The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-01
SECRETARY WHITNEY.
A Report as to the Condition
of Our Navy.
FIRsT-CLAss FIGHTING SHIPS
The Commerce Destroyers''-Reduc
ton of Expenditures-Rega
Armed Vessels and Monitors.

WASHINGTON, November 30.-Secre-
tary Whitney has presented his annua,
report to the President. After giving a
brief review of the condition of the
navy as it will exist on the 4th day of
March, 1889, in comparison with the
same as it existed March 4th, 1885, and
furnishing list of armored vessels
heretofore authorized by Congress, the
Secretary says: $50 far as the armored
ships are concerned. the subject is to
be treated in a broad way by the De-
partment and Congress. At the present
time the conditions are such that every
thing necessary TO
FIRST GLASS FIGHTING SHIPS
can be produced and furnished to the
department in this country as soon rs
in any other. There are in course of
construction every element or feature
required, but this has never until the
present time been true; therefore con-
sideration of the subject has been
necessarily postponed py the depart
ment until the present time. The eff.
forts of the department in ship con-
struction, have necessarily, since March
1885, been devoted to unarmored YES
sells, and as to them the department is
able to report that when the ships in
course of construction and those au
thorized shall have been completed, the
United States will rank second among
the nations in possession of unarmed
cruisers. One of the
COMMERCE DRsTRoYERs"
has the highest characteristics, viz,
size, 5000 tons and upwards, and pos.
sessing speed of nineteen knots and
upwards.
The secretary quotes authorities as to
the value of this class of vessels and
continues: eve cannot at present
protect our coasts, but we can return
blow for blow, for We shall soon be in a
condition to launch feet of large and
fast cruisers against the commerce of
the enemy, able to inaict most serious
and lasting injury thereon "
With regard to the production of
power by machinery the report says:
The standard in 1885 was 10-horse-
power to ton of machinery all con-
tracts since then have been upon the
highest standard and at the present time
the department. has reached q point
where entire reliance can be placed upon
the production of war vessels equal in
character to those of any other coun-
try" "
DECREASED EXPENDITURES.
at is gratifying to be able to report"
says the secretary, "that notwithstand-
ing the large expenditures fer a new
navy in the last three years, the reduc.
ton in other directions made the total
expenditures of the department for
those years less than for the three
years ending June Both, 1888, the ordi-
nary expenses of the department.
having been reduced over 20 per cent.
The total expenditures of the depart
ment for the three years ending June
Both, 1884, compared with the three
years ending June Both, 1888, were S47,-
979, 397, aud $46 $50, $50 under the head
of coast and harbor defense vessels ,"
The Secretary states: In the last
annual report of this department con-
siderations were given leading to the
conclusion that it would be unwise for
this department to follow the course of
European powers in building unpro-
tected torpedo boats"
PROGRESS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
A chapter is devoted to the naval