The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-01
AMERICAS NAVY.
Well Provided With Tn
armored Cruisers.
MORE THoNcLaps ARE NEEDED
The Monitor the Bcst Type OF Coast
Torpedo Boats and Rams.

wASHtSsT0N, Nov. sA--Seerctary Whit
ney to-day presented his annual renost 10
the president After giving q brief review
ot the condition Of the navy e. i, will ex-
~ on iac sth dsy ~ Maucn. tSse. in cora-
psrison with the same A. it existed on the
'gh 81 March. IN, aud furnishing a liSt 0f
this avmogVd vessels heretofore authorized
by congress ghe SECRETARY SAYS. "a far as
afmore1 ssips are cDaecfnea, the subject
Is 20 b. IrgSted in a bgavc way by shc de-
parimoat aud cuner,xS A the present
tliHe tnr conditions are such that every
ihl0s asces>afs t. ilgHt.r,asS 4 sxtf4lHK shin
eau b produced and fnruishrsl ~ the de-
iaartmcut ia tnis Eogu;y As soon ~ Ia he
reatrse ot construction any feature Is re-
quired, but this hiss never until ths, prrssnt
time heen true Therefore Confederation
( % tse subject has been necessarily post
ioncd Af the Department until the present
time. The eIioss % the department in
Approximation have necessarily, since
March 4. iSsa, hccu devoted 10 uaarinornd
vessels, aud. as 90 ethcrs, the Department
= ahlr ~ report that When the ships IN
course y construction aud thase auth0r-
t9ed shah have baen completed The tuitef
statrs VIII raak second among tke nations
IN the possession Of uuarmorea cruisers or
commerce -deSiOyers having the high.
esi characteristics, og a sac ol 500 tons
aad uPW ards, and posse sing speed Of 10
knots and upwards
VALUE o. PAST cRuisL Is.
The SECRETARY quotes authorities as TO the
value OF this class II vessels. We can.
not az present protect our coast, but VA
can return blow for blow, Tor We shall soon
be IN condition 90 lanuch fleet uf larvV
aud fast cruisers against the commerce Of
an enemy, aud he able 81 iufliot maSt seri.
ons and lasting Injury thereon"
with regaFd % tie production Of power
"a ars-
ard IN lSSS was ten horse power 60 ton ~
machinery. All contracts since then have
been upon the highest andard aud al he
present time the department has reached a
point where catire reliance can he placed
upon IL for the prodRetioa OF war yt sSels
of equal character "a those oi any country.
II is gratifying 10 he able % report, says
the secretary, "thRt notwithstanding the
large expenditure for the new navy la the
last three years the reduction ia other
directions made the total expenditure Of
The department less for these wears than
for the thrVe years ending June -, lisa, tho
ordinary expenditures of the department
having been reduced over % per cent The
total expenditures oi the department for
the three years ending June 30. iSsa com
pared with the three years ending Juue 10.
iSsS. were 81 7,a59.is5 aud Ss6,sso,6o
co6sT AND nARnoR pEFKSse.
Undcr the head OF Coast and harbor
defense vessels the secretary states:
ia the last annual report Of lhc depart
mcut considerations were given leading
10 the conclusion that Il would be nnwlse
for the department 90 follow The course %
European powers in building torpedo
boats, and Ia the present uncertainty re-
gar,!ing the practicahlhty OF submarine
boats aud while awaiting practical test
ot the dynamite gunboat, II has
been deemed wise for the department
10 hnild one lieht.draught. heavily
armorcd. hagbor defense nOating battery
or ram, for which designs have been pre-
pared. The advertisements for this vcs-
sci call for the submission OF bids In
February next. The charaeteristics will
be found stated in tha table of armored
vessels 4"
Considerable space Is devoted 10 busi.
ness methods and the introduction Of
- stem into the department.
ARHoREo snsrs nnepkp.
A chapter Is dssvfed 10 navnl prou<@6s
during the wear a b<lnc xnfi ah<1k<.. a. ~
in II Is a staiemefit faet he n<c<6<(<< ~
an Increased numh<r q fasf proe1G>@1
tecting or des,r1yinx co1n,A&fee or ~
service with the tie<t N seuNzk. has he<A
emphasized during VIE naval fnAnenyera
OF the year and fnlly recognized by all naval
persons, but with the increase IN the mum
her Of cruisers Is has been recognized, N
view OF the recent introduction Of high *
PiosiVe pruieciil,s and the increase Of
power and rapid-frc aud other guns, fhst
renewed attention must he given 10 the
afmored heet, and the prevailing opinion
in England, France, Italy, Germany aud
Russia Is strongly In favor of additional
armored ships 20 be built at an early date.
In these new vessels the afmor is to be
much more Ni idely distributed and viii
certainly protect the battery aud erew. as
veil ~ the water line aud machinery.
The dcstrnrtiveness Of high explosive
shell IRE against unprotected sides has
emphasized the peculiar advantages Of
the monitor type Tor coast defence service.
The secretary considers the subjects OF
improved power and torpedo boats. say
inv in regard 10 the latter that recent naval
maueuyers abroad show thai they must
stiil be regarded as most useful for coast
ana harbor defense.
The estimates for the navy and marine
corps for the current fiscal year amounts
TO 81. .003, ,6zi. those for the next fiscal year
% SZh,167 on. The appropriations for the
current fiscal year are 4isgi2.f $50