New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-26
TO DETELOP THE LEAGUE ISLAND YARD
ITS ADVANTAGES AND THE PLANS PROPOSED
EnR LIS IMPROVEMENT.

ITS ADVANTAGES AND THE PLANS PROPOSED
FOR IT'S IMPROVEMENT.
Washington oct. 25.-The report Of the boari
appointed last July TO report plan for the lu'uc
development OF League Island Navy Yard In case
Congress decided TO order its reopcning. was lad be
fore Secretary Tracy to-day. The Board conSiS'ei
OF Captains Potter. Farquhar and Whitehead anu
Civil Engineers Endcotb and Perry. The report
says In part
League Island station Is situated at the Junction
of the Delaware and schuylkill Rivers has an ara
Of OBJ aces which Is greai.r uag inc and Of any
continental power in Europe 1t Is over hine'S "a, Is
usually about O. feet. salt water never reaches u.
For the construction Of dry docks basins ana slh no
easily cNcayaicl alluval soil, with the solid gravel
stratum underlying i, al or Just below inc Douon
wbtcb exncrIcHco has taught engineers abroad to
be sought IN locating docks and dock wards. Ins ~
for Inc c9nc5 o an costly Yard
when compared with our other yards but reiere,ce
compared With the largest foreign dock yards, a;
Portsmouth, Wlhemshafch. Cherbourg. Brest ana
600 OOO and still incomplete will show that the
outlay is moderate sum In consideration of the
outfit OF ships Of war, and its strategic value. As
a strategic naval point, il is nnqnestlC0aby tho most
il is the opinion Of the Board that this Navy Yard
should possess all facilities and appliances for build,
Ing, cQuippng and repairing all kinds of Naval
vessels Ii is also the opinion Of the Board that this
Is place establish a plant for the manu-
facturc OF great and small guns. II proposed that
the portion of the Back Channel OF the Canseway.
shall be filed in and used rife range. and. in
connection Herewith, grounds for proving great guns
as is now done Annapolis. 4 most important
I.int be found this station is the fact that all
vessels stored bore would depart with clean bottoms
the water is fresh. In this place II Is proposed that
ships shall be stored in such state OF readiness that
they can he under way within thirtys.x hours from
the time an order 10 that effect IS received.
Accompanying the report is complete set Of plans
showing all the proposed Improvements and additions
recommended by the Board These include the follow.
ing principal features:
l. Converting that portion Of the Back Channel
west of BIoadst. into deep and spacious reserve
basin.
?. Constructing a smaller, but sufficient. building
communicating with the Delaware River, in front OF
the island, by channel.
g. Locating diydocks. and building slips between
tho two basins, with plate and bending shops between
4 concentrating all other shons and structures I'm
tho central space enclosed by the building and repair
basin. dryGOcls and buidingsllps the west
Broalst. on the east the Delaware on the south and
the reserve basin on the north.
:. Constructing a perfect rel aiming wall along
the entire river front.
The total basin proposed Is 1864 acres,
greater than the combined basin areas Of either the
English or French doclyards. The e.timatcs include
the building Of SIX craving docks ior constructing
largo vessels. without giving estimates. therefore,
the Board indicate that there should be included
within the plan for improvement. a hospital barracks.
additional docks and slip, ordnance foundry storage
yard for torpedo boats. rope-walk, and marine bar.
racks. The capacity Of tie yard completed on tine
above lines, the Board say. viii be equal to that
of the largest Of foreign dockyarls and greater
than all our other navy yards combined. owing
largely 10 II, cOmpactncsS. economy ami convenience
OF arrangement. and extent Of waller front and basin
area. The total estimate for the complete develop
nent OF the yard is Sll.5Gj,4sO OF this amount.
S5.271153 is devoted to the work that the Roarl
say should be first undcrtaken-thc basins and docks
The imp ovcnients covered by these estimates with
hose now Ell ting VIII give the yard capacity
Tor effective work equal to thai Of the best OF our
/ other Navy Yards. to-day. II is recommended that
the Appropriation for the first year be 81 500 600
captain Nh!tc. thief of tho hHircau Of Yard, and
made by the h0ar and it. Recommendations lie
hs1 alr,ady asked for an Appropriation Of 1880 900
pr inc NSVS ara at that point and SAYS II Congress
VIII give IT, that. 50 far az his bureau IS concerned
me yard VIII be ready 10 enter upon tho con- rtcon
OF a steel vessel secretary Tracy will r,ad The
report tonight and embody his conclusions I'm his
annual report u IS the belief about tho Department
! 'n~' congress VIII order the yard 10 be opened.