New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-12
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
THE WAR on AMERICAN SHIP BUILDERS.
WHY NOT GET DESIGNS FROM HOME "A LETTEB
FROM WILLIAM II. WEBB.

FROM WILLIAM II. WEBB.
TONE Edttor Of TheIrfo
Sir: Reference In your issue Of this morning 70
the several reports made by the Secretary OF the
Navy TO Congress- by which It appears that the
Navy Department has paid to foreign shipbuiiding
company $4,000 for design FOR the armorcd oatte'
ship Texas and the additional extravasant sum Oh
$4,000 for the working drawings Of the same vessel
induces me once more call the attention OF my
countrymen to the humlliatng and unsafe condition
in which we find ourselves in consequence OF the
decadence Of our former ocean marine IL y
well known that have only few ships' anu
the action Of the Secretary is practical proof thar
in the opinion Of the Navy Department we nave
no shipbullders with sufficient experience or abliy
to design such vessels wanted at the present
day for our Navy In this opinion do not concur
but II the course adopted by Congress Is 10
be pursued. It will not be long before we viii not
have designers or builders for either naval or
merchant vessels
This state Of affairs IS quite the reverse OF vha'
It was before and during the Rebellion, when every
naval power OF the Old World was sending Officers
here to study what was being done in prlVae
shpbuildlnc yards for our own and foreign Govern
ments. The writer long since as 1850 presented
complete and improved designs and plans to the
Emperor Louis Napoleon and to Count Bismarck
for steam screw rams of larger tonnage and heavier
armament than any then existing, with proposals
for building them In this country. Those designs
and proposals most favorably received anu
considered, but were finally rejected by naval eA-
perts being too large-about 1000 tons
but more particularly because Of too
great departure from the ideas and
models then in vogue in the arrangement Of arma-
mcnt soon thereafter similar designs we're pre-
scented to the Russian Admiralty, and in l7o- 'he
writer invited by the Grand Duke constantine
then Grand Admiral OF the Imperial Russian Navy 70
come TO ST. Petersburg. The visit resulted IN con
tracts being made for several vessels OF war among
them the largest and most powerful war vessel III
any navy and known the steam screw ram Cen
eral Admiral 1t was of over 1000 tons dlsplace
ment and mounted on one deck sixty-six eightnch
guns then the heaviest armament on board any snip
The new design Of the ship. so different from the
old ideas and the novelties introduced in her con
structiou. brought, while building, experts from al
the chief naval powers of Europe TO examine her
Her performances and spccd-fourtecn knots when IN
commlsson-not then eQualed By any naval vessei
astonisbcd all naval authorities al home and abroad Tho
English Admiralty Immediately lad down two SHIPS
similar IN design and armament. giving them moro
steam power but both ships failed TO equal the Gen
eral Admiral IN speed and IN other respects Inc
favorable reports regarding the performances OF TINS
ship in European waters induced Count Cavour who
was about TO begin 10 create navy Tor Iay'
to invite the designer and builder TO come TO Turin
n confer with him on matters Of business. Re-
spending 10 this invitation, and after soiourn o.
only two weeks IN Turin the writer left for home
with contract in hand for building two large iron
clad frigates as models from which others could De
built I'm Italy About this time a contract was neEo
uated with the Minister Of Marine Of spain when
Government was preparing enlarge its navy, foi
a large steam frgate as a model from which other
ships could be built al home General dimensions
and plans Of the ship were agreed upon, the pFce
and terms OF payment were fixed. and the speclhca-
tons were being drawn. when the news OF the hHng
bv the rebels on Fort sumter received In Madrid
The Spanish Government becoming alarmed hAt.Ho
been told by Preston. then our Minister lo hd44,l
that this Government going o. ruin, ashcu q" u'
released from It's engagements, and % was released
and 50 that business lost 10 this country 49,
Both the Italian 4 gates were bdllf ar NcN ioih
during the Rebellion. ana were Hel' ri'l ~ C'"'.
tine ia Itay-hciuE TIE INST lfnurlad' "hth ~
crossed the Atlantic. They made foo. unpfrcrl'hi
cdy short pa sage. TIE construction OF hcsc ,Ail7
gave eminent satisfaction, and Aonpi- anu drcoi@'AS
were gwen 90 the designer by both Governments.
feel NAV say 50 much the risk Of being considered
eg0tisfcal show that there was Tine When d. was
Europe for gns for ts vessels. subsequently. ana
during our Rebellion. the writer built for our Govern
mcnt tho M0ncad screw ram pund"rbuls. te largest
ifDuciad war ship ever constructed. The model OF
this ship was a most decided departure from any vessel
Of war heretofore built II proved a most excellent
sea boat. and showed extraordinary and unciualied
speed-l5 % 10 knots A. In commission. speed Suf
surpassed ly vessels az this day. she was Ercai
success the hands OF the navy OF France 10 whose
Governments she sold by her builder, he having
obtained Act or congress against me protest OF
the Navy DIT artmcnt. the secretary Of ar and Con
eral Grant. which enabled him 10 10 The price
obtained was nearly double that Of tho contract with
history connected With the building and final dispose
On Of This powerful ship but one faI from cred
table to orr Navy Department moire especially It's
under officials Yours truly, W II. WEBB
IarrytOwu. y Y, Aug 30 1---.