New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-15

one item increasing as the other diminished o p6 t1
in the present year pensions amount to Son 6o6
while the interest amounts 70 ONLY ars ~ smonnt to
sS 900 the e pensions t and int e
win be Sl62 COO 900, or S2Ioo2o0 less lS 'r nSr5d
nonWsion Of the country has nearly doubled 50
that the burden borne BY eas IN ss Down az the great
burden OF the war; is about onelan what IL WIS WIG"
te b Ma coSnty paid ts debt to the bondhoders first
or6 70 the soldiers afterward; the burden Is peing
Shifted from interest TO pensions, ana II y nV' ~
ho,S be remembered in Justice TO the soldiers that
ohc IL was proposed to set the Government Prlhlhs
presses at Work S dd 70 IN dspreGed currency
he soldier vote that put down this ashoheSt 20 bR
at rcpndaoh ana and T Tbe believe that we should not
be carried away even by generous cannot tefnse
ber beyOGd our meaR which iIr our SS pension cgs
la{on has enacted into law tat no a ~o want
his lie in defence Of the Union Should ever "an'
III OF the general legislation Of the List Congress srd
will not speak as we have WIN T The subject would
make ANYTHING from me superiuo9s: but o1e LILLE
may be permitted TO say Iat u tg hiSD Tnftery
law Which has prohibited the use Of me al' ac 9
the promotion OF lotteries inc Mea rpapv 70 The
ImportatiSn of American cattle and which we nope
viii cause the removal Of the rstnemos, 1 ~ haa
arnct 90 the United states; and, 1inally the shipping
Kin which IS destined, l trust 70 Drlhg aOou' re
al al - n
WA h U oT nothing but pass these three acts II would
h ttied m tfe lasting gratitude OF the American
people.
THE NEW NAVY.
Auboueh some statement from me may be expected
rs 10 the work Of the Navy Department am DOT DIS
posed to dwell upon the subject az ehsh anu ue icSS
40 hacose the active interest and close scrutiny OF the
rss IN reference TO all naval matters keep the public
=. = rrIa fnIly informed OF all that takes place
In the Navy Department l cannot help, however,
referrne to the condition OF naval construction 10
day and saving few words as to what mas been Done
On far and what may be expected at the present rate
Of progress.
At the present time tile Navy Department is engaged
in the construction OF twenty-five vessels, all but hVe
Of which were begun during this Administration al
though seven Others had been practically designed
Two others Will shortly be begun. The majority Of
these vessels are building by contract but not frame
or plate is shipped to the builders without an IN
spection and test at the mills, or Is put INTO the ve
except under the eye oil lhe supGiNiSs b CON
pleted and placed In commission since ule pebinidlt
OF tho Administration and two more are nearly iSdu
In the programme OF naval construction which !
found i'm process OF execution upon entering once anu
which was one OF the first and most lHpoiS,it PVht
10 call for attentive consideration a5eer1dcu 49,
Smrabie AZ were tho vessels designed, no PROVISION
SaH been made Tor single rOncad capable I'll meetlb
nrstclass batueshp WIN "noh nj win coal
were well supplied, or Tor single clul9er, 20 and
endurance aud speed sufficient 10 Keep lle 80 ,
operate successfully on the great routes o1 rnort
merce. Accordingly III my hIet 'ii,u ii,n my he
.tsted as tic result of careful examination llI Uc
lief that radical departure from the pan o. COLE ,
lion hitherto adupted necessary 70 eIdDlS y" ~
nited states TO protect itself eccualy rom QiS az
tack of an enemy. This departure oon.,nt and
construction battleshps carrying an r now,
oTmor greatly In excess of those WIN WHICH or ny
SUNS had hitherto been provided AIter an s H.
oSooes NJ low hoard vessels restricted 10 hdrDor
oncraons urgently pressed the merits Of their iaVOfe
~ pc, es eScordnciv Authorized These
three ships-the Indiana Massachusetts ana OStd
were contracted for In october aLn arc W pc ~
within three years. Their construction Is suCH a. ~
make them available for defence nj any pOit .ione W.
