The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-12-06

OUR WATER DEFENsEs.
Annual Report Of Secretary whitney
showisg the Cond tion Of Uncls sam's
8 Navy. Isl
WAsHINCroN. Dec. 1.-Seoretary Whitney.
In his annual report, after presenting y brlvl
review Of the condition Of the navy 40 II viii
exist on the s4,h Of March In comparison with:
the same on the 18th Of March Of 1895, says
that 10 far as armorcd ships are concerned, tho
subject is yet to be treated In . broad way
by the department in Congress-. As result of
the policy adopted and carried out during tho
past three years tho conditions ct the presen9
time. the Secretary says, are such that every
thing necessary to hrst-class fighting ship
can be produced and furnished to the depart
ment in this country as soon 40 in the course
of construction any element or feature II re-
CURED; but this has never heretofore until
the present time been true, and therefore
the consideration Of the subject has
beon necessarily postponed by the
forts Of the department IN ship construct ON
have necessarily, since March, 1885, been de-
voted to unarmored vessels, and as to these
the department is able to report that when the
ships In course Of construction and those au-
thor;zed shall have been completed, the
United States will rank second among the ma
lions in the possession OF unarmored cruisers
or commerce destroyers'' having the highest
characteristics OF size 1900 tons and upward,
and possessing speed Of nineteen knots and up
ward. The importance, the Secretary says,
which has been placed upon this branch of
naval armament will be appreciated from the
statement that England and France possesses
armored cruisers. The attention Of the
world was attracted to the destructive effect
which was produced upon the commerce of the
United States by the cruisers fitted out under
the auspices of the Confcderacy in the
war of the rebellion. The total tonnage Of the
registered vessels of the United States had
risen year by year, until. in 1861. it amounted
was reduced to 1,492.926 tons. or, in other
words, to the point which we had reached in
1849, from which decline we have never recov
orod. TIE insurance war risk upon American
vessels during the war rose in exceptional
cas- 81 to as high as Is per cent.
The Secretary quotes English authority for
the assertion that 'if there is one point clear
er than another in the history of commerce it is
this, that when o State can not e1ectually
protect its carry ng trade in time OF war that
trade passes from it and does not RETURN" and
saws:
We can not at present protect our coast but
We can return blow for blow. for we shall soon
be in condition to launch q feet OF large and
fast cruisers against the commerce Of an
enemy, able to inflict the most serious and
lasting injury thereon.
Discussing the production Of power by ma.
chinery, Secretary Whitney says that an ex-
animation of the condition of the depart
ment in 1886 in this respect led to the conclu-
sion that the machinery OF naval vessels ought
to he SO designed rs to produce ten-horse
power for each ton OF machinery, and it was de-
termined to make that the standard, and to
enter into contracts that were based
chinery were purchased abroad, which upon
trial had appropriated that result. b dders
were authorized to bid upon tho plans thus
submitted to competition or were permitted to
submit their own plans, but were obliged to
guarantee tn results determined upon by the
department under severe penalties for failure
and compromising premiums in case of attain.
ing 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 depart
ment in this matter have been cordially sec
onded by the bureau chiefs: and it is believed
that, at the present time, the department has
reached the point where entire reliance can be
placed upon it for the production of war YES
sells equal in character to those of any other
country.
Referring to the reduction of expenses dur
inR the past three years, it Is claimed that The
savings of the department are paying for the
new navy, and on this topic the Secretary
says: 1T is gratifying to be able to report
that, Notwithstanding the large expenditures
for the new navy in the last three
years, the reductions in other directions
has made the total expenditures less for the
three years than for the three years
ending June so, 1884, the ordinary expenses
20 per cent" A table is included in the report
which shows that the expenditures for the
years ending June 80, 1882, 1888 and 1884 were
az, H93 97, and for the years ending June 30,
1886, 1887 and 1888 s46, sso,63O. The fiscal year
ending June 80, 1885, is omitted from the table
as not having been wholly in either admins.
tration.
Discussing coast and harbor defenses Secre.
tary Whitney says: In the last annual report
Of the department the considerations were
given leading to the conclusion that it would
be unwise for the department to follow the
course OF the European powers in building un-
protected torpedo boats, and in the present I'm.
certainty regarding the practicability of sub.
marine boats, and while waiting the practical
trial of the dynamite gun-boat it has been
deemed wise for tie department to build one
lght-draught. heavily -armored, harbor defense
floating battery or ram, for which designs have
been prepared.
Considerable space is devoted to q discus
sion Of the business methods OF the depart
ment. and to the efforts being made to SIM
plify, systematic and improve them. Upon
this subject the Secretary says: During the
years Of 1884 and 1885 over 50 per cent. in
value OF the supplies Of the department
we're obtained by open purchases with
out competition. During the last year
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 pur-
chases can be reduced to about per cent.
The naval brokers have for the most part dis
appeared, and regular responsible dealers are
becoming more and more contractors for these
supplies. For q time 1t seemed impossible to
dslodge them. They would underbid regular
dealers, notably for the supply of
coal. It was quite evident they
had some advantage which did not
appear. Careful investigation showed the
quality of the coal delivered to be as con-
tracted for. The receiver of the coal was
changed at the Brooklyn navy yard and the
weights taken by another civil employe, and
nothing suspicious was developed. Finally q
notice, to weigh personally barge load, and
it was found sixteen tons short. The
gentleman disappeared as bidder for the de-
partment at that time. There was no evidence
of fraud on his part, but inference can readily
be drawn. The system OF property accounts
for the navy, referred to in the last annual re.
port. has been in successful operation since
July !. The experience OF the first quarter
shows that it is simple and that there is no diff
flculty in keeping pace with current work at
the largest stations.
The report says that by careful Watching Of
the disbursement ON foreign stations and
calling the attention Of pay officers to the sub
jects Of their drafts by which greatly improved
rates have been procured the department is
able to report that on the items of commission,
interest and exchange, whereas net loss of
SOB 44a was made in the two wears and ten