The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-19
THE new NAVY.
Secretary Whitney Submits His
Annual Report.
Progress and Expenditures Under
the Present Administration.


it will exist March 4, 1889, in comparison
with the navy as it existed March
4, 1885. At the earlier date the
United States had no vessel Of war
which could have kept the seas one week a.
against any first rate naval power and was
dependent upon English manufacturers for
gun forgings, armor aud secondary batteries
that is, machine and firing guns The
departments first step was to cease
buying armor and gun steel abroad.
armor and gun steel purchased IN England
amounting to S227, ,365.29. The final pay
ments upon those contracts made subsequent
to that date amounted TO about 500 OOO. NO
further purchases Of either armor or gun
steel have been made abroad since March,
1856.
Its second step was to hold back contracts
for armor and gun steel until contracts OF
some magnitude could be offered tothe conn
petition Of domestic manufacturer, one con-
dition Of the bidding to be the erection OF 2
plant In this country adequate to the manu-
facture Of both armor and gun steel mp 10
the highest standard OF European require
ments" ...s.s 80 y
As result Of this policy 'tupon the lst day
OF June, 1887, contracts were entered INTO
with the Bethlehem Iron Company, OF Beth
lehem. Penn, one Of the largest and most
enterprising Of American steel manufacto-
ries, under which the United States was
guaranteed that within two and one-hah
years from the date Of the contract this coun.
try would have within its borders plant
equal to and probably the superior OF any In
the world for the production of armor and
the forgings for high powered guns" s7i
$50 far as armored ships are concsrned,
says the Secretary, 'the conditions are such
fhot oyarvthino ,ooaoaarv a first .CiAS8
fighting ship can be produced and furnished
to the department in this country"
The work of the department since March,
1885, has been devoted to unarmored cruisers,
concerning which the Secretary says: This
department is able to report that when the
ships in course Of construction and thossS
authorized shall have been ,completedi
among the nations in the possession
Of unarmored cruisers, or commerce
destroyers.' having the highest charac-
teristics-viz.: of a size 5000 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
England and France possess sixty-fve vessels
Of the class known as unarmored cruisera - 4
The Secretary then refers to the. need TOR
greatly improved machinery to give the
high speed required and says: "An examina-
tion OF the state Of the art In 1885 led to the
conclusion that the machinery OF naval
vessels ought to beso designed as to produce
ten-hoTse 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 substantially thereon. - :
"It results that all the contracts for the
construction of ships which have been en-
tered into since March, 1885, call for the pro-
duction OF power by machinery equal to the
highest standards 80
The Secretary then gives In tabular form
the aggregate expenditures Of the Navy De-
partment for the years ending June SO. 1889,
1883 and 1884, in comparison with the ag-'
gregate expenditures Of the departments for
the years ending June 80, 1885, 1887 and 1883
The year ending June, 1884, Is omitted as
having been not wholly in either administra-
tion. The expenditures fixed by statute or
otherwise beyond control Of the Secretary
the three years Of the Arthur administra-
tioi, and to S3O.91O. 1865 for the three years
of the Cleveland administration. In the last
named period the amount expended for 'in-
crease Of the navy,n vessels and monitors"
ststeel cruisers" monitors" }" purchase Of
steamer Stiletto" and payments on ships
built prior to 1SSl-S2 exceeded the amount
paid for new ships or similar items during
the Arthur regime by 81, ,4O4. $50. 16. But the
total expenditures for the department during
Arthur's three years amounted to S47,Sf9,-
397.63, while during the same period under
President Cleveland the total expenditures
reached only SAG. $50, ,6S0,4. In other words,
Secretary Whitney spent for new navy
s., ,404, ,529. 10 more than did his predecessor
in the same length Of time and yet made
saving in total expenditures OF Sl,l4S, ,76SS
in three years.
Notwithstanding the large expenditures
for the new navy in the last three years, the
reduction in other directions has made the
total expenditures Of the department less for
these years than for three years ending June
80, 1884, the ordinary expenses of the depart
ment having been reduced over 20 per cent.
During the years of 1884 and 1885 over 50
per cent in value Of the supplies of the de-
partment were obtained by open purchases
the proportion Of such purchases was less
than II 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 report says that by careful watch
ing of the disbursements on foreign sta
tions and calling the attention Of pay
officers to the subject OF their ea.os drafts, arts.
been procured, the department IS
able to report that on the items Of commits
sion, interest and exchange, whereas q net
loss of S1U3, ,4a3 was made in the two years
and ten months ending April "a, 1885, for
the three years ending June 80, 1883, net
gain Of S703 was made.
during the year at home and abroad, and In
it the Secretary says:
1.-THE necessity for increased numbers Of
fast protected cruisers, whether for purposes
of protecting or destroying commerce, or for
service with feet as scouts, has teen
emphasized during the naval manouvres Of
heyear. and is fully recognized by all naval
The Secretary's estimates for the fiscal
wear ending June 80. 1890, amount to S20,-
f67,677.74, Of which SIS, ,934. .O78. rs is for the
ordinary objects of expenditure and the re-
mainder is made up as follows: Increase OF
the navy CONSTRUCTION and armament),
So, 900; improvements OF all kinds at
yards aud stations, sS,21a; as. 9S; for rev
Naval Observatory, $3lO, ,O0O, and Tor osher
special objects, $662,3:0.
The following table shows where the chfet
savings were made:
General Bureau Ez- Js.s s. 81 Is Jqss s I ssss'
Bureau nfd'' Of construc- ''''' w
ton and Repair. :. $4,5l0,lD G997,4t4
Bureau of Steam En- ,,
gineering. .....-.. 3,BS,4l7 ,4l,ISo
Bureau of Provisions
and Cloth ng.... 3,SS7,35 4,ois.5s'
Bureau Of yards and
Docks. ......".... 2,S32,yO 22o,Soo
Bureau Of Equip
ment and Recruit
ing............... 2,5s1,0s0 2,066,2S9
Bureau Of Ordinance SIG, AL 73I0l7
Bureau Of Naviga-
tion. oll,l ,loS SSo,olV
Bureau of Medicine
and Surgery...... 3l9.T0 NSSU
Pay. miscellaneous. 1,105,S0 9S,5D
4 r01