The record-union., 1891-12-07
Annual Report Submitted by Sec
retary Tracy.
VESSELS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE
PAST YEAR
Cruisers Nos. 12 and 13 Have no
Equal Among Large Cruisers in
the World for Coal Endurance and
High Speed - The Attack on the
Baltimore SafIors-A Gun Factory
Recommended for the Pacific Coast.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oS.

WASHINGTON, w Dec. 6.-S6cretary OF the
Navy Tracy, in his annual report, speaks
kirst of the new construction undertaken
during the past year. OF this, by far the
most important is, he says, the protected
cruiser No. Ii, of 7.500 tons displacement,
and sister ship to cruiser No. u. The
peculiar advantages of these two cruisers
consist in their extraordinary coal en-
durance 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 impor-
tance is the harbor defense ram of $50
tons displacement now being built by the
Bath Iron Works, Maine.
Proposals for the construction of the
torpedo cruisers of $500 tons, authorized
by the Act of June 80, 1890, We're invited,
but no bids received. The department
has not again advertised. it being clear
that no one would offer to build the YES
sells demanded within the prescribed
limits. In view OF the great merits OF
this class of vessels the Secretary recon-
mends that the limit cost be increased
from $3.50, 900 to $5I2,0
The Secretary also reviews at length
other recent constructions, showing the
work progressing satisfactorily.
THE ARMOR QUESTION.
On the armor question the Secretary
notes the growth of its manufacture here,
ETC., the trials, which have been fully re-
ported before in these dispatches, etc.
The tests, he says, were more severe than
ever applied at foreign trials, and the re-
suits in the highest degree satisfactory.
zach OF the six plates manufactured in
shis country were superior to the Eng
plSh compound plate, while nickel Har-
veyed plate and high carbon plate were
superior to all foreign plates. They may,
therefore be pronounced in advance of
hhe best armor heretofore manufactured
En Europe. The trials definitely estab-
Fish the TACT that armor of excellent quail
tty may be produced by rolling, and that
aorging by means of hammer, the
kgreatest source hitherto of expense in
lnanutacture, is no longer an absolute
necessity. The Importance of this can
slardly be overestlmated, for it means the
probability that within year or two the
B3rmor-producing capacity of the United
States may be quadrupled in case of
necessity, and If we had 10000 tons to let,
Rnd could give eighteen months from
The date of contract to commence deliv-
pry, the cost OF manufacture would be re-
1uced from 70 to 81 per cent, while the
work hitherto confined TO two firms
would be open to a large number of COM
s)etitors.
The final trial shows that high carbon,
nickel Harveyed plate is undoubtedly
ehe best armor plate ever subjected TO a
ballistic test. The question of tempering
or chilling carbonized armor plate needs,
however, further experimental develop
lnent.
ORDNANCE.
Under the head of ordnance the report
says 347 guns Will be required to arm the
vessels now in course of construction. of
this number l55 are completed a test
was made Of the finch rapid-fire gun
with successful results. The number of
heavy guns was largely increased during
the year, and show a marked improve
inent. The manufacture of S-inch guns
is in advance of the ships upon which
they will be placed. OF the 10-inch guns,
the Miantonomah's battery is completed
and has been placed on board -Four
others are ready for the Terror, and two
Tor the Monterey will shortly be finished
The first Pinch gun of 35-caliber is COM
pleted, and now at the proving ground.
Three more are in course of construction.
The forgings for the tube and jacket ofthe
first of the thirteen-inch guns intended
Tor the armament of the ship Indiana
are at last completed. No sixteen-inch
guns have yet been called for in the arm
aments of the new ships. If they should
be found desirable gun, factory is
ready to manufacture them and design
tor this caliber completed which, it is be-
caused the failures of many foreign guns
of the largest caliber. Close observation
OF foreign progress and experiment en-
abled the Bureau of Ordnance to provide
materially improved carriages for the
batteries of the new ships.
The supply guns for the secondary bat
teries are making rapid progress.
SMoKELESS POWDER.
Brown powder for general service use
in heavy guns continues to give excel
lent results. The most important adj
vance during the year is the development
of smokeless powder, invented by Pro-
lessor Monroe of the naval torpedo sta
ton. The results exceeded anticipations.
With charges of half the weight of those
used with ordinary powder the veloci-
ties increased nearly two hundred feet
per second, with no increase of chamber
pressure. The powder contains no vol
taic constituents, is not effected by re-
peated heating for long periods, is unin-
1ured even by boiling in water, gives
high and regular velocities with moder-
ate and regular pressureS, and has thus
far shown all essential requisites of nor
NAL smokeless powder. The Secretary
adds that it is safe to say that within q
short time the use of ordinary gunpowder
will be abandoned in calibers of six-inch
and below.
Mention is made of a contract with the
Duponts for $4,000 pounds of cotton. The
capacities of the gun cotton factory at the
torpedo station has been enlarged, and
IN this respect the resources of the Gov
ernment are now ample.
High explosive Emmensite is also
touched upon. Mention is made of the
experiment with it, and it is stated that
the possibilities of these Investigations
point to extraordinary developments in
the near future.
ARMoR PIERCING PRoJECTILES.
A firm manufacturing armor piercing
projectiles has made improvements and
the difference in the effective force of the
navy to-day, compared with that of q
year ago. when it had not single pro-
jectile that could pierce modern armor.
is incalculable. The hopes held out in
the last report of the establishment in
the United States of a new process OF
manufacturing foreign forged steel shells
have been realized, and contract made
with the United States Projectile Com
pany of Brooklyn. A quantity OF pro-
jectiles made by the electric welding
process have also been ordered from the
American Projectile Company of Boston
and efforts are being made TO domestlcate
other processes in this country.
ToRPEDoES.
AS to torpedoes, the strenuous efforts
of the department has resulted in the es-
tablishment by the Bliss Company OF
Brooklyn of plant for the manufacture