National Republican., 1886-02-11
Ordnance and War Ships and Fortlaca-


ordnance ana War ships ana EOrtitiCl-
tions.
The Senate committee on ordnance and
war ships, of which Senator Hawley is
chairman, and which has been most efficient
ly aided throughout its work by Lieut.. w.
II. Jacques, Of the navy, and the Fortiflca-
tiOns board, Of which Secretary Endicott is
chairman, and Gems. Beuet and Newton,
Lieut.. Col. Abbott, and Capt. Smith, of the
army, Comdrs. Sampson and Goodrich, of
the navy, and Messrs. Joseph Morgan, jr.,
and Erastus Corning are members, have
done the country great service by their two
reports Just made public. These, with the
previous report of the Gun Foundry board,
of which Rear Admiral Edward Simpson
was president, and whose conclusions In gem
eral and in detail the laterreports adopt and
indoTse, furnish all possible information on
the subject of modern ships, guns, and other
weapons Of warfare, and upon the necessity
and the means for fortilcations and for our
other coast dcfenses, and they state the
only possible conclusions they believe can
be reached, unless the nation is to remain
in its present marmed and defenseless con-
dition.
One common way Of evadng the duty
Of deciding whether to legslate to discard
old army and navy habits and practices in
favor Of modern military methods, and
of justifying the refusal to make appropri-
ations for the construction ofmodern ships,
gums and forts, has been to postpone all
practical propositions concerning these sub
iects and refer them tO.committees, boards,
and commissions, on the pretense that
Congress needed more information and
light before acting.
In the meantime we have kept on with
the old system of appropriations for repair
ing old wooden ships in eXtravagant navy
yard shops, aud for building or converting
old-fashioned and worthless iron guns,
use Of money not much better than throw
ing 1t in the shape of gold or silver into the
depths of the ocean.
We beg leave to say that there is no eX-
cuse for delaying any needed forward
movement for national defense in order to
obtain more information. A full flood of
light is thrown by the reports of the gun
foundry board, the ordnance and war ships
committee, and the Notifications board
upon every useful subject of inquiry or
branch thereof. The whole case is stated
and the vital questions are presented for
decision, There are not many alternatives.
| Congress must substantially say either yes
or no.
The work urged as necessary Is stated In
substance as follows;
/. 70 start the manufacture in this coun.
try of the steel in ingOts, plates, and shapes
requisite for heavy guns and for ships, ar
mOrcd and unarmored, contracts must be
made with one or more companies TO erect
| the works and manufacture the steel. Such
works will cost Ss50,000, and the contracts
for steel must extend over ten or fifteen
| years at an annual cost of not less than ~ :.
100000. The Notifications board say that
Ss,OO0,OO0 should be appropriated for gun
metal the first year; but they do not meau
that 1t will be expended during the first
year, but that the government must become
bound for that sum.
H. Two government gun factories, to as
semble the various parts Of the guns and
mOchine-Hnish them, one for the army and
! one for the navy, should he established al
a cost for each Of Sl,000,0O0.
III. Appropriations of $i,OO0,0OO the llrs
year and S2,OOO,OOO annually thereafter
should be made to build the fertilization:
necessary TO receive the guns at the yarlou'
seaports Of the country.
~. Large appropriations should be made
for gun carriages, floating batteries, sub
marine mines, and torpedo boats. The to
tai sum recommended by the fortihcation
board for a comprehensive scheme o.
national coast defense Is $l96,37I 800, TO b,
provided Gs follows: