St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-12-07
Bureau of Construction and Repair.

| Theodore Wilson, chief Of the Bureau
of Construction and Repair, has submitted
to Secretary Tracy a volumiDous report OF
| operations conducted under the super us
ion of the bureau during the year ending
June 80, 1889, and the estimate" for the
coming fiscal year ending June 30. 1891.
| The latter include the following:
| Salaries in bureau, $21 $50: preeerva
| ton and completion OF vessels on the
stocks, purchase Of materials IN stores OF
all kinds, labor il navy yards, etc s ,ooO.-
| OC0; clerks, etc. in ravv yards, $19 o12 !;
Improvement of plant at New Y ork navy
YARD, $50, GOO; at Norfolk navy yard, $780,
0OO at Mare island yard, San Francisco,
S775 600: on account OF bulls aud outfits
O saips heretofore suthoriz by Congress-
"a, GOO. 600: improvement of plant at Ports
mouth navy yard, $3.50. coo; al Boston yard,
$50, coo; at League Island, Philadelphia,
$3.50, 000; construction Of two tugs, $50
COO; construction OF one freight boat, T4J0,
600
Daring the year 1883 the following
EXPENDITURES were made:
Repairs on vessels at navy yards. 1913,
3G4; construction and repairs, S..9, 943;
Ia DOR a. navy yard and stations, materials,
etc $40, 905; civil establishments, $40,
925; steel cruisers, 81, 294 repairs of YES
sells, 1922, 1854; increase Of the navy, $148,
1875.
The Commodore presents lengthy ar
gument in favor of increasing the eff
cheney of navy yards rs indicated in the
estimates, saying this great nation should
not close any navy yard. The report says
that after eight or nice years there will be
no wooded vessels remaining in active ser
vi SEta'GDou annrouYiayicn will no
necessary in order that the work of con-
struction and repair may be carried on dur
ing the re,Uainder Of the present fiscal year
without interruption, The single turreted
monitors are said to be now in worse
than useless state ard the report recon-
mends that Something be done with them
To put them into condition for efficient
service in harbor ard coast defense will
cost, it is estimated, s405 0oO. There are
thirteen Of the monitors
Com. Wilson calls attention to tie diff
Guilty Of getting satisfactory bids for the
construction of vessels when the cost is
limited by the ac:s authorizing them to be
built sni recommends 5bat in the future
the bureau be Lot crippled by such le8is-
lation.
In conclusion Com Wilson gives the
following statement of The condition Of the
navy:
The United States has at present four
steel cruisers and q steel dispatch vessel
in commission. The Baltimore. Vesuvius
Petrol and Charleston have had their trial
trips and may be expected soon to take
their places in the cruising fleet.
There are twenty one wooden steamers
and seven iron steamers still useful and
ser 7iceabIe. With the completion of the
vessels now bui ding aud appropriations
made for, the United States viii possess
ten armored vessels, thirteen single tur-
reted monitorT, twenty one steel cruisers or
gunb0ats, two dynamite cruisers, prac-
tice cruiser for cadets, an armosed ram,
one first class Tor pedo boat and seven iron
steamers.
The work of re building the navy i pro-
crossing very satisfactorily, aud the re-
suits accomplished during the past six
months are sufficient guarantee OF the pur-
pose of the department to advance the
work with the utmost rapidity and of its
energy and success in the performance of
tie task. The vessels already under con-
tract and building at navy yards are pro-
crossing favorably and some are rapidly
nearing comnletion. The progress made
upon the armorad cruiser Maine at the
navy yard, New York deserves special
mention and is very creditable to that
yard. It will thus be seen that, as far as
lies within its power, the department is
vigorously endeavoring - satisfy the mop
ular demand and establish navy worthy
of the United States and commensurate
with it's Importance as a maritime power.