Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-07
STATE OF OUR NAVY
Secretary Tracy Makes His
 Annual Report.
ARMoR TESTS SATISFACTORY.
American Tars Not at Fault in the
 Trouble at Valparaiso.

The Present System of Seniority Promo
 tion Considered Unreasonable War
 Ships Launched During the Year-New
 Style of Boat Needed for Chinese ~Va-
 tsrs-Recommendat dations of the Depart
 msnt Regarding New Ships.
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-The annua report of Secretary Tr acy on the condi- tion of the navy will be aid before Con- grsss when it organizes for business. Concerning the present state of nav al construction the Secretary says:
 ''Of the now constructions under taken during this period, by far the most important is protected cruiser No. 13. This vessel, of z, 800 tons displace- ment, is sister ship to cruiser No. 13. The peculiar advantages of these two cruisers consist in their extraordinary coal endurance and their high speed, in both of which respect Ethey have no equal among the large cruisers of the world. With a maximum speed of 22 knots an hour and 8 sustained sea speed | of 2l knots, they can safely be counted on, in any ordinary sea, to overtake any commerce destroyer CT, any commerce pro- | tector or any mercantile vessel now l af1oat, while their ability to cruise for | great distan ces without recoalinR makes | them a peculiarly important addition to l 8 navy destitute of coaling stations | abroad. During the past year four new | vessels have been placed in commi ssion, l making a total number of 13 since | March 4. 1S89."
 The department will recommend that | two more battle ships be provided for | this year, and also 8 cruiser like the l New York, of which Mr. Tracy says;
  l tions cover far wider range than those of an ordinary cruiser, presents an ex- l traordinary combination of great coal | endurance, high speed and efficient ar l nor protection. With the exception ot the three ships of the Indiana class, she is the most important element of de- fensive strength which this country now | possesses"
 The Secretary points out that tn, utility of the 8, 000- ton cruiser is now | questioned, as well as that of small | gunboats like the Petrel, which are go cd chiefly for peace cruising purposes. He l advocates building torpedo cruisers, and has this to say about boats for river scr. vice iu China: 'I recommend the con- struction of a vessel specially adapted for river service, but so constructed as to be capable of the highest military l efficiency in the quarter where she is l
 Such vessel, which would cost about l $400, 900, would immediately prove herself to be the most useful vessel o any foreign power upon that sta tion."
 | Considerable space is given to the at. tack in Valparaiso on the seAmen of the Baltimore, and the Secretary sums ur the situation as follows: "Whether the attacks on the seamen of the Baltimore
 were preconcerted or not, their req
 cause can only bs found in tho bi tter
 hostility of the Chilians toward the United States, feeling largely due te F the false and malicious accusations
 which have been put forth at IquiQue , and later at Valparaiso in reference to
 the action of the navy of the United
 States during the progress of the revo lution. It is due to the navy to sta tt that SO far from having given cause fol l such a feeling, it's conduct, under tho instructions of the department, has ir ? every respect been fair, just and tenn , l perate.'
 The Secretary says the most mo
 mentous question of the year was tha of armor, and he refers to the trial a l Indian Head as follows: "The results o the trial were in the highest degree sat ) isfactory. Each of the six plates manu , factured in this country was superior t.
 the compound plate, while the nick c |. Harveyed plate and the high-carbol nickel plate were superior to all the for
 eign pl ates of the Annapolis trial The may, therefore, be pronounced in ad 2 vance of the best armor hitherto manu t factured in Europe"
 The subjects of high explosives, nava , militia and a better system of promo tic are discussed by MT. Tracy.