New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-02

testimony the high skill or American an" e"o
excellence Of their work 10 the less remarkable,
In view OF the confident predictions with which at the
the ofcial condemnation OF the YES
sol somewhat prematurey pronounced by expert ana
by nexper judges therefore proved that in struct
uisi strength endurance and workmanship these vessels
not inferior to anything anoat In view OF these
facts the extraordinary statement put forth In the Secre
arys report for 1856 and aerward corrected that
comparison vessels with the Esmerada and other
foreign ships indicates ia simple abandonment the
part OF the Department OF attempt reach the
dtons which should have been attained" must be set
down fight Of political rhetoric. absolutely with
out warrant justification II the Department requires
vndcation from such charge It's complete vindica
tien is to be found I'm the vessels themselves
OF the cruisers started 1892 designs Of
the Baltimore and Charleston nom abroad OF
cruisers four have undergone their Official rathe
Baltimore, Charleston, yorktown Petrol The Bal.
tmoe Of 400 tons showed at her first tra s.977ss
power 10 81 speed hours and
200 knots speed during tho bes; OF the four The
horsepower marking sight deficiency 2o1N below the
requirement. the contractor at his request
given another trial. THE Department is glad to re-
port that this trial has proved brilliant success In all re-
spects the Baltimore has proved thoroughly satisfactory
The Charles on, Of $3.50 TONS shows e.6061e horse
power average speed for hours and 1s3
speed during best Of the four The York
town. OF l. 700 tons has developed lbs horsepower
1876 knots average speed and 104 knots speed during the
best hour OF the four At her subsequent steam trial.
September "a 1889, the speed obtained was 1877 The
petre OF $40 tons displacement has developed mean
speed of 155 kaots and maximum speed for one hour
Of IL So The English Maepe OF 500 tons showed
speed Of 141S knots The poor Of the Petrol is at
tfibutci to poor engineering
1t is noteworthy fact that most OF our new vessels
namely, the Baltimore. Chicago. Boston Dolphin ana
yorktown have later trials or in later service beaten
their record the contract trial and It is equally
fact usual experience with European vessels Is
just the other
The net results Of the Departments operations for the
last seven years arc satisfactory The assaults
made, with audecy than Judgment upon the four
experimental cruisers Of 1882 have been met successfully
by the perform OF the vessels and all doubts OF their
efficiency are laid forever while the four cruisers
of 1885, assuming that the Petrol viii eventually come up
20 the mark in advance their predecessors
prove that designers and constructors have kept
themselves the extraordinary Development IN
shinbuildng and have full advantage OF the III
formation experience which they were enabled TO a
quire through adopted at that time by me
Navy Department..
Tho chapter in the secretarys report relates 10
the pressing necessity OF increasing the Navy 10
stop now It is urged, is TO abandon everything Coh
tinung, the report says:
The necessities OF vulnerable position demand the
Immediate creation OF two Of battleships OF when
ot houd he assigned to the Pacific and twelve to the
Atlantic and Gulf They must be the best OF 'hei o
in armament amor. structural strength ana sleeu' 4"
addition the batteshps, the situation OF tne country
requires twenty vessels for coast ana hafoop u
fence They should have a powerful battery and the
heaviest Of amor combined with moderate draueh1 A'
the present time eight vessels OF this type are uhoer
The one problem before the Government In uie
patt1r OF naval policy, is to get these forty VeSseis
built at the earliest possible moment The steps hece
sary to their completion namely legislation desgh anu
cannot take five years In the case
Of each one Unless the existing yards public and private
are enlarged restockel with plant not more than esh
could be time, and the construction Vi '0
others would have to wait for the Launching Oh 'ne n!
Using the utmost prompness, the ships most esseh'~
to encient protection could be supplied in less than
twelve fifteen years. -.
1t is therefore recommended that the construction OF
eight armored be authorized az the coming sess0
opl that they be OF the type OF batleshps rather than
eoastdefcnce ships With the proportion OF three cruisers
TO ono bateshp the future Navy would CONSIST OF ~
baIeship 20 asdence ships and 90 cruisers or loV
vessels in ALL or co cruisers required 81 are now
built authorized.
The transatlantic liners are powerful factor u,
the naval Of the Governments at whose dSposai
they must place in time OF war ~ Is matter
serious consideration whether steps may not De taken
nowagd the creation OF such feet Of specially aaaQ"n
capable temporary incorporation in the hine
can Navy. The naval policy Of the United staoes csos
neglect TO Of the fleets OF fast cruisers "e
foreign States maintain under the eue OF passenger ana
merchant steamers. They constitute an auxiliary navy
It's difficult to imagine effective
than the steamship City OF Paris armed win o~NeT
Of rapd.Arng guns No msn-ofwar could overtske her;
no merchantmen could escape her Meet OF sucn cru'
ers would sweep enemy's commerce from the ocean
The Secretary thinks that apart from batte-shlps
the most marked defect is in torpedo boats. lie
recommends Congress authorize the construction OF
at least five Of these Of the first and second classes
Three battle-ships. the Texas, Maine and armoreu
cruiser No . and eight coast defence ships the Puri-
tan Amphitritc MonadnOck Miantonomah' lcrror'
coast defence vessel steel cruising monitor ana ram
for harbor defence now or will soon be IN course
no secure the efficiency OF the corps Of enlisted men
I'm the service Secretary Tracy says three things are
Necessary il should be composed of American citizens
hat they sbomld have adequate training; that good
men should be retained The naval apPrShutce + syn
Of enlistment should be extended the secretary THINKS
from twenty To twenty-four years OF age, on, me
whole system OF temporary enlistment should III fact,
be replaced by continuous service system with rc're
ment at hafpay after thirty wears OF serV osc.r. and
seamen is also pointed out and the creation of naval
militia by the ssvsra sae se1s spPrf the work Of the
navy yards, says; ..
on the broad question of the comparative ADVANTAGES
Of the two systems construction the nrs IN inc
overomcnt wards and the by contract with private
firms the Department IS firmly OF the opinion thst the
latter is the best method. STILL it is advisable that the
Navy should build some Of its ships The NUMBER o.
prlvate concerns small that circumstances hgne
ady ar Sc which place the Department at the mercy
Of explanations prevent this 1t must enter the hea ana
become at least possible competitor Win othr oluI
rhe Government YARDS should be utilized To limited extent
The only stations now in use as construction yards
are Brooklyn Norfolk Marc Island. and Portsmouth the
last for vessels only The other navy yarue were
closed as far as construction and repair were concerned
by order Of the Secretary June 3D. 1883 Inc ysu mus
,omain closed until the Jaw shall reopen Them. Ihs
will depend Upon rapidy with which Congress desires
to construct a navy . -. A.,
The secretary does not approve the report OF me
boards favoring an outlay OF S14.O0oO Oo at me
iesgue Island Navy Yard and Of 100000 at the
Brooklyn yard for the improvement OF these pace.
Ali that is needed at the Brooklyn yard he says, Is
an appropriation sufficient TO prevent the destruction
of the property He ADDS:
The Department finds itself handicapped by this tum
ble.down condition OF navy.yard property propose
70 adhere rgidly policy Of economical adminisfa-
ton but do propose to shirk the task OF keeping
the navyyard property in decent state Of repair merely
o showing credtaDe Daance"shceL IL
will cost more now than 1t would have cost II 1: had
been earlier, and further delay Will Only IN
vove heavier expenditure. l would recommend that
the vast quantity Of stores which have been allowed 70