The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-07
LabOrS of Past Year and Plans
for the Future.
SECRETARY TRAcY's REPORT.
He Fully Recognizes the Necessity for
thorough Pacific Coast Defenses.
hecommends the Establishment OF an
Ordnance Factory In the west-suc-
cess Of Smokeless Powder-The Chill
can Matter Discussed.

the Navy Tracy, in his annual report,
speaks first of the new construction under
taken during the past year. OF this, by
Iar the mos; important is, he says, pro-
tected cruiser No. Is, of 800 tons dis
placement, and her sister ship cruiser, No.
Il. The peculiar advantages of these two
cruisers consist in their extraordinary coal
endurance and their high speed. in both
OF which respects they have no equal
among the large cruisers of the
world. The second vessel in point of
size and Importance is the harbor defense
ram OF 1000 tons displacement, now being
built by the Bath Iron Works, in Maine
proposals for the construction of torpedo
cruiser of $50 tons, authorized by the act of
June 30, 1890, were invited, but no bids
were received. The department has not
again advertised. it being clear that no
oneawould offer to build the vessel de-
manded within the prescribed limits. In
view of the great merit of this class of YES
seis, the secretary recommends that the
limit of cost be increased from $3.50, 900 to
$4,000
The secretary also reviews at length
other recent construction, showing that
the work is progressing satisfactorily.
On the armor question Secretary Tracy
notes the growth Of its manufacture here.
Said he:
The tests were more severe than ever applied
at foreign trials and the results were in the
highest degree satisfactory. Each of the six
inch plates manufactured in this country was
superior to the English compound plate,
while nickel harveyed plate and high
carbon nickel plate were superior
a ion Int
therefore be pronounced in advance of the best
armor heretofore manufactured in Europe. The
trials definitely establish the fact that armor of
an excel lent quality may be produced by roll
ing and that forging by means of the hammer,
the greatest source hitherto of expense in the
manufacture, was no longer an absolute neees-
sity. The importance of this can hardly be over
estimated, for ii raises the probability that
within year or two the armor producing
capacity OF the United States may be quad
rupled in case of necessity, and If we had 10000
tons to let and could give eighteen months from
the date OF the contract to commence delivery,
the cost of manufacture would be reduced from 25
to SO per cent While the work hitherto has been
confined to two firms, it would then be thrown
open to large number Of competitors. Finally,
the trial shows that high-carbon nickel har-
veyed plate is, undoubtedly the best armor-
plate ever subjected to the ballistic test
The question OF tempering or chilling carbon
lied armor-piate needs, however, further exper-
mental development
Under the head of ordnance the report
says:
Three hundred and forty-seven guns are
required to arm the vessels now in
course of construction. or this number
155 are completed. The test made of the 4-inch
rapid firing gun was had with successful
results. The number of heavy guns was
largely increased during the past year
and shows very marked improvement
The manufacture of 1s-inch guns in ad-
vance of the ships upon which they were to be
placed and of the 10ipch Misntonomah batsery.is
completed and the guns have been placed on
board. Four others for the Terror aud two for
the Monterey will shortly be finished. The frs.
Pinch gun OF 35 ealiber is completed and Is
now at the proving ground. Three more are
i'll course of construction. The forgings for the
tube and jacket of the first 13-inch guns in
tended for the armament of ships of the Indiana
class are completed.
No sixteen-inch guns have been called for yet
in the armament of new ships If they should
be found desirable gun factory is ready to
manufacture them, and the design for this cali
Der is completed, which. it is believed, avoids
the serious defects that caused the failures OF
many foreign guns of the largast caliber Close
observation of foreign progress and experiment
enaUteS lle DtlGau Ol OFLUaHte 10 pIONtue ma
terially improved carriages for the batteries of
new ships. The supply of guns for secondary
batteries is making rapid progress.
Brown powder for general service use in
heavy guns continues TO give excellent results.
The most i'm portant advance during the year
is the development of smokeless powder, in
vented by Professor Monroe, of the naval tor
pedo station, the result exceeding anticipa-
tions. With charge of half the weight of those
used with ordinary powder, the velocity in
creased nearly 200 feet per second with no in
crease of chamber pressure The powder contains
no volatile constituents, is not affected by re-
peated heating for long periods, Is uniniured
even by boiling in water gives high and regular
velocities with moderate and regular pressure,
and thus far shows all the essential requisites
OF normal smokeless powder The sec
retary adds that it is safe to say that
within a short time the use OF ordinary
gun powder will be abandoned in calbers OF six
ineh and below. Mention is made of the con
tract with Duponts for $1,000 pounds gun cotton.
The capacity of the gun cotton factory at the
torpedo station has been enlarged and in this
respect the resources of the government are now
ample.
High explosive "emmenste" is also
touched upon. Mention Is made of ex-
periments with it and it is stated that the
possibilities of these Investigations point
TO extraordinary developments in the near
future. The report says:
The firm manufacturing armor piercing pro-
jecties has made improvements and the differ
ence in the effective force OF the navy today
compared with the situation q year ago, when il
had no; "a single prolectile that could pierce a
modern armor, is incaleu able. The hopes
held out in the LAST report OF the establish
Iucut the United States of new process Tor the
nF az 1u3tis haEa asf-
lied ana contract has been made with the
United states Proiectile Company, of Brooklyn
A quantity OF proiectiles made by the electric
welding process have also been ordered from
the American Projec;iie Company, OF Boston,
and efforts are being made 70 donestieate other
processes in this country As 10 torpedoss,
the strenuous efforts Of the department re-
suited in the establishment by the Bliss Com
pany. OF Brooklyn. Of plant for the manufacture
OF Whitehead torpedoes Of the most recent type.
The successful domestication in this country
Of me manufacture OF Whitehead tospedoes is
one of the most important advances in naval
ddye.opment for years IL Is expected
that successful experiments with the
Howell torpedoes Will be made
soon. and the Hall torpedo is approaching CON-
nIetiou. Three Patrick torpedoes ordered thr
years ago were delivered Important work has
been done in the preparation Of launching tubes
sod other details connected with the use OF tor
rseoes and the present state OF The work is such
as to Justify the belief that torpedo outfits may
be installed on board Of our vessels within a
short t.esiod and that the torpedo equ pments of
our navy Will soon equal If not surpass those pos
sessed by other narlons
Active investigation was made Of torpedo de-
fense nets etc, and two OF the latter were made
in America and others Of the most improved
foreign type procured, with the view of testing