Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-07
THE NEW NAVY.
The Annual Report Of Secretary Tracy
Upon 1t.
HE FAVORS BIG MEN OF WAR.
The Details Of the Construction, Of Gul-Making,
Etc.-The Chilean COnrOvery-The Naval
Reserve COmmended-An Outline Of
the Document

WASHINGTON, D. c., December c.
The annual report Of the Secretary OF
the Navy was made public to-cay. In
the opening sentences the Secretary
says the only new work undertaken by
the Department within a year is that
upon Protected Cruiser No. 13, of $500
tons displacement, q sister ship to
Cruiser No. -, each ship being design
ed to carry one S-inch and two 6-inch
breach-loadinG rifles of 40 calibres, ,eigh
4-inch rapid-fre guns Of an armor-pierc-
Ing type, twenty small calibre rapid lire
guns, and five tarpedo tubes, making
them formidable antagonists for any
vessel they may be called upon TO
fight" As illustrating the industry Of
the Department in beginning the con-
struction of Cruiser No. 13, the Secre-
tary points out that within nine days
after the act authorizing the work was
approved the plans were ready and the
advertisements for proposals published.
The contract was let TO William Cramp
& Sons for 50, $780, 600. The report con-
tinues:
The second vessel in point Of size
and Importance is the HarbOr Defense
Ram of 1850 tons displacement, au-
thorized by the act approved March 2,
1889. Proposals for the construction OF
this vessel, in accordance with the De-
partment'S plans and specifications, were
opened December 20, 1890. Butone bid
was received, that Of the Bath Iron
Works, of Bath, Me-, for $3.50, coo, and
the contract was awarded accordingly,
January %, 1891. Since the execution
of the contract, changes in the plans
have been made, increasing the length
of the vessel feet, thus giving greater
berihing capacity for the crew and space
for towage Of coal, and admitting bat
terry of four 6-pound rapid-ire guns to
afford protection against torpedo boats.
The change has materially increased the
coal endurance and consequent radius
of action Of the vessel, while the substi-
tuition of solid eel casting for the
stem in place of the ram with removable
head, as originally designed, gives the
vessel greater strength for ramming
purposes. The contract requires that
the harbor defense ram shall be COM
pleted and ready for delivery in Is
months from date of execution.
Proposals for the construction of the
torpedo cruiser Of $50 tons, authorized
by the act OF June 30, 1890, we're in
vited October 1s, 1890, the BIDS to be
opened February IL, 1891. No bids
were received for the construction Of
this vessel.
The Department has not again ad-
vertiSed for proposals for the torpedo
cruiser, it being clear that no one would
offer to build her within the prescribed
limit. The act authorizing her con-
struction requires her to have a maxi
mum speed of not less than % knots. This
high rate Of speed requires engines OF
6, 600 horse power, and involves cor
reSpondingly heavy expense. To build
such boat, it is estimated that the
limit of cost should be increased Sl62, 600,
making S512, 900, instead of S350,000, as
ORIGINALLY projected. In view OF the
great merits of this type vessel, |
recommend that the lawsbe amended to
enable the Department to proceed with
her construction.
"The act of June so, 1890, also au-
thorized the construction OF torpedo
boat of abort 113 tons. Proposals were
invited, y and the contract
awarded to the Iowa Iron Works, for
sl13, 500, the vessel to be completed in
twe!ve months. The navy will there
fore have within year its second tor
pedo boat. and it bids fair to be an i'm
provement on the Cushing, whose ex-
cellent qualities have been thoroughly
demonstrated; and it is matter of ad-
ditienal satisfaction that it is to be
built upon the interior waters Of the
country, thus tending to distribute
more widely the benefits arising from
the shipbuilding industry, and creating
plants at point remote from all posi-
ble attack.
PROGRESS or RECENT CONSTRUCTION.
During the past year four new YES
sells have been placed in commission,
making total number OF thirteen
since March 4, 1889, as follows: