Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-12-03
The United States Navy
SECRETARY WHITNEY SUBMITS
HIS ANNUAL REPORT.
THE RAPID PROGRESS MADE
The Navy in 1885 and Its Present condi-
tion-Espenditures of the Department
Annual Report of the Inter
State Commission.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Sccr etary Viii t
ney has presented his annual report to
the president. After giving q brief re-
view of the condition of the pavy as it
will exist on the 4th day of March, 1889,
in comparison with the same as it existed
on the 4th day of March, 1885, and fur
Dishing a list of the armored vessels here
tofore authorized by congress, the secre-
tary says: 'tThe efforts of the depart
ment in ship construction have necessa-
Yily, since March, 1886, been devoted to
unarmored vessels, and as to these, the
department is able to report that when
the ships in course Of construction, and
those authorized, shall have been COM
pleted. the United States will rank Sec
ond among the nations In the possession
Of unarmored cruisers of m de-
stroyers, having the highest character
istics, viz: of size, 5000 tons and ue-
wards, possessing q speed Of nineteen
knots and upwards The Importance
which has been placed upon this branch
of the naval armament will be appreci-
ated from the statement that England
and France possess sixty-fiye vessels of
the class known as unarmored cruisers.
eve cannot at present protect our coast,
but we can return blow for blow, for we
bhGhli SOOu DO III SOAuibiOI ~ lhuuSn u
feet of large and fast cruisers against the
rious and lasting injury thereon
With regard to the production of pow
er by machinery, the report says: HAH
contracts for the construction of ships
which have been entered into since
March, 1885, call for the production of
power machinery equal TO the highest
standards 1t is believed that, at the
present time, tho department. ~hasreached
q point whore entire reliance can be
placed upon II for the production of war
vessels equal in character to those of
any other co1ntry.tt
1T is gratifying to be able to report
says the secretary, that, n-otwithstand-
ing the large expenditures for the new
navy in the last three years, the reduc.
ton in other directions has made the
total expenditures Of the department less
for these years than for the three years
ending june 80, 1885, the ordinary ex-
penses of the department having been re-
duced over 20 per cent
Under the head of Coast and Harbor
Defense Vessels the secretary states
that, s.in the annual report of the de-
partment, considerations were given
leading to the conclusion that it would
ue uuWlse IOr tHe uepaIlul6ub 10 IOllOW
the course of European powers in build.
ing unprotected torpedo boats; and in
the present uncertainty regarding the
pTactieability OF submarine boats, and
while waiting a practical trial Of the
dynamite gun boat, it had been deemed
wise for the department. to build one
light drauRht, heavily armored harbor
defense, floating battery, or RAM, for
which designs had been prepared by the
burean Of constraction and steam sngtn-
eering In consultation with tho chief of
the bureau ordnance
The business methods Of the depart.
mont are discussed at some length, and
d history given of the efforts being made
to simplify, systematic and improve
them.'
The estimates for the navy and marine
corps for the next fiscal years lis S2B, 1877,
GA, and includes 80, M, 900 for increase
of the navy construction andsarmament
$2,214, 4 for improvements at navy
yards and S240,0 e0 for a new naval OBJ
s%ervatory. The appropriation for The
current fiscal year aggregates $40, 942, 481