Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-20

try. No other navy yard enjoys an advantage
like that. Then the yard is located near the
Capitol, where it can be visited at little expense
OF time by Congressional committees on any
day. 1t Will be under the immediate super
vision Of the MISUNDERSTANDING Executive
and COngresS-which can note the progress of
work without being dependent upon reports,
which are never so satisfactory as personal in
spectiOn. The government ought to maintain
in this city works OF the highest class, for they
not only come under the inspection of our own
officials, but are constantly under the scrutiny
OF representatives of foreign governments. One
thing that may perhaps work against this yard
is fact which is really one of its chief advan-
tages, and that is the fact that 1t is removed
| from the influence of local politics. Workmen
are employed and retained on account of their
skill, and not on account of their politics."
THE MANUFACTURE OF ORDNANCE.
The great steel guns, with their smooth. glis-
| tening sides, which can be seen here and there
about the shops in various stages of completion,
afford the most recent evidences of the capacity
of the yard and the skill of the workmen. The
excellence that has been obtained in the fabri-
cation of steel rif1ed guns of high power at the
Washington yard has surprised the various
boards and commissions that have investigated
the subject, and resulted in a general approval
OF the recommendation of the gun-foundry
board that national gun factory be established
at this yard. The conclusions reached by these
soon the navy yard would be IL busy manufac-
turing establishment, employing many hun.
dreds OF men and doing an important part Of
the Work OF creating a new navy.
THE SENATE COMMITTEES REPORT.
The report recently made by the select COM
mittee OF the Senate on ordnance and war
ships, OF which Senator Hawley was chairman,
says: The Washington navy yard contains
sne best gun-iabricating plant in the United
the gun-foundry board that the best locations
for the gun factories are the Washington navy
yard and the Watervliet arsenal. 1.-THE for
mel" the report says, "has already plant that
has been employed in the finishing work upon
twenty-one modern steel guns, OF calibers
ri,0f from tn
are finished. The site is naturally secure from
an attack by foreign fleet" The gun-foundry
board, whose report is quoted at length by the
Senate committee, does not recommend the
establishment OF a government foundry, prop
erly so called, but of gun factories, the rough
casts to be purchased from manufacturers and
finished In the gun factories. The approximate
cost OF a plan for gun factory Is estimated as
follows s, Guns o up to 6,inSh eaber, $40, 600;
guns from 12-inch TO 16-inch calber, $3.50, 600;
buildings and shrinking-pit, $35O,OOO-total.
The committee quotes also from the report of
the commission on navy yards, which says:
I've advise that the Washington yard be
dropped from the list Of navy yards, but, under
the designation of naval arsenal, retained III
full working condition for the manufacture of
specialties under the bureau of equipment and
ordnance sheet copper under construction and
standard articles under steam engineering"
CHIEF CONSTRUCTOR WILSON'S VIEWS.
Chief Naval Constructor T. ID. Wilson, in
speaking TO a STAR reporter, said: mo place in
the world is better adapted for ship-building
than the yard right here. 1t has an elegant
ship-house with granite foundation The talk
about vessels OF any size not being able to get
up TO the yard is nonsense. But little dredg.
and deep as is needed. Less than year ago
the Powhatan came right up to the yard wharf.
We can build there modern armored vessels
with everything complete. Very few addi-
tional tools would be required to construct
steel ships. They could be quilt without any
Interference with the ordnance work The con-
there ho
used by ordnance. They will, therefore, simply
lie idle and go TO pieces gradually. Shfp-build.
a better effect on appropriation bills than any
thing else: The construction OF ship could be
watched from the start"
THE HISTORY OF THE YARD.
The history of the Washington navy yard
dates back to the beginning Of the present GEN.
fury. The original site Of the yard, squares $50
and SS4, were purchased on the 18th March,
1900, for "a 900, very considerable sum in
those days for land in that section of the city,
On the Goth of June of the following year a
deed was recorded from the city commissioners
conveying square No. 927 to the yard, but
without consideration. Subsequent additions
were made TO the yard, but there was no money
directly paid for the land except in the first
instance. The total cost of the yard, including
the site, Improvements, repairing, and preser-
walton from 1900 TO June 80, 1885, has been
S4,377 ,9oO.s3. In the yard there are eight
comprising all the workshops making q total
of seventy-one buildings. In ali the navy yards
there are five hundred and thirty-seven build
ings.
COMMANDANTs OF THE YARD.
The first naval register was issued in 1915,
Since then they have been published regularly
up to the present time, and show the duties of
all naval officers during that period. The list of
yard has upon 1t some OF the best known
names In naval history. In 1915 1t was conf
manded by Capt. Thomas Tingey, and he re-
NAMED In command for over fourteen years.
until his death, in February, 1929. He was
succeeded by Capt. Isaac Hull, who was COM
until 1886 In the latter year Capt. Daniel
T. Patterson was assigned that command
and retained it until his death, in Aug,
III. Stevens, who commanded during 1910
The list OF other commandments is as follows:
5no T. aueh ana OF a.
OILS. Capt. Henry + Ballard, is4s, SO, and d. =
French Forrest, 1856. Capt. Eli A. +. Lava Lava
lette, 1887. s.. Capt. John Rudd, 1859. Capt.
Tennessee in the memorable battle Of Mobile
bay. Capt. A. A. HARDWOOD. 1s62-63. From
this time on the commanding officer was higher
gomery. 1s64-5. Commodore VIM Radford,
| 1870. Rear Admiral L. NJ. Goldsborough'
1S11-2-3. Commodore Thos. II. Patterson
lS.4-06. Commodore John {. Febiger,
1SI1-S-9SO. Commodore Thos. PattisOn
issl-2-3- Commodore Alex. Semmes, lsS4-5.
| In the summer OF 1885 he committed suicide.
de was succeeded by Commodore Walter w.
| Queen, who Is In command OF the yard at the
present time.
SHIPS BUILT AT THIS YARD.
The following naval vessels Of war have been
| built and equipped at the Washington navy
yard: The Columbus, a ship OF the line, begun
| in 1916 and completed In 1910. She cost
S4Z6,93O, and repairs up to 1850 amOuute To
S26O,46S. She was q spiendidly built shin.
Her last cruise was 10 Brazil In 1874, when sue
was the flagship OF Admiral DanJ Turner. She
was broken up.
The Potomac, begun 1919, finished 1921,
nrst-ciass irigate, A guns; cost, S35O.OOO; re-
pairs, $390,244. She was last used as U re-
ceiving ship at Philadelphia, and was sold only
"a lew years ago.
Brandywlne, 44-gun frigate, begun 1921;
nnisied 500 cost, $685., Z; repairs, $6a4. 400.
size has been broken up.