West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-12-13
THE NEW NAVY.

~ ""'o oNise NoISn y, iCcfs IN comparison
with the navy as IL existed March
4, 1885 AZ tho earlier date the
United States had no vessel OF war
which could have kept the soas ono week as
against any first rate naval power and was
dependent upon English manufacturers FOR
gun torgings, armor aud secondary batteries
that Is, machine and firing guns. The
departments first stsp was 10 cease
huying armor and gun steel abroad.
Contracts were pending in March, 1885, for
Rrmor aud gun steel purchased I'm England
amounting TO S227, ,S6i. -. The final paw
ments upon those contracts made subsequent
20 that date amounted TO about SlOO. OO0. No
further purchases Of either armor or gun
1885.
Its second step was TO hold back contracts
Tor armor aud gun steel until contracts OF
some magnitude could be offered 90 the com
petition OF domestic manufacturers one con.
dltion OF the bidding to be the erection OF
plant In this country adequate TO the manu-
i~c-lre OF both armor and gun steel up 20
the highest standard * European rsqriro
mentsn
AS a result OF this policy 'upon the lst day
OF June, lSSt, 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 wns
guaranteed that within two and one half
yenrs from the date OF the contract this coun-
try would have within its borders pant
equal TO aud probably the superior os any in
the world for the p oiuction OF armOr and
tho torgings for high powered guns. y
$50 Tar as armored ships are c0ncerned.n
says the Secretary, "the conditions are such
that everything necessary TO n first class
lighting ship can be produced and furnished
go the departments i'm this country"
Tho work OF tho department since March,
lSS5, has been devoted TO unarnored cruisers
concerning which the Secretary slys "The
department. Is able to report that whom the
ships in course OF construction aud thoss,
authorzei shall have been complete
the unite1 States will rank second
among the nations in the possession
OF unarmored cruisers, or commerce
destroyers. having the highest charac-
teristlcs--viy.: OF sze 5000 tons and upward
and possessing speed OF nineteen knot, and
upward. The importance which has been
placed upon this branch OF naval armament
viii be appreciated from tho statement that
England and France possess sixtyfive vessels
OF the ass known as unarmored cruisers"
The Secretary then refers 10 the need for
greatly improved machinery to give tho
high speed required and says: IAN examina-
ton OF the state OF the art IN 1885 led To the
conclusion that the machinery OF naval
vessels ought % be so designed as 20 produce
ten-horso power for each ton OF machinery;
and IL was determined 70 mako that the
standard, and TO enter into no Dntracts that
were not bnsai substantially thereon.
'It results that al tho contracts for the
construction OF ships which have been on
tered into since March 1885, call for the pro-
duction OF power by machinery equal TO the
highest standards"
The Secretary then gives In tnbulnr form
tie aggregate expenditures OF tho Navy De-
pa,t .ent for tho gears ending JIGe 80. 1882,
1888 and 1884. i'm comparison with the a.
gregate expenditures Of the department for
the years ending June 30, 1SS8, 1887 ani 1882
The year ending june 1884, Is omitted as
having been not wholly in either admnistra.
ton. The expenditures fixoi Ivy statute OF
otherwise beyond control Of the Secretary
OF the Navy amounted 10 SCI. 757, 800 3 for
the three years OF the Arthur administIa-
tion. and to $3O,9l0. 25 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
steel cruisers "montorsp purchase OF
steamer Stiletto' and payments on ships
built prior 70 1SSI-S2 exceeded the amount
paid for new ships or similar items during
tho Arthur regime by S3.40f. .52lI6 But tho
total expenditures for the department during
Arthurs three years amounted 60 S4T.Dig
5vL63. while during the same period unier
President Cleveland tho total Expenditures
reached only $40, $50 630 2l In other words
Secretary whitney spent for new navy
$500, ,5Sl 10 more than did his predec sssor
i'm the same length of time and yet made
saving I'm total expenditures of 81, ,1lS, 762.3J
IN three years
notwithstanding the large expend ituret
Tor the new navy in the last three years thu
| reduction in other directions has made thu
total expenditures OF the deIartnent less for
.hese years than for three years ending June
80, 1881, the ordinary expenses OF the depart.
nent having been reduced over 20 per cent
During the years Of 1874 and 1885 over &c
per cent in value OF the supplies Of the de-
partnlent were obtained by open purchases
without competition. During ths last veal
the proportion OF such purchases was iea
;han II per cent. and Ia the course OF The
next fiscal year IL Is believed that the open
purchases can DO reduced 70 about five per
cent
The report snys that by careful watch.
ing OF the disbursements on foreign sta
ions and calling the attention OF p1y
officers TO tho subject OF their drifts
by which greatly improved rates have
oeen procured, the department l.
ZION, intefcst aud exchan e. whereas n net
Oss Of slO3.%l3 was made In the two years
and ton months eniing April -, 1885, for
Tho three years ending June 10, 1888 net
gain of 1908 was made.
A chapter Is devoted 70 naval progress
during the year at home and abroad, and In
/ q the Socretary says
"Tho necessity for increased numbers Of
/ last protected cruisers wheth r. for purposas
ot protecting or destroying commerce. or for
service with n feet ~ scouts, has Teen
/ emphasized during tho naval mqnpuvres OF
The year. and Is fully recognized By all naval
I pOweran
Tho secretarya estimator for the fscol
/ year ending June %. 1890 amount 20 8yG.-
| i6I6N74 ~ which sf8, N34O4s 76 is for the
I ordinary objects Of expenditure and tho 70.
mainder is made mp as follows. Incro ise OF
.he navy construction an armament.
/ b0,7l1000. improvements Of ali kinds nc
/ Yards aud stations, f}2i3, ,24S o.: for new
Naval Observatory. $4,000. and for other
/ pecai objects. eri2,3 D.
The following table shows where the chief
ayings were made
g.a,ya, ssy,oa ~ Js J.ss sssfs .Jss. Jgss s gqlsg gqilsg
| nuroon ~ C.,raf,,,r