North American coast the lsthmus or III .he Me1t
indies Their design was difficult problem, l0i 1T
consisted in placing the most powerful elS anu u,S
heaviest aIn0r on hull OF moderate dram. s1taUlc O
the depth OF our harbOIs The problem, however;
was successfully solved, and Tor pure oH4h9Xe en r
defensive power the balc-shlps constitute by far e
most important additions yet made TO the NhvS. ro,a
OF powerful commerce destroyer5 TWO Vp1II o Yin ip
designed, one the Newior an arhorcu fih1 anna
which tile four elements OF speed, coal caRaclty aI
ment and protection have been carefully paaioet,
with view to securing ship superior IN an 1
twenty Knots Is sufficient to Overtako 93 per cent Oh
eli the ships Of the World naval of Far eTcee those Of
the ordinary cruiser and she would not be saIe
antagonist for baitleslps OF ne secOha c N h one
that the Department regards with peculiar interest ana
snvor she * triple-screw ship Of 400 tons, unit
tnr sufficient armament with complete prOtccuoh
AGAINST light guns and having speed OF tWelH-t"UU
knots, and coal endurance That enaDIsS nor TO- 81,
reDicnishinc her supply The merits OF this type
bsoGtsly novel in It's character have 50 commended
themselves 70 Congress that similar Vcsse was au
borlzed ST the recent session Tie first is under CON
tract. the second under advertisement ~. a..
ShOuh q crisis arrive venture 10 assert uldu the
protecton Of the United states will depend more upon
these three battleshps and three cruisers tlan upon
any other part of our naval force
PRAISE FROM a RIVAL.
As a testimony to the opinion entertained or these
latest designs of the Department viii only quote the
words of J. H. Bes, one OF the foremost Of English
naval architects who has just returned home from
visit OF inspection 10 this country. In an exhaustive
naner ON our new ships read by him on March 10, be-
fore the Institute OF Naval Architects in London he
savs "The American ship designers and builders have
shown that they are capable Of producing vessels quite
eoua TO their promises and at least equal to the best
European practice OF the New-YOrk he says, in a
comparison with cruisers OF the same type In England
ComDared with the Edgar class, this vessel Is much
more powerfully armed, and mach better protected
Her sustained speed Will probably be greater. d
The battlehps he says: The armament OF these YES
sells seems 70 be more powerful than that Of any
European batteship having four guns capable Of pierre
ing any ahOat, and eight olnch guns capable Of
penetrating almost any armor, and certainly of pene
ratng the armor at the ends Of the bolts and on th'
barbettes and redoubts of most Of our battieshps
close quarters. They distinctly superior in mos
respects 70 any European vessels Of Che same dspace
ment and for the purpose indicated, Of protecting tn
American coast lne they seem 10 be quite match 70
| any ships ah0at'
| finally In referring to Cruiser No. Il he observes
| She Is the most important Of the cruisers. She
called the destroyer, and Is Familiarity know
as the Pirate. The building Of such ship No. l.
| which we have nothing to cope with, certainly is al
Indication Of what Anrlca is capable Of, both in
| ceptiOn and construction"
| Since the publication OF Mr.. BLESS remarks, tn
| Naval AEachc at London has written, under date q
March "a TIE paper on our new construction is I'll
talk OF the service clubs and has produced prOf0un
| impression. 1t Is generally Acknowledged that TN
| designs are in advance OF their last here
In the subsidiary branches Of naval construction
VIC have maze substantial progress. The armOr trial
| held at Annapolis in september last undertake
| with View 20 test the comparative merits Of tn
Engkh system Of compound armor, the French systeI
| Of all steel armor. and new system which, althOug
II had attracted the attention OF the Navy Department
| 10 one had get adopted in which certain pcrCentag
| Of nickel combined with tic steel. No more CON
prehensve tests OF armOr plates have ever been held
and IN none have The results been more clear and con
| >1 IVY" y FL