The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-13
THE GROWING NAVY.
Why Congress Has Authorized but One
New Vessel at the Preesnt Session.

WASHINGTON, March ll.-Only one new
warship is provided for in the appropria
ton bill which has just been passed
by Congress. Yet this is no sign OIL
waning interest in the navy on the part o.
Congress, since this one vessel is to cost
more than the entire fleet of Roach
cruisers with which the modern establish
ment was started few years ago.
The cost of the Chicago was $8S9,000
that Of the Boston, $6l9 200; that of the
Atlanta, $4,000; that of the Dolphin
$4,000. The new vessel, which is un-
armored, has its limit of cost fixed at 50,
100000, and one like it is now under con-
struction at a contract price Of 81, 725, 000
exclusive Of premiums for extra speed.
Thus Cruiser No. Ii, as the new vessel
will no doubt be called until she receives
her final name, will probably cost about
as much as the four vessels just enumer-
ated with the Petrol added Their aggre-
gate displacements are upward of $4,000
tons, while here viii be about 1850; but
the enormous 10000 horse power of the
new vessel exceeds by many thousands the
combined power Of the five ships just men,
toned. And with her extraordinary
maximum speed of % knots she is to have
other qualities, including coal endurance
and protection for her machinery, such as
mark very great advance over our
pioneer cruisers of six eight years ago,
and are proportionally expensive.
While this single additional vessel is to
be so remarkable in efficiency, the naval
appropriation as 4 whole s..nmuch larger
than last years, which authorized much
greater additions TO the navy. This
results from the fact that the instullmcnts
of payment for these and other vessels will
be very heavy during the coming year.
The vessels recently begun are very ex-
pcnsive. The Indiana and the Massa-
chusctts will cost $3,l20,000 each; the
Oregon, $3,lS0,OO0; the New York, which
will be our biggest and finest ship at the
naval review of 1893 in New York harbor,
will cost $3,9S3,0OO; Cruiser No. -, ST.
725,0O0; Cruiser No. -, probably about
the same. Thus these six vessels will
cost for bulls and machinery an aggregate
of about SIT $4,000, and the speed pre-
miums payable on them will probably
carry the total above $IS,000,000, exclu
sive of batteries. When the construction
Of the new navy was begun the largest
vessel proposed cost less than $90O,OOO;
but now, with no fewer than six authorized,
costing an average of $3,0OO,O00 each, the
annual bill until they are finished will be
heavy, apart from further additions.
1t had been thought that Congress
might direct the supply of few more
torpedo boats, which can be built for
about 500, 900 each. But the path in this
form Of naval construction is perhaps not
wholly clear as yet. The torpedo craft
have rivals for favor in the Ericsson sub
marine gun, which has yet to be tested
underan appropriation made by Congress,
and also in the pneumatic or air torpedoes
supplied to the Vesuvius, as yet not fully
tried with explosives Oh that vessel. Per-
haps the fifty-second Congress may have
more light on these matters, and Torpedo
Boat Mo- will then also be ready Or
nearly SO.
But the new torpedo cruiser $50 tons,
to cost not more than $3.50, 900, may never
be built. 1t is quite certain not to be
built at that price, as there was not u
solitary bid for it under the call for pro-
posals; and now the Navy bill has been
passed, with no attempt to increase the
price. The Navy Department first made
this estimate of cost for vessel Of coli-
siderably less speed than Congress con-
Guided to exact AS any large addition in
horse power OH given displacement and
weight Of machinery costs enormously for
the quality Of material, the contractors
dropped the plan. But the Navy Depart
mcnt's rcfraining from asking an increase
Of the limit Of price to 100000 or $780,
900 is itself suggestive. Possibly Il vessel
of that type is no longer deemed neces-
sary. After all, it is better suited to
European waters, where it will have fleets
of torpedo boats to attack. The coal
carrying restrictions of such craft would
give it but limited use here, even in time
Of war, and its cruising service in peace
could be Of very little value.
CONFIDENCE RESTORED