St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-08-24
The New Navy.

statement has been prepared by Com.
N. II. Wilson, chief Of the bureau OF con-
struction and repair, for the use of Secre-
tary Tracy, showing the condition of yes
sells of the navy in progress of construction
at the time the new administration entered
upon it's duties-March 4th last.
Under the act of March 3, 1885, 81 SD
600 was appropriated for the constructors
of two cruisers and tw. gunboats. The
Newark and Yorktown, gurhoat No. !,
were contracted for with W. A. Craup "
Son of Philadelphia, at the prices of ST.
24S, 600 and 1856, 900 respectively. The
former is not to be completed until Oct
81 next the Yorktown was to-day placed
on the dock in New York to be cleaned
snd painted for her turning trials at New
port The Charleston, cruiser No 2, was
built by the Union Iron Works, San Fran
has had one trial trip.
The Petrol gunboat No. g. was built by
the Columbian Iron Works OF Baltimore
price S245, 900, and will soon be ready for
her trial trip.
By the act of Aug. 3, 1886, $4,000, 600
was appropriated, and the bureau prepared
plans for nine vessels Contracts for these
were as follows
Baltimore, cruiser No 3, w. Cramp &
Son, 81, 325, 900 viii be completed in No
vemoer.
Vesuvius, dynamite cruiser, Dynamite
Company, New York, $3.50, 900. Its steam
trial was satisfactory.
Torpedo boat, Herreshoff Company,
Bristol, R. l., 2.750 in progress of con-
structior.
The following vessels are being built at
the navy yards mentioned: Maine, armored
cruiser, New York Texas, armored bat
tie ship, end Amphitrite, monitor, Nor
folk. The latter'S engines were put in by
the Harlan & Hollings worth Company. OF
Wilmington. Monadnok, monitor, Mare
island, Cal; Terror. monitor, New York.
She will be sent to the Boston yard to re-
ceive the pneumatic gear. The Puritan,
monitor, will also be constructed at Norfolk.
The act of March 3, 1887 authorized the
building of two cruisers and two gunboats,
one Of five monitors to be constructed at
total COST of 81, 420. O00 and one coast and
harbor defense vessel.
Under this act the following contracts
were made Philadelphia, cruiser No. 4,
w. Cramp & Son, 81 $50 600, to be com
pleted in October next; San Francisco,
Union Iron works, 81, 42S, 900, also to be
completed in October; Concord and Ben
nington, gunboats and 4. N. & F. Palmer
$3.50, 900 each, to be completed this month
Work on them, however is said to be pro-
crossing slowly. The Miantonamah, mon
tor, is being built at the New York navy
yard and is nearly completed. The con-
struction of the coast and harbor defense
vessels has been awarded to the Union
Iron Works of San Francisco at contract
price of 81 ,62S, $50, and it is to be COM
pleted in three years. No name has yet
been selected for this vessel
The sum of So, $50, 600 was appropriated
| September 7, 'S0 for one armored craiSer of
1900 tons ; one protected cruiser of $500
| tons two protected cruisers of 1900 tons
each, and three protected cruisers of 1000
| tons each, also practice ship for the ma
val school. The latter will cost $500, 600
! Plans for the 1000 and the 5000 ton vessels
are complete, and bids will be opened on
the 22d inst for their construction. The
| 1000 ton vessels are limited to a cost of
| 100000 each, and the 5000 ton vessels to
| $1,100,000. The total of these figures more
than exhausts the amount of the appropri-
ation-$3, 500, 900.
The limit of cost fixed by the bureau Of
the $500 ton vessel is 81 800 900, and of
the 1900 tonners So 500, 900. The practice
cruiser authorized by this act will be about
800 tons. armored and carrying battery of
rapid firing guns. Plans for this vessel
are well under way and will soon be COM
| pleted.
The bureau of construction and repair,
the commodore states, is at work on plans
for the vessels authorized by the act of
March 2, 1899, which appJpriated 81, O55,
600 for construction purposes besides $140,-
| 600 for four steam tugs.
The principal vessel provided for in this
last act is the armored submerged cruiser,
another, known as the Thomas ship, its
| general design having been suggested by
ex- Congressman Thomas of Illinois. Plans
for it are nearly completed and it is esti-
mated to cost 81 500, O00 Two steel cruis.
ers or gun boats, estimated to cost $3.50, 600
each will be 1900 tons, carrying batteries
of rapid firing guns. Plans for these are
well under way.
Plans provided for in the act of March
harbor ram of the plan designated by
Admiral Ammon, and dynamite cruiser
of the Vesuvius type. Nothing has yet
been done toward the construction of these
vessels. The cruiser is estimated to cost
| $500, 900, but no estimate is made upon the
ram. The original four ships of the new
navy constructed under acts passed prior to
March, 1885, an@ in accordance to the re
quirements of the naval boards of 1871,
are the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and the
Dolphin.