them for sea- alterations and ADDITIONS
have been and are being made to them, as called
for from time to time by the advisory board;
The Chicago is still at Chester, and
the work on her is now be-
ipg pushed rapidly towards completion
The chief constructor says the appropriation
of 500, SCI made under the act OF July 70. 1880,
will not be sufficient to complete the work on
these vessels, and in order that no delay IN It's
prosecution may be occasioned by lack or FUNDS.
he has asked for an additional appropriation OF
$56, 600, which. it is expected will complete the
vessel, provided no further alterations nor extra
work involving any considerable expenditure OF
money and time recommended by the al
visory board. The Lackawanna, now at the Mare
Island navy.yard, California, while not yet con-
demned. cannot be repaired for active service,
and it is suggested that she be converted into
receiving ship, to replace the old line-of-batte
ship Independence, which is now unit for
further a receiving ship.
The Tennessee, the only frst-rate wooden ves-
sci in active service, can be kept in service but
few months longer. She is undoubtedly in
very bad condition; her main vale strakes are so
badly decayed as to preclude their being re-
calked, and her lower mastheads are so badly
decayed that it is not considered prudent to
carry press of sail upon them.
The Shenandoah has also been surveyed and
found to be beyond repair The number OF
serviceable vessels in the navy has thus been re-
duced to two frst-rate, ten second-rate, twenty
third rate and seven fourthrate vessels the lat
ter class including two torpedo rams The
Franklin, Wabash, Minnesota and New York
all irst-rate vessels-are set down as requiring
extensive repairs, and thirteen iron-clads re-
quire more or less repairs.
In addition to these vessels, the naval list COM
prises thirteen tugs and twelve wooden sailing
vessels. used for receiving and training ships.
The new vessels. completed, building or author
lied to be built, are summed up as follows: One
1.-THE Dolphinl complete. two 1.-THE Boston and At
lanta) armament incomplete, five 1.-THE Chicago
and the monitors) incomplete, five 1.-THE Balti-
more, Charleston and Newark, and two gun
boats) under advertisement, and four ian armed
cruiser, battle ship, a pneumatic dynamite
boat and torpedo boat not yet designed.
To the above list of iron and steel vessels can
be added the Alert and the Ranger, four guns
each; the Monocacy, paddle-wheel gun-boat. six
guns; Michigan, paddle wheel boat, four
guns; Alarm. one gun; Intrepedid (yet TO be com
pletedl gunboat two thirteeninch guns. The
remainder of the iron built vessels now in the
service consists of thirteen river and harbor
monitors with single screws rated as fourth
| rates. They could not be got ready for service
without an expenditure of 5000, 900 under this
bureau alone. Of the second rates, the Trenton,
| Omaha and Vandala probably be continued
| in service ten years longer; the Lancaster and
| Brooklyn six years; the Hartford, Richmond and
| Pensacola five years.
| OF the third-rates the Mohician can be contin-
lance. Essex, Enterprise, Ta!lapoosa. Yantic
and Npsic for six years; the Juniata Ossipee,
| Quinnebaug. Swatara, Galena, Marion. Kear-
sarge and Iroquois, five years longer. Plans and
specifications have been completed for two COM
posite built, fine-modeled vessels, to be used as
] training ships and tnoy could be commenced at
/ once if appropriation were made for them.
| The board appointed to design plans for the
complexion of the double-turreted monitors has
nearly finished its specifications.
| The chief constructor recommends that in the
| event of only one of the large vessels provided
| for at the last session of Congress being built at
| a navy-yard it should be built at the Brooklyn
| yard. that yard is now in condition to com
| mence any such vessel and carry on the work
with some rapidity. Great necessity exists for
| better docking facilities IN all our navy-yards.
This rs c>s~aereds more important on account of
the frequency with y iAhsxhe~sseslzpash
vessels will require to be locked to clean s.seae
paint their bottoms. In the event of foreign
war this great deficiency would be seriously felt,
perhaps more so than any other of our present
wants 1t Is therefore worthy of grave consid
Grafton whether immediate steps should not be
taken to place our navy-yards in this respect, in
the most thorough condition of effectiveness.