Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-29
ON THE SEA.
Inventory of Uncle Sans Vessels
Now Ready for War,
Also of Those in Process of
Construction,

| Together with summary OF our Facll-
ties for the Rapid Addition of Good
Fighting Craft in Case it should Be-
come ry--Representative Bou-
teIle Interviewed.
WASHINGTON, July 9.-Representa-
tive Boutelle, of Maine, chairman of the
house committee on naval affairs, was
asked concerning the bearings of the
Behring sea controversy upon our naval
preparations. He said:
while believe that it would be the
crime of the century for the two fore
most Christian nations to drift into the
horrors of war over dispute that
should be readily settled by reasonable
people, the widespread interest i'll the
Behring sea controversy serves to show
how easy it il for threatening differences
to arise between our and other govern
ments even in these days of enlightened
public sentiment, and that the United
States cannot afford to remain defense
less in blind reliance upon immunity
from the possibilities of war. OF course
any outbreak of hostiiities between this
country and any foreign power would
devolve the first responsibility upon our
naval force, the inadequacy of which
would be made conspicuous.very early in
such a contest. That our gallant naval
officers and men would be ready for
any service or danger we know, and
that they would acquit themselves
| heroically with the means at their dis
| posal no one will doubt. But the open
| ing of "A war with foreign power would
| very rapidly open the eyes OF that class
of statesmen who have insisted that a
| few thin-sided gunboats are all that we
need for u navy.
The Millennium Has Not Been Reached.
"If the publication of this correspond
ence shall have the effect to compel a
realization of the fact that we have not
yet reached the millennium period, and
that we cannot afford to altogether
neglect the protective precautions found
| necessary by other nations it will have
| served one good purpose. Throwing out
of consideration the old wooden ships Of
the navy, with their old fashioned gnns,
which served their day and generation
so faithfully, but would be of little
utility now, the available force of mod
ern vessels i'll our navy is not large
enough to warrant boasting, although
we have reason to be proud of the quail
ity of both ships and guns,
Our Armored Vessels.
First, we have the five double tur-
reted monitors-Puritan, 5000 tons,
Miantonomah, Amphitrite, Monadnock
and Terror Of $500 tons-in advanced
stages of completion. The Puritan is to
carry four tWelYe-inch high power rifles
and six four-inch rapid fire guns. The
other four monitors each carry four ten
inch high power rifles and two four-inch
rapid fire guns, and they all carry
heavy side armor The new armored
ships Texas and Maine, of about 6, 900
tons each, under construction at Nor
folk and New York, are to carry six six
inch high power rifles and secondary
batteries.
The arlnored coast defense ship
Monterey, under construction at the
Union iron works, San Francisco, about
1000 tons. will carry one sixteen-inch
and one twelye-inch high power rifle.
one fifteen-inch dynamite gun and six
four-inch rapid fire guns. The Maine
will be launched this fall. the Texas
some later and the Monterey is just be-
gun.
Our Steel Ships.
"Of modern steel ships already in
commission there are, the John Roach
ships forming the famous squadron Of
evolution. viz: Chicago, protected
cruiser, $500 TONS carrying eight six
inch, four eight-inch, two tiveinch high
power rifles and secondary battery
Atlanta and Boston, g. l69 tons, protect
ed cruisers. carrying each six siX-inch.
two eight-inch high power rifles and Sec
ondaly batteries. Dolphin, 1,4S5 tons,
4 IL ,al, Ia
rifle and secondary battery. Or the
later steel ships there are in commission
the Charleston, 3,730 tons, protected
cruiser, carrying in main battery two
eight-inch and six six-inch high power
rifles; Baltimore, Alb tons, protected
cruiser, main battery four eight-inch
and siX-inch high power rifles; York
town. /, 700 tons. protected cruiser, main
battery six six-inch high power rifles:
Petrol. 800 tons, gunboat, main battery
four-inch high power rifles; Vesuvius
725 tons, dynamite cruisers, three dyna-
mite guns. There Rre also atioat and
nearly ready TO 90 into commission the
Philadelphia, 4,J24 tons, protected
cruiser. main battery twelve siX-inch
high power rifles; San Francisco, 4,0S3
tens, protected cruiser, main battery
twelve six-inch high power rifles Con-
cord and Bennington, 100 tons, gun
boats. main batteries six siX-inch high
power rifles.
I'm addition there are under cOnstruc-
ton in the navy yards at Brooklyn and
Norfolk two protected cruisers of 8, 1873
tons, to carry one six-inch high-power
rifle and ten fonr-inch rapid fire. At
Boston and Baltimore under contract
two :, ,O00-ton protected cruisers, to carry
each two six-inch high power rifles and
eight four-inch rapid tre. At Bath,
Me. two gunboats. l,050 tons each, to
carry eight four-inch rapid fire guns.
A practice cruiser Of $50 tons is also I'M
der contract. Contracts have also been
signed for "A 5.30O ton protected cruiser
of great power, to De bnilt by the Union
iron works at San Francisco, aud for all
armored cruiser OF $500 tons, to be
built by the Cramps, which will be the
most powerful cruiser of her class i'll the
world.
This embraces all the vessels author
lied down TO the present congress. when
n new departure has been made in pro.
vidins foi the construction of three first
class armored battle-ships. the general
plans Of which are completed, and the
details of which will be ready for adver-
tising proposals in few months.
They're No snides.
These ships are by far the most pow
erful ever constructed on this side of the
! Atlantic. While they will only have
| about 0.000 tons displacement, they will
| carry seventeen inches of armor, and
/ mount the immense battery of fonI
/ thirteen-inch. four eight-inch. and fOuI
| six-inch high power rifles. and twenty
4. a Evsss | fifa1