West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-08-22
OUR new NAVY.
Condition OF the Vessels Built
Under Secretary Whitney.
Official Report Of the Bureau OF
CONSTRUCTION and Repair.

a statement has just boon prepared by
Commodore r. NJ Wilson. Chief OF the pu-
reau OF Construction and Repair of tho
United States Navy, for tho usc of Secretary
Tracy, showing tho condition OF vessels OF
the navy In progress OF construction
az the timo tho new administration en-
Wrvd upon It's duties ON March 4, last.
Under the act OF March o lsS5 a. sos 900
appropriated for tho construction OF two
cruisers and two gtnboats Tho Newark.
cruiser .,rs. Nc. !, and Yorktown, gunboat No. 1,
were contracted Tor with w, Crnmp a. SONS
OF Philadelphia at the prices OF Il, ,24S, 900
ana Si5nOOQ respectively. Tho former
,s hot TO be completed until Octo-
pcr - noxt Tho Yorktown has been
plaecd ON tho dock in Now York 90 bo cleaned
and painted FOR her turning trials at Now
port, II. l. Tho Charleston, cruiser No. 2.
was built by tho Union Iron Works, San
francisco, under n contract for 81 OF 500
she has had one trial trip: Tho Petrol, gun
boat No. 9, was built 10y tho Columbian Iron
Works, Baltimore, price $2i5, 600, and will
have third trial
by the net OF August q, 1896 A.. 300 600
was appropriated, and the bureau pren~rrd
follows:
Baltimore, cruiser, No. 3. w. Crar,p g.
SSon, Sl,&a,0o0. WIN bc completed about
Vosuvius, dynamite cruiser, Dynamite
Company, New York, $3.50 900. It's steam
trial was satisfactory
Torpedo boat, Herroslioff Company, Bris-
tol, H. l., sS2, $50. In process OF construction.
=, The following vessels arc being built at
tho navy yards namedi Maine armorod
cruiser New York; Texas, arrnored battlo
ship, and Amphtritc, monitor, Norfolk
glhe latters engines were put In by the Hnr-
IAN q hollingsworth Company, OF Whining.
land, Cal. Terror, monitor, New York. She
VIII bo sent 20 tho Boston yard TO receive
pneumatic gear Tho Puritan, monitor, will
also be constructed at Norfolk.
Tho act Of March 2, 1887 authorized tho
building of two cruisers and two RunboatsN
and OF flvo monitors 30 he constructed at n
total cost OF 81, APO, 000 and one coast and
harbor defonco vessel Under this act tho
following contracts wero madei Phila-
nIelphia, cruiser No 4, w. Cramp &c
sons, q, 10000 20. bo completed I'm
October noSt; San Francisco Union
Iron Works, 81, ,42s, 900, also 20 be completed
In October; Concord and bennington gum
boats Nos. and 4, N, II. Palmer, Jr, IL Co.
New York $550000 each, 10 be complcted
rms month Work on them, however, is
reported 10 bo progressing slowly.
The Miantonomah, monitor, Is being
built at the Now York NAVY Yard and Is
nearly completed Tho construction OF the
coast aud hnrbOr defense vessel has beon
awarded 10 the Union Iron Works of San
francisco, az contract price OF 81 ,62S, $50
and IT Is to be completed In three years. No
"
The sum OF So, 100000 was appropriated
September z, 1893, for one nrmored cruiser
OK 900 tons, one protected cruiser of $500
toms, two Protected cruisers of 5000 tons
each, md three protected cruisers OF 2OOO
tons each; also practice ship for tho naval
Gchool tho latter 10 cost f2eO 600
Plans for the 1000 and 30O0.ton
vessels nre coInr'stc, and bids Tyill bc opened
soon for their construction. Tho 200O-ton
vcascls nro limited 10 a cost OF 500, 900 each
md tho 3O0O-ton vessels TO 81, 100 O0O each
Tho total OF these figures more than exbausts
the amount of the appropriation, &3, 800
600. The limit OF the cost fixed by tho
bureau OF the b300-ton vessel is 81, SOD. GOO.
and of the 1900 tonner 81, 500, 900. The.prnc-
tice cruiser authorized by this act win ba
about 300 tons arfnored, and carrying n bat
sci arc well under way, and will soon bo
completed.
The Bureau Of Construction and Repair
the Commodore states, Is at work on plans
for the vessels authorized by the act OF horch
=, 1889, which appropriated 81, 056 600 for
construction purposes besides $40 600 for
four steam tugs. Bids for these tugs have
just been opened but the contracts are not
lot.
The principal vessel provided for I'm this
last act Is the armQred submerged cruiser
monitor known as tho Thomas ship It's gen
eral design having been suggested by
ex-ConBessrnan Thomas OF Illinois
Plans for IL are nearly Completed.
and IL is estimated 10 cost III 500
900. Two ctoe cruisers or gunboats osti-
mated 20 cost $3.50, 600 each, will be 1900 tons
cnch, carrying batteries OF rapid-hro guns
Plans for these are we'll under way. There
were also provided for IN the act OF 1880 a
harbor ram Of the plan designed by Admiral
Ammon, and dynamite cruiser Of tho Vesu-
vius type. Nothing has yet been done to-
ward the construction OF these vessels. Tho
cruiser Is estimated 20 cost $3.50, COO, but no
estimate Is made upon tho ram
The original four ships of tho new navy,
constructed under acts passed prior TO March,
1885. and in accordance 10 the requirements
Of tho Naval Boards Of 1881, are the Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago and Dolphin.