New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-24
COAL FOR THE NEW NAVY.
A NEW PROBLEM CoYFRoNrs CONGRESS.


FOR THE PURCHASE OF COAL-AMoUNT
BURNED BY THE SEVERAL CRUISERS.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TaIBUsEJ
Washington, Nov. o3.-Congess Is TO be confronted
with a and rather surprising feature In the pro-
gramme for the rebuilding OF the Navy. II has be-
the settled policy OF Congress TO make liberal
provision for the building OF steel ships of modern
type and great speed and after eight years of this
policy, there eght such vessels In commission. or
ready for it. But IT is being discovered that these
great war-rscers will burn COAL and great deal of IT,
and that If they to be sent to cruise the high
seas. the expense This score alone VIII make them
costly luXurics. For instance. the coalconsuIning
capacity Of the Squadron of Evolution, at Boston
preparatory leaving for Europe IS follows:
The Chicago, flagship, full steam, every twenty
four hours 200 tons, and the other three ships. At
lanta Boston and Yorktown. 100 tons each; making
total Of 500 tons day while steamlng under
full head. Anthracite coal costs In NewYork in
quantity something like 81 so ton, and IT Will thus
be seen that the expense OF Acting Admiral Walkers
cruise for evolutionary experiment and instruction
and to make impression abroad is going to amount
goodly after year which is the time
the squadron H. expected 10 be gone.
The Baltimore and Charleston, the two other new
men-of.war, about 10 go into commission as flag
ships and the Philadelphia and san Francisco, OF
similar capacity. are to be enormous coal eaters
The full steam consumption OF the Baltimore Is gwen
at the Bureau Of steam Engineering $40 tons every
twenty-fsur hours, and her sister ship. the Phla-
deIphla VIII do about well by the coal pile, while
the Newark, soon to come along, VII be but little
behind them in coal-consumns qualities. The
Charleston Francisco and Newark VIII run be-
tween 200 and $50 tons day under full head, The
two former are the Pacific Coast. where anthracite
coal costs from S14 to $19 a ton, and the cost OF
steamIng these two ship at full head would approXi-
IL. lotrac tOrtra Il hpr
fore remarked that the eyes of some Con
Qressional people and others Immediately
Interested are likely 10 be opened little
when they come TO read the carefully worried sug
gestions this subject contained In the annual re-
port Of the Bureau of Equipment made public yester-
day Captain Dewey, the chef, does not enter into
details I'm abiding the increased coal expenditure
involved in the construction OF ships Of great speed
and diminished sail power, but he draws attention
pontcly TO the necessity Of furnishing coal TO run the
new ships now that Congress is building them An
increase OF 5000 the last appropriation Is
asked for but this IS apparently not so great an a1d
zion 10 the coal budget circumstances demand Inc
report says, I'm part:
Gas basis OF comparison ii may be stated that inc
Dolphin which IS the smallest of the new steel YES
sells in commission consumed, during the fiscal year
lust closed coal of the value of about $4,000 The
coal consumption of the larger vessels such as the
Chicago Atlanta Boston, Baltimore and Charleston,
is much greater but assuming that 1t Is no greater;
and assuming further that twenty-five vessels are 70
Le maintained in commission (which is less than tho
usual number, It Is apparent that, Tor coal alone
the sum OF 1875 900 Is needed to keep the Navy In
servlccable condition. But the appropriation for
equipment Of vessels IS also largely drawn upon Tor
tho numerous expenditures necessary TO prepare ana
keep up equipment, outfit and STOKES of vessels In
commission and fitting for sea. the necessity OF an
Augmentation OF least 5000 900 readily becomes ap
palent Under existing and coming conditions, the
service cannot possibly be maintained In STATE OF
efficiency under these heads with less money During
the last fiscal year Qose'S9l the deficiency OF over
$1,000 Is shown In the final balances, which de-
aency was caused largely By expenditures on foreign
stahons which could not be foreseen. The appro-
priation was 1928 900 and far exhausted by
March 1 that all work the equipment OF vessels
fitting out was ordered stopped and large proper
ton OF reIuison for necessary supplies was dis
approved great embarrassment to the service resulting
Prior to 1873, the appropriation for the equipment
ard ooalng of vessels was 81 500 600 annually, and
this was whom all the steam cruisers had large auxiliary
mower which was employed where possible. as at
present under necessarily limited conditions, to save
coal The necessities OF the service In this respec'
are now greater and soon will be. with the placing III
commission of vessels now IN an advanced state OF
construction very much greater than during the
period referred to stu, less than half the amount
stated Is appropriated Tor thlS purpose ior 'ho P09
fiscal year | am therefore convinced that at Least
5000 900 additional for this year, which should be est
mated for as a deficiency, is absolutely necessary 10
avoid the embarrassment and injury to the service
which are inevitable under the present conditions.
"From the time OF the large red iction In the APP
preparation, the amounts granted have rahgeu ioi"
81 $50 900 to s6o5 900; and during this period the
ships In commission have been kept In service ouiy
by the most rigid and In some instances, unprohlaoo
parslmony by the utilization OF obsolete maieria'
and stores left over from the period Of the Clvn war
by the practical laying up OF vessels on foregh sa
tons owing to the want of fuel; AND by senunS iIs
vessels to cruise without proper outhL hl op
material which could be utilized for this purpose mas
been consumed, and the fttng out OF saips for COM
mission has thus become most rlous maj En-
The new men.of war have comparatively ltte san
power and some OF them Will have no canvas at all
so that II they are 10 be able TO get nom port 10
mort they must depend largely wholly upon steanl
This is therefore, a condition, arising out OF mo
cost Ia the treasury else the main object In con-
structpc the swift and powerful battle ships VIII Do
nractira1Iv defeated II is understood that Secre airy
Tracy viii give attention In his forthcoming report
Tavv men believe that when the full magnitude OF
the coal problem comes % be real zet In Congress,
ssncclav as applied 10 the Pacific waters, where coal
cotts four times "a much as In the Atlantic ports, II
viii cause a material change of sen iment In regsru
m The type OF ships TO be authorized In future Inc
In FAST steamng, will, 10 Is believed. be largely super
.ased nv the gunboa class, such as the forNo"";
(oncord aud bennington, wNich have ionnasS "
I 700 for active cruising, while coast defence sn'p'
and mcnitors. To lie In harhor. VIII be lnctnda
n ri event~. Captain Dewey has pro- onnuea -
,tch VT