, 1890-12-04
SECRETARY OF NAVY,
Interesting Report About
the New Navy.
SHIPS TO DEFEND OUR COAST
Other Notes of Interest From
Observation-Disclosures Ex-
penses for the Year.

Secretary Tracy gives much interesting q
information about the new navy. Among
uncompleted crafts, special mention is
made of the nrmored cruiser New
York. The vessel has attained an un
usual combination of great offensive
and defensive power, with extraordinary
coal endurance, and is of high speed.
Her armament is unequaled by any ship
of the cruiser type in the world, and it
gives her chances not to be despsed
should she be driven to an encounter
with battle-ship
Three battle-ships are now building
ono in San Francisco-declar to be
vessels whose equal as fighting ships
doesn't exist to-day. There are others
of greater size, but none of greater
power or efficiency.
Much space is also devoted to triple
screw protected cruisers, which have
formidable armament and enormous
horse power. Their speed is fnster than
any ocean grey hound now in existence,
and coal indurance, which with ordi-
nary cruising time, gives her an endur-
ance OF lO3 days, or radius of action OF
20, $40 knots. Six ships like her would
exterminate the commerce OF any couu-
try under the present conditions of COM
merce and protection.
Regarding armor, the Bethlehem Iron
Company is still disappointing the de-
partment in getting their plant com
pleted. The time now fixed for compile
ton is July lS, 1891, nearly two years
after the contract time. Another con-
tract has been made with Carnegie,
binding the firm to begin the delivery
OF armor June next, and deliver 800
tons per month thereafter. If both
firms come up to the expectation, IL will
take two years from July Is, 1901, to
complete the armor for ships now au-
thorized.
The report deals at length with exper-
iments with compound nickel and steel
plate. Berore entering upon extensive
purchases the department thought 1t
wise to make further tests, and limited
quantity of nickel. amounting in value
to about $4,000 has been purchased.
No more will toe procured until complete
and exhaustive experiments demon
strate the success of the plate beyond
doubt.
In discussing ordinary matters. the
secretary particularly calls attention to
the reduction in the cost of making guns
and carriages the Washington Gun Fac
tory has accomplished. To take a single
instance: The government under the
old contract paid s.. 500 per gun for the
manufacture of elght-inch rifles aside
from the cost of forgings. Tho Wash
ton Gun Factory III 1883 manufactured
them for So, 1853 and this year for 81, 772
Armor piercing projectiles, hitherto
received from private Irms in this coun-
try. having proved unsatisfactory, a con
tract has been made for quantity OF
foreign processes to be manufactured in
this country, while the department will
still endeavor TO bring about arrange
msnts 10 secure a satisfactory American
proIectile. The diversity of rapid firing
guns has led the department to look
with favor upon the plan to limit the
smaller rapid firing pieces 10 S II. FOUNDER
and one-pound clliber, and abandon
the three-pounders and forty y-seven and
thirty-seven millimeters as soon ds prac-
ticable. The Hotchkiss company, not
having yet been able to produce salts
factorily Howell torpedoes, arrange
ments have been made with the White
head company, whereby an American
company Will shortly be enabled TO sup
ply the navy number of their torpe.
does. When the Hotchkiss company
perfect theirs they will be given tests
of torpedoes other than automatical.
The Patrick torpedo, electrically directed
lloin the snorei nus unuerROne sue
cessful test.
Considerable space is given to naval
militia, the want of which is declared to
be one OF the most vital defects in our
system. Reference is made to the ac-
tive interest in some of the Eastern
states, and Pacific coast for the past two
years, and the secretary says all that
is needed is such action ON the part of
congress as will put the naval militia on
tho tnniiDU fha land militia
There Is every reason to believe that
with proper encouragement the creation
Of naval militia will be assured.
The general estimates for the support
of the navy, including public works and
marine corps, for the next fiscal year,
show total of 81, 49,, 50i less than last
year and $l56, 600 less than the current
year appropriation. The estimates for tie
increase in the navy SIS, All 900 against
80, 3S6, 900 for last year. The largest
part OF this increase, however, is for the
payment on outstanding contracts.
The secretary draws especial atten-
tion to the necessities as the most vul-
nerable points along our coasts for ade-
quate protection from foreign fleets. No
land force, howovor resolute or numer-
GUS, could be effective; even when all
the ships now authorized are COM
pleted, we should not have q fighting
chance, our defense being SO long, and
in parts so divided and remote. N Nothing
short of O force OF battle ships, numer-
GUS enough to distribute In separate
fields of attack, and able to concentrate
on any threatened point within their
own field will prove complete protec-
ton. The type OF ship the department
suggests for harbor defense purposes is
the enlarged Puritan, of not more
than fourteen to sixteen feet draught
and with a heavy armor and arma-
ment These ships are exclusively for
local purposes and have stations from
which they should never be absent. They
would stay tho entrance OF the enemy
until the battle ships could arrive.
This type is less expensive than sea-
going ships. and answers as no other to
fill the requirements of the American
harbors. Furthermore, the movement
toward the creation of a naval militia
will receive additional strength and
arrangement from the creation of this
national force, reserved for local pur-
poses. Tho harbor defense ship would
be rallying point and the drill hall Of
the naval school for young men who
have shown earnestness in the organiza-
tion of a naval militia. 1t should be
their privilege to become the principal
source of supply for the complement of
both officers and men of their local ship,
and the result will be an addition of in
calculable strength to the naval re-
sources of the country. If such plan
is adopted. 1t is reasonable to believe
that Boston. New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, New Orleans, San Francisco
and the cities on Puget sound will be-
ntvfa ~ al atr .,svth ft,a