Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-27
OUR navy.
The United States Placed at the Foot
Of the List Of Naval Powers
Of the World,
-----------+--
Our Rank to be Secend.CIass on the
Completion eithe Vessels Author.
lied BY Congress.
A Modern War Vessel which win have
no Rivai--ticyernment Printers
Discharged.

NOTHING 10 nR PROUD or.
WASHINGTON, Sept 20 Chief Con-
structor Wilson estimates the active life
OF the woodenwsre ships Of our present
navy as follows The Tennessee, flhe
only one classed as nrst rate) six months;
the Trenton, Omaha and vandalia, sec
ond rates, and the Mohican, third rate,
ten years. the Lancaster and Brooklyn,
second rate, and the Adams, Alliance,
Essex, Enterprise, NIpsic, Tallapcosa
and Yantlc, third rates, six years,
the Hartford, Richmond and
Pensacola, second rate, and the JunIata,
Ossippee, QuinobRng, Swatara, Galena,
Marion, Iroquois and Kearssge, third
rate, five years. These, together with
the iron ships Monocacy, Alert aud Ram
ger, third rate, aud the Michigan, Palos
and Plnta, fourth rate, constitute the
available lighting force Of the present
navy. The most powerful OF their
weapons are converted gurs, having
q range Of perhaps two miles, excellent
arms for operations against wooden ships
and ancient Notifications, or for Smelling
towns, but inefficient against modern
armor. The very best Of these naval
ships is held by our naval authorities TO
be far behind the times as reliance for
offense or defense In actual warfare. The
list OF ironclads comprises more than a
dozen monitors, hut none OF them are In
condition for service at this time With
this showing the United States is placed
by her own authorities at the
foot Of the list OF naval powers
in the essential matter Of ships
and guns, there being three South
American, two Asiatic and fifteen or six
teen European powers which outrauk
the United STATES. That portion OF our
prospective thew navy,n whose con-
struction has already been sanctioned by
congress, numbers eighteen ships OF all
classes to cost gu aggregate OF something
more than $50, 100000, and the
list OF which, barring the accident
Of appropriations, IL expected TO
be afioat four years hence. They are re-
Quilted To be built entirely OF metal, and
no device known and approved at the
date OF their planning TO secure efficiency
AS fighting machines, has been, OF Is 10
be, omitted In their construction. Their
armament throughout viii be OF modern
high-powered gunsi the largest weapon
at present contemplated being q ~ inch
breech-loading rife, carrying missile
which weighs more than eight hundred
pounds aud requiring more than 400
pounds Of powder for each discharge. The
theoretical range Of such weapons Is about
twelve miles, but difficulties IN
The matter OF elevation and otherwise
serve TO reduce this somewhat in prac-
tlce. Seven OF these ships are TO be
armored, the heaviest probably carry Ing
sixteen inches OF steel as protection.
Three win be protected cruisers that IN,
vessels whose thick lower decks OF steel
dip their edges below the water line and
serve as protection TO the machinery,
magazine and other vital parts OF vessels.
The others will be four steel cruisers,
two gun.boata, one drst-class torpedo
boat and one dynamlte-gun cruiser. OF
the steel cruisers the Dolphin, 1900 tons
displacement, is already completed and Is
receiving her armament. The Atlanta
5000 tons, is on her trial trip, and nor
armament Is being tested. While the
Boston, 5000 tons, and the Chicago.
$500 tons, are well advanced IN
construction. Five OF the armcrcd yes
sells are OF the douole.turre. monitor
class, each designed 10 carry four heavy
high powered guns, throwing 500-pound
shells, with possible range Of ten miles.
These ships were plapined ten years ago.
Doubtless II planned to-day some change
would be made, bat they are neyerthe-
less spoken OF by Commodore Wilson In
his last annual report as the best type OF
coast and harbor defense vessels 10 exist
ence. Though not designed for cruising,
they caii In emergencies be sent abroad,
their sea-worthiness having been well
tested In the past. Congress has now
supplied means for furnishing these ships
and tire work IL progressing rapidly.
| The Miantonoman, 1915 tons VIII be
| ready for service this year.
The Puritan, 5000 tons, has her engines
IN place and IL nearly ready for her
atrlor, while the Terror Amphitrite ana
Wanadnack, 1918 tons each, are now re-
ceiyiue their machinery The other TWO
armored ships have not yet entered upon
their 6rst s.age Of existence, their con-
struction having only been authorized by
congress at the end Of its last session,
: They are 70 be OF 5000 tons displacement,
10 have double bottoms engines de-
signed 10 drive them at a speed Of sixteen
knots per hour, and complete tWpedo
outfits and ornaments Of the most tnect-
i've kind, and are 10 cost not more tnAn
II AZ. 200, 600 each. IN iuV AhSAC ,HFF
IN Of displacement these ships
viii exceed BY nearly one.
: fourth tire best and largest o.
our present naval vessels, while IN nPeeo
and effectiveness hey are intended 70
u eompafe favorabIy with The better CLASS
n Turopean cruisers. The dynemite,gan
cruisers viii be novelty, comPsr.u :
= nrobably 70 nothing now In existsnce.
Q Tine secretary Of tie navy Is authorized 70
n make contract Rith It's inventors ~ w
q construction, ana the department WIZ
nave little or Hotllng 70 90 win tnsgo .l..
4 bsyoud passing Judgment upon me pians
4 m advance and he result ~ its compile
4 tlou. The conditions imposed BY &c acl
Of congress contemplate tie coastfp9 ss....
I, N vessel 100 feet long,
= Internationally narrow and oI ven
4 iieht draft, with exceedingly pow
q efful engines, guaranteed "
n eanable Of producing spe1 q
4 twenty knots 10 brief, TIE plsns 2 ,nls
I, craft are understood 70 look @ ~ pAAe-
S d. ~ tbe m.cbinery ard other orfDaf5