The sun., 1890-01-27

practice ship, which VIII supplant the Petrol
as the midget Of the new cruising Heet.
These vessels are under construction. hull
or enqinea in JOHN RoAoH's old yard at Ohes-
ter, at the works Of the GRANTS In Phila-
delphia, at the Quintard Iron Works
in New York, at the Columbian Iron
Works In Baltimore. at HARRISON LoRrNo's
yard In Boston, at HERREsHoFFs works In
Bristol, and at the Union Iron Works In San
Francisco. They are building also at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the Norfolk Navy
Yard, and will be found at the Mare Island
Navy Yard when the plant there for the pur-
pose IL complete. The possibilities, too, Of
the Charlestown and the Portsmouth yards
are not to be forgotten In reckoning ship
building facilities. Then we have these
present competitors for the smaller craft:
The Bath Iron Works, the Moore & Sons
Company OF EllSabethport and the Atlantic
Works Of South Boston, while other builders
hold of for the big vessels which Secretary
TRACY is asking Of Congress.
There are firms, also, that have in past
times done Government work, like HARLAN
q HoIbINdswoRTf, who built the iron moni-
tor Amphitrite, and others well known ae
builders Of steel merchant ships. The work
eublet on the engines Of the Maine Is
divided among seven companies, In New
York, Brooklyn, Boston, Pittsburgh, and
Bethlehem. The 600O-ton cruisers and other
vessels at the navy yards employ for their
machinery firms like the Tredegar Works OF
Richmond, and the Midvale Steel Works Of
Pennsylvania. The examination OF boilers
for war vessels brings out large additional
set Of names, and the competition for small
iron steamers, as tugs, still another.
Armor and guns OF any required dimen-
sions, and OF the best GLASS. can now be
produced in this country. The contracts for
steel forgings amounting to several million
dollars given to the Bethlehem Iron Compa-
ny, established plant Of vast Importance to
the naval facilities OF this country. The
Midvale Steel Works and the Cambria Iron
Works were its competitors, and the former
has furnished many gun forglngs TO the
Government. The West Point Foundry and
the South Boston Iron Works are other
sources OF reliancein in turning out guns. NOR
tars. and other appliances. The Hotchkiss
Company has established In the United
States factory for the express purpose Of
supplying it's revolving and rapid-flre guns
to the navy, while the Driggs-Schroedsr
establishment is also in the field working
for the Government, with the Pneumatic Gun
Carriage Company and others. Armor-
piercing shells will soon be produced here.
Two great Government gun factories have
been founded, one for the navy at WASH
ington and the other for the army ct West
Troy, capable Of assembling and finishing
the eforgings for the heaviest ordnance.
This country is now independent Of all
others for its defensive appliances Of all
sorts, whether they are to be used on the
land or the sea. It has been said lately In
England that we might have bought there |
ships and guns cheaper than we have made |
and are making them here But the feeling |
Of self-reliance and OF patriotic pride in hav-
Ing accomplished within the short space OF |
ten years the establishment Of shipbuilding |
and gun-mal1ing industries equal to any |
In the world, Is worth ten times the differ
ence 1t may have cost. Still more important
s the national security furnished by the
ability Of the country to defend itself with
ts own resources, whatever the quarter from
which an attack may come.