The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-13
WHITNEY ON THE NAVY.
WHAT Is NEEDED TO INCREASE
ITS EFFICIENCY.
Steel Cruisers TO Replace Wooden
Ships-The Value Of Tor
pedO Boats.

taTy Whitley to-day, at the TeQues
Ct The House Committee on Nava
Affairs, expressed his views relativ
to the reconstruction OF the navy. H
began With ion that tn,
unC completed monitors should be com
pleted. In his opinion the type O
vessel most needed by the navy wa
steel cruisers. Those low buildini
were good fighting ships, and in tim,
OF war Would prove the effectiveness
OF their armor and machine guns. HI
thought the government should 90 OF
replacing its wooden ships with these
cruisers. After a sufficient appropri
ton should be made it Would take
some time to draw up plans and gel
the yards into condition to start
work.
The ch alrman inquired whether, in
bis opinion, a pant Of the appropria-
ton should be set apart for the con.
stIuction OF torpedo boats?
The Secretary replied that as tor.
pedo boats held an important place in
modern warfare, il would be wise to
provide for their construction.
The chairman asked il he had any
opinion TO give in references 10 the ad-
visibility OF building ships in navy
yards or by private contract.
The Seer, tsry replied that the navy
yard question had good many sides.
As far as the economic question was
concerned he did not suppose the
navy-yards were defensible, but tina.
was not all there was Of it. In time
OF war it was absolutely necessary to
have plants and organization. In
time Of peace the navy yards were
required II make the necessary re-
pairs of vessels. Looking at the mat
ter from an economical standpoint.
The contract system Of construction
was more satisfactory. If, however,
the government anticipated having
iIon-clads and torpedo boats and
cruisers and a real navy he would
recommend that one yard be fitted
up 80 that ships could be built in it.
Ships like the Rlachuclo, built for the
Brazilian government, were the mort
useful type. That ship was q combi-
nation OF monitor and cruiser, a
good sc a-going ship-a cruising mont
tor. Recurring 70 the subject of the
comparative cost of construction in
public and private yards, he said that
the work could be done cheaper
by a private builder than
at hayward. A private builder got
grta. deal mora yok out Of his
people than could be gotten out of
the men employed in the navy-yards.
The eight-hour law made difference
OF twenty per cent. If American ship
builders could be gCten into a condi-
ton where it was 10 their interest to
hire the best constructors in the world
better ships would be built in them
than our naval officers could build in
our yards, for they could pay bettsr
salaries than the government payF.
There WAS not the same stimulus in
the government service. He had a
definite idea OF the kind of vessel re-
quired. We should build half dczsn
cruisers a little larger than those now
building-about the size OF the Chi.
csgo. The work could he done in the
navy-yards with the expenditure OF
several hundred thousand dollars to
get the yards in condition. In
answer to Mr.. Thomas, the Secretary
eaid he thought it would be a wise
policy 10 offer to private contractors a
bonus for speed greater than that
called for in the specifications, and
also to impose a penalty if the speci-
fed horsepower was not real zed.
The vessels should be of the cruiser
tyre.