New-York tribune., 1890-03-22
THE USES OF BATTLE-SHIPS.
SECRETARY TRACY FAvOEs SHORT CRUISES IN
sQUADRcNs OF EVOLUTION.

Washington. March ei.-Thc response Of the Score
tary Of the Navy % the resolution of inquiry calling
FOR an estimate Of the expenses for ihrecYcAr
cr1il,c around the world Of lncoi-b'ttr snip "i
10000 tons. Including the pay Of full Compliment
of officers and men, and subsistence. coal supply an
muniton for sufficient gun prciirc. doctnE expenses
FOR cleansing bottom. and other Incidental expenses
except repairs was laid before the senate today.
The Secretary says that. vessels OF TINS typo
have vet been constructed the answer is 10 some cN
tent snecnlative. I'll" prlciice % employing ve'se'
for this sort of service has disappeared with the Oh
broaa,idc bat;lcshps the Increased means oi com
muuication and cf acquisifiou Of knorl'igc making
the practice unnecessary and supeiiluon~' as hAuo"'
now Lnow with minute eXacines' the character ana
oualtlo, Of every hattc,ip possessed by their con-
,cnno,arics As q method % policing the seas. It
would involve an cxtravagsnt expenditure and mo'c
over. sound pocy would not favor Vc''ei' D''"T
scat,r,d around the world The secretary says that
the service f., therefore. wholly imaginary ana ''o
c..,,n,tc If cost speculative and hypoihctcal E'-
rardlns the inquiry IN this light, he estimates the co"'
Of maintenance ncad.n; pay and subsistence at from
s1- oOD to $4,000 month. the latter hSuic nehs
sor full confinement Of 800 ready to fight at a
moment, notice.
In regard to the expense of gun practice the sec
rotary states tha; The Department proposes 10 III up
q vessel with modern guns for the -prclal purpose
of GINNING training and target practice. 'po" '"'
81 all I
I'm the Navy should have their principal traiN's
in o,,nninc The expenditure for training men
in workmanship are a part Of the general cost "'
the maintenance Of efficiency In the personnel anu
an, not piopcrly charscabIc 10 any SNIP - ~ '"o
nons of docking and coal. the Secretary estimates
that the expenditure would depend wholly upon "c
r,.icc in which the vessel is engaged. II she per
formed the scr,ce at the most economical ri'c shc
,v,ud consume coal at the rate * one ton t. -"
,r, %, . --- tons for a distance Of 2-,G1- miles.
r:iuotin, the coal 10 cost 4 per tom. the cost
of coal for The VOYAGE w0ud be 91G.253. Ecla'c ID
the question Of docking snip. The secretary ny =
tn,t This would not he necessary on short cruise
Referring T. incidental expenses. The secretary Poo'
r. e,,,r.. of IN, amount of pcri-hnblc stores for
thc chicago uhc larrrs; United states snip IN com
msslonl a. the only which furnishes a basis 'i
calculation. These a"pN"''i !" |-'''' Ava ~
quarter.
In concluding his answer. The secretary reiirrat"
his statement made III the beginning. that the c'ii
mate relate, 10 service which no con'cN'n'o
emergency would ever lead tn Department T. IN
dcrtalc The rurDo-c Is hauic-nips. he says
shou,d be 10 p;otcci the coa-t aud cites "i the
rniteI state. to pr'v,nt the occupation hy tr
enemy of allaocnt water. 10 destroy bass Of suppN
which might render such occupation possible "n|
to assert ard maintain it. right, ard those o. II
citizen, and n- trade. ur,in.t fr'ifn cn'F.i'H
nan'. rAe crn.r, 'ao'h %. ''' '''ii. ~. ,.,.',
I" W '"o o. 'D'',' i .', 'r, of evolution. kept a.
'o' ~, i,,.,t ,tr,L ra. lo@,n. In haiho--. lu,
cmpl1yci. as lonr "a. th"' ar' 'mp."YcN "i .i -
aolvrlr as possible in ,'iill ii.it"'. 49, ''r M -
.r.o laa,hIf greater 'an t.ai derived from '',iI
iHs 'a''r t.af Dr. ',''.'.- - 90, dif,f
81, III b. ..'r aa,r flr ifr-. iaw ~ g." frIr.
-t. iati.r.ir. 'p.N a. ial up il r.'trc. a' slight
30 ai an. tn.. While TIE co'i # maintenance
,oaM bc dcra,lc