The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-04
NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.
Recon- nlcndations OF the Chief of Il
Bureau,

Recommendations of the Chief of the
bureau.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-Commodore Will
son, chief of the bureau of construction, in
his annual report recommends that the
Galena be sold as useless to the govern
ment and a source of expense. Touching
the old wooden navy the report says that
these vessels are rapidly disappearing from
active service. Only twelve are now avail
able for cruising purposes and they within
i've or elk years will have been mustered
out. Concerning new construction, the re-
port speaks OF the usefulness of torpedo
cruisers, such as engaged and sunk the
Blanco in Calndera bay in tho Gillian war.
After recruiting the fact that the depart
ment did not get bids for the construction
of such vessels within the limits of the APP
preparation OF the last congress, it recon-
mends TINT appropriations be limited to
$4,000. At this price a vessel of $50 tons
may be obtained, capable of running
twenty-three knots NJ hour and keeping at
sea. Stress is laid upon the significance of
the contract made for the construction of
torpedo boat No. 9. with tho Iowa Iron
Works, as it indicates the possibility of
building these valuable craft III
safe inland points. The report
states that contracts have already
been made for 1870 of the 15.145 tons
of armor required for vessels now building.
Attention is called to the fact that with the
advent of modern steel vessels comes tho
pressing NJ necessity for q large increase in
the machine departments of the navy yards
to make unavoidable repairs. To this end
appropriations arc recommended OF $25, 900
for the Portsmouth navy yard: Sl50,OO0 for
New York; $4,000 for League island; S4S,-
COO for Norfolk, and 500, 900 for Mare
island.
selzing the opportunity afforded by the
unfortunate experience of our steel cluis-
ers i'll Chiiian waters. the report treats mt
length of the necessity for sheathinR the
bottom of steel vessels. 1t says the import
Anco of the preservation of the bottoms of
S eel vessels from corros!on and fouling
can hardly DO overestimatcd, and Is %conti,-
unily emphasized by reports of loss of
speed and Increased consumption of coal
from our new unsheathed steel
NGssels now in commission. Unless we are
willing to admit that the role of our cruis-
ers IN time Of war shall be entirely confined
to cruises OF short duration in Tho neigh
borhood of our W ports. it would appear
that they are deficient in q most important
quality, namely: ability to maintain high
hpeed ut sea for long reriods OF time.
heterencs 10 made to valuable data bear
ing on this subject collected by Naval Con- !
%struotor Hichborn, and an earnest recon-
IS made that congress adopt his
summing as follows: |. All
cruising vessels intended for general SER
vico in foreign waters should be shetaGed if
above 1,O0J tons displacement. 2. Ves-
sells OF leas than l,0GO tons diBolacement i'll |
tended for general service as cruising, gun
ETC.. should be of composite con
struotion.. viz: with steel framing, wood in
. do. planklng and copper hheathing. Fig
ares nre given to show that Great b itain
has adopted these ideas in new oonstruc-
lion: that "a per cent of it in to BIO shoathed I,
that all of the gunboats built sinco 1856 |
lte of composite construction, enabling
hem to keep mt aea for long periods with
,ut docking.