The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
Al c,te Regarding the Life of
t.. 'ps of the Navy.
preparations for the Unwilling of the
Liberty Statue.

Chief constructor Wilson estimates the ac-
tive life of wooden war ships of,our present
navy as follows: Tennessee (the only one
classed first-rate,) six years; Trenton, Oma-
ha and Vandalia second rates, and Mohi-
can third rate, ten years; Lancaster and
Brooklyn, second rates, and Adams, Alli-
ance. Essex, Enterprise, Nipsic, Tallapoosa,
and Yantic third rate, six years; Hartford
Richmond and Pensacola, second rates, and
Junieta, Ossippee, Quinnebug, Swatara,
Galena Marion, Iroquois and Kearsarge,
third rates, five years. These together with
the iron ships Monocacy, Alert and Ranger,
thild rates, and Michigan, Palos and Pinta
fourth rates, constitute the available fight
ing force of the present navy. The most
powerful of their weapons are conv erte ed
guns, having a range Of perhaps two miles,
excellent arms for operations against wood
en- ships and ancient Notifications, for she'll
ing towns, but inefficient against modern
armour. The very best of these ships is held
by our naval authorities to be far behind the
times as reliance for offence or defence
in actual warfare. The list of iron clads
comprises more than dozen monitors, but
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 essen
tial matters of ships and guns, there being
three South American, two Asiatlc. and HI
teen or sixteen European powers which out
rank u.s. That portion OF our prospective
new navy" whose construction has already
been sanctioned by Congress numbers eight
cen ships of all classes to cost in the aggre-
gate something more than 1000, and
the last of which, barring accidents or fall
ure of appropriations, is expected to be
afioat fours years hence. They are required
to be built entirely of metal, and no device
known and approved at the date OF their
planning to secure efficiency as fighting ma
chimes has been or is to be ommitted in their
construction or armament. Congress has
supplied the means for finishing these ships
and work is progressing rapidly.
States as naval power will outrank Bra
zil, China, Argentine Republic, China, Jap
an, Greece, Portugal and Sweden, and will
be abreast of Turkey, Spain, Holland and
Denmark. She will still be outranked by
England, Germany, Austria, Italy and Rus
sa.
The Liberty Statue.
The President will not issue invitations on
behalf OF this government to French citizens
asking their attendance at the inaugural ser
vices of the Liberty Statue to take place at
New York next month. The invitations to
such citizens of France as may be requested
to attend the Inauguration will be extended
in the name and by the direction OF the
American committee under whose centr0l
the pedestal has been erected and the statue
will be placed in position. These invitations
will be presented in France through U. 5.
Minister McLane. The President viii give the
American committee all aid in cooperation
possible to make the Inauguration i'm
pressive and successful, but will keep within
the law, upon the subject as passed by Con-
gress, which makes no mention of invita-
tions to any one and no appropriation for
such expenditure.
The Call for Bonds.
United States Treasurer Jordan says; 81
do not expect any contraction of the cur
rency to result from future calls of per
cent. bonds, although do not expect that
more than % per cent. of the called bonds
will be replaced by national banks with 4
and 4A per cent These bonds cost too much
in the market, and there would be no profit
to the bank in currency secured by bonds
for which so much would have to be paid"
Treasurer Jordan thinks that within twelve
months from date all the 3 per cent. bonds
now outstanding will be called in and re-
deemed if the revenues Of the government
continue as at present.