The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1888-12-06
THE NAVY.

ncy of the Navy Department The Eek.
penditures for the Past Fiscal Year and
Several Years Previous.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.--Secretary Whit
ney, in his annual report, after presenting
brief review Of the condition of the navy
as it will exist on the 4th of next March in
compariser sith the same on the 4th OF
vn, 1885, says that SO far as armored
ships are concerned the subject is yet to
be treated in broad way by the depart
ment and Congress. As result of the
policy adopted and carried out during the
post three years, the conditions at the
present time are such that everything
necessary to o first class fighting ship can
iS produced and furnished to the depart
ment in this country as soon as in the
course of construction any element or
feature is desired but this has never
heretofore until the present time been
true, and therefore the consideration of
the subject has been necessarily postponed
by the department until the present time.
The efforts of the department in ship
construction have necessarily, since
March, 1885, 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 author
ized, shall have been completed, the
| United States will rank second among the
nations in the possession of unarmored
cruisers or commerce destroyers,' hav-
ing the highest characteristics Of size
1900 tons and upward-and possessing
speed of nineteen knots and upward. The
Importance which has been placed upon
this branch of naval armament will be
appreciated from the statement that En-
gland and France possess sixty-five ves-
sells of the class known as unarmored
| cruisers.
The attention of the world was attract
ed to the destructive effect which was pro-
duoed upon the commerce of the United
States by the cruisers fitted out under the
auspices of the confederacy in the war of
the rebellion. The total tonnage of the reg
istered vessels of the United States had
risen year by year until, in 1851, it amount
ed to 2,642, ,62S tons; and between 1851 and
1866 it was reduced to ,492, 1926 tons, or in
other words to the point which we had
reached in 1919, from which decline we
have never recovered. The insurance war
risk upon American vessels during the
war rose in exceptional cases to as high
as twenty-five per cent
Discussing the production of power by
machinery, Secretary Whitney says that
an examination of the condition of the
department in 1885 in this respect, led to
the conclusion that the machinery of
naval vessels ought to be so designed as
to produce ten-horse power for each ton
of machinery, and it was determined to
make that the standard, and to enter into
no contracts that were not based substan-
| TALLY thereon. Plans of machinery were
| purchased abroad, which upon trial had
| approximated that result. Bidders were
authorized to bid upon plans thus submit
| ted to competition, or were permitted to
submit their own plans, but were obliged
| to guarantee the results determined upon
by the department, under severe penalties
for failure, and with compensating pre-
miums in case of attaining better results.
| All the contracts for the construction of
ships which have been entered into since
March, 1885, call for the production of
power by machinery equal to the highest
standards. The efforts of the department
in this matter have been cordially second
ed by the bureau chiefs; and it is believed
that at the present time the department
has reached the point where entire reli-
ance can be placed upon it for the produc-
ton of war vessels equal in character to
those of any other country.
Referring to reduction of expenses
during the past three years, it is claimed
/
ing for the new navy, and on this topic
| the Secretary says:
1t is gratifying to be able to report that not
withstanding the large expenditures for the
new navy in the last three years, the reductions
| in other directions has made the total expendi
! ture less for the three years than for the three
years ending June 80 1884 the ordinary ex-
| penses of the department having been reduced
| over twenty per cent
| A @ol ;a - IN, tla x,ybt tnJ,
shows that the expenditures for the years
ending June 30, 1889, 1888 and 1894 were
! $i7,979,397, and for the years ending June
80, 1885, 1887 and 1888, $46,s30,630. The fis-
| cal year ending June 80, 1885, is omitted
from the table as not having been wholly
in either Administration.
Discussing coast and harbor defenses,
Secretary Whitney says;
In the last annual report OF this department
considerations were given leading to the con-
elusion that II would be unwise for the depart
ment TO follow the course OF the European
! powers in building unprotected torpedo boats,
and in the present uncertainty regarding the
| impracticabiity OF submarine boats, and while
! waiting the practical trial of the dynamite gun
boat, il has been deemed wise for the depart
ment TO build one light-draught, heavily ar
mored harbor-defense floating battery or ram,
| for which designs have been prepared.
/ iOnSlueThDle space Is utfoLeu 10 II ulStuS6iOn
OF the business methods OF the department,
| and to the efforts being made to simplify,
| systematic and improve them Upon this
subject the Secretary says; During the years
OF 1884 and 1885 over ffty per cent. in value OF
the supplies OF the department were obtained
| by open purchases without competition. Dur
ing the last year the proportion OF such pur
/ chases was less than eleven per cent. and in
/ the course Of the next fiscal year it is believed
| that the open purchases can be reduced TO
/ about FIVE per cent. The naval brokers have
| for the most part disappeared, and regular re-
sponsible dealers are becoming more contrac-
! tors for these supplies. For time II seemed
impossible to dslodge them. They would
J underbd regular dealers, notably for the sup
| ply OF coal IL was quite evident they had
some advantage which did not appear Care
| full investigation showed the quality OF the coal
/ delivered TO be as contracted for. The receiv-
! er OF the coal was changed at the Brooklyn
| Nayy-yard, and the weights taken by another
civil emplOye, and nothing suspicious was de-
yeloped. Finally, naval officer was detailed
/ without previous notice, to weigh personally q
barge load, and II was found sixteen tons short
| The gentleman disappeared as a bidder for the
/ department from that time. There was no evil
| dence Of fraud on his part, but inference can
/ readily be drawn The system OF property nc
/ counts for the navy, referred TO in the last an
nual report has been in successful operation
since July 1. The experience OF the first quar-
ter SHOWS that IL ~ simpie' ana tnat there Is no
difficulty in keeping pace with current work at
the largest stations,
The report says that by careful watch
ing Of the disbursement on foreign sta
! tions, and calling the attention Of pay Off
GERS to the subjects of their drafts, by
which greatly improved rates have been
! procured, the department is able to report
/ that on the items of commission, inter-
4 est and exchange, whereas a net loss
/ OF Sl03,403 was made in the two years and
ten months ending April "a, 1885, for the
three years ending June 80, 1855, net
/ gain Of S703 was made.
Abiding TO naval progress at home and
| abroad during the past year, the Secre-
/ tary says the necessity for increased num-
7 bers Of fast protected cruisers, whether
T for purposes of protecting or destroying