Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-03


POSED NAVAL REVIEW IN 1893.
Secretary Tracy opened his annual report,
portions of which we're given in Mondays STAR.
with review of the progress that has been
made during his administration on the building
of the new navy. He saws: ''Since March 4, 1899,
nine new vessels. which were at that time in
various stages OF progress the first two being
practically ont of the CONSTRUCTOR hands, have
been completed and put in commission, as fol-
lows: Chicago, 4.5OO TONS April H. 1889; York
town. 100 tons. April %, 1899; Petrol, $40 tons,
December 10. 1889; Charleston, $3.50 tons,
December 26. 1889; Baltimore, 4, 400 tons, jan
uary 7. 1890; Gushing. 90 tons, April %, 1880:
vesuvius. go tons, June :. 1890; Philadelphia.
4.3OO TONS July -. 1880: San Francisco, 4OS3
tons. November 10. 1880.
During the coming winter four more will be
added to the list. namely: Newark. 1858 tons:
Concord. LOO; Bennington, LOO; Mianto-
nomOh. ISIS.
OF the other vessels which had been author
lied prior to the aforementioned date four
were al that time more or less advanced: Puri-
tan. 5000 tons: Amphitrite. 3.S15; Monadnock,
3.Sl5; Terror. 3sl5. Cre had been fairly be-
gun: Maine. 6.6is.
The designs OF seven were nearly completed
but their actual construction had not vet been
undertaken. authorized August 3. 1886 Texas
6.S14 tons: authorized March 3. 1887 Monterey
1000: authorized September Z. 1893, Cincii,-
natl, No .. 5000; Raleigh, No. 8, 5000; cruisers
9. 10 and II. 1000.
Six had not vet been designed. Authorized
September :. lsss: New York (armored cruiser
q. SlO0 tons; cruiser 6. $500; practice vessel
s35. Authorized March 3 1889: Harbor defense
ram. 2.COJ. gun boats and 6. 1850.
OF the fourteen vessels last mentioned all are
now well advanced IL construction. with the
exception ~ the ram. upon which proposals
were invited October Is. 1890 There remains
two other vessels. the dynamite gun boat No.
9. whose construction was authorized condi-
tionsly. i'll case the yesuvius proved a success.
which fact has not yet been demonstrated
aIi the armOred cruising monitor. also an ex-
periEiental design. whose features hardly seem
10 meet the present demands of naval con-
structiOn. (1his is the vessel designed by the
Hon. John L. ThOmas-)
NINE NEW SHIPS PUT IN COMMISSION.
II thus appears that during the twenty
months covered by l,Ir.sent administration
nine new ships have been put in commission;
four. including one monitor. have been ad-
v&Eced TO point whe Il they are Just about to
so into commission; five are in such q condi-
ton that they will shortly be waiting only for
their armor. seven have been built from the
keel up, of which the Texas an Monterey are
nearly ready for launching an the five cruis-
ers are well advanced; while of the six others
previously authorized all have been designed
and advertised and all but One the ram, have
been contracted for and are actually under con-
structiOn-
OF the last four vessels placed in commission
the torpedo boat Cushing. built by the HERES
hof Manufacturing Company of Bristol. RI,
IL the first and as vet the only craft of this
description in the navy. although a second has
been authorized. She is built of steel and has
developed a speed of twenty-three knots. Her
armament will consist of three torpedo tubes
and four one-pOunder guns She not only
compares fayorably with foreign torpedo boats.
kr1Nlf IL 81
this country had twenty others like her, and
had them equipped with effective torpedoes,
they would be "a material addition to its means
OF defense As long it has but two they
VIII be OF little service otherwise than to show
what native skill and ingenuity can do in this
direction Their effectiveness as compared
with their small cost should induce a marked
increase IN their number.
THE vEsUvrUs.
OF the Vesuvius the Secretary saws: ''The
vessel is still an experiment. the trial of her
dynamite guns and the tactical test of the ship
having been delayed by the want of projectiles.
which the company has thus far been unable to
supply"
San Francisco he remarks:
Ii Is no longer necessary, in considering the
speed of the new ships of the navy, to make
comparisons with foreign vessels. We have
now our own standard and we have the right to
congratulate ourselves that the standard is I'M
surpassed by any other navy in the world.
The completion of the Miantonomoh is only
delayed by her ordnance and electrical plant
Three OF her guns are in position and the
fourth will shortly be ready for trial. The ship
VIII be ready for commission in about three
months
The next group of vessels consists of the four
monitors which have been in process of con-
strccron Tor many years without much pros
pect OF reaching final result in any ascertain
able future period For the first time in their
hlstcry the department may now safely predict
their speedy completion.
THE BArTLEsHIP TEXAS.
OF the vessels whose actual construction was
began subsequently to the commencement of
this administration, the most important is the
secOnd-class battleship Texas building at the
Norfolk navy yard. The keel was laid June /.
1889. and although the work has been kept
back BY the non-delivery of material the ship
Will IN all probability, be ready for launching
IN the simmer of 1891.
The Monterey, building at the Union iron
works, under contract of June "a, 1889, has un-
dergOne an entire alteration in the battery two
tweive-lnch guns having been substituted for
the single sixteen-inch in the forward barbette
and two ten-inch for the single twelve-inch in
the after barbette. She will be ready for launch
ing about January /, 1891. and il her armor is
promptly delivered will be entirely finished
early In 1892.
OF the i've cruisers auth Jrized in 1885, Nos
and 5. named respectively the Cincinnati and
the Raleigh. and Nos. .. 10 and IL. the first two
are progressing satisfactorily at the navy yards
at New York and Norfolk, and the other three
are under contract to be completed in May.
ls9z- The Raleigh and Cincinnati NAV be
looked for about the same time; or perhaps
earlier.
QUALITIES OF THE NEW YORK.
The object which the department has aimed
attn the New York q, l00-ton cruiser) and which
1t Is confidently believed has been attained,
Is an unusual combination of great offensive
ahd defensive power. with extraordinary coal
endurance and a high rate Of speed. All
armored vessels, as has been repeatedly said
tnough 1t cannot be said too often, are a COM
promise between the conflicting elements of
battery. armOr, endurance and speed upon a
gwen size or displacement. Increase one of
these elements, the size remaining the same
anu some one Of the others must be decreased
In The New York the speed given 20 knots is
suinelent TO enable her TO escape from any
more powerful ship afoat today and to over
hke the vast ma ority-certainly IS per cent
OF all The ships of the world, naval or mercan-
Tile Al the same time her size and draught
are not excessive. Her coal capacity permits
her 20 complete without reeoaling a VOYAGE of
lS,OO miles. Her battery. composed of six
S-inch and twelve 4-inch guns is uneaualed by
any ship of the cruiser type in the world while
1t gives her chances which are not to be des-
pissed should she be driven to a momentary en-
counter with a battle ship. Fighting battle
ships, however, IL not her business; she is built
To Keep the sea and thus destroy an enemy =