The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-10-01
THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
Its Present Condition, and What fs Being
Done Toward Improvement.

Its Present Condition, and What Is Being
Done Toward Improvement.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-Chief Contractor
Wilson, OF the navy, estimates the active
life OF the Tennessee, the only wooden ves-
sci in tie navy classed as first-rate, at six
months. and the twenty-five second
and third-rate wooden vessels are given
from five to ten years of active life.
These, with three third-class and three
fourth-class iron ships, constitute the
present navy. The most powerful OF their
weapons are converted guns, having
range of perhaps two miles. These guns
are inefficient against modern armor.
The list of iron clads comprises more than
dozen monitors, but none OF them is in
condition for service at this time. With
this showing the United States is placed
BIZ her own authorities at the foot OF the
list OF naval powers.
Our prospective 'inew navy" the con-
struction of eighteen ships OF all classes,
has been authorized by Congress, to cost
altogether something more than 0,000,-
900, and the last of which is expected to
be afoat in four years. They are to be
built entirely of metal and no device
known and approved at the date OF their
planning to secure efficiency as fight
ing machines is to be omitted
in their construction. Their arma-
ment throughout will be OF modern
high-powered guns, the largest weapons at
present contemplated beng the twelve
inch breech loading rifle. carrying a mis-
sile weighing more than 500 pounds,
and requiring more than 400 pounds
of powder for each discharge. The
fhnnrnfiC01 mn Of t1oh Sc
about twelve miles, but difficulties in the
matter of eation and otherwise serve
to reduce this somewhat in practice.
Seven of these ships are to be
armored the heaviest probably carrying
sixteen inches of steel as a protection.
Three will be protected cruisers" that is,
vessels whose thick lower decks of steel
dip their edges below the water line and
serve as protection to the machinery and
other vital parts of the vessels. The 9th
ers will be four steel cruisers, two gun
boats. one frst-class torpedo boat and
one dynamite gun cruiser.
Ofthe steel cruisers the Dolphin, 1, 500
tons displacement, is already completed
and receiving her armament. The Atlanta,
5000 TONS is on her trial trip and her ar
mament is being tested, while the Boston,
5000 tons. and the Chicago, 1900, are
well advanced in construction. Five OF the
armored vessels are of double-turret
monitor class, designed to carry
four heavy high-power guns throw
ing 500-pound shells with q pos.
sible range of ten miles. The Miantono-
nah, 3815 tons, will be ready for service
this year: the Puritan. 5000 tons, has
her engines in place and is nearly ready for
her armor. while the Terror, Am,hrite
and Manadnock- 3,S15 tons each are
now receiving their machinery. The other
two armored ships have not yet been
commenced. They are to be 5000 tons
each.
With all these vessels af1oat the United
States will still be outranked by En-
gland France, Germany, Austria, Italy
and Russia.
On Friday next the maynard in this
city viii be transferred to the ordnance de-
partment for a naval gun factory. The
plant for making anchors and chains will
be removed to Boston, and the boiler
works will probably be shipped to Brook
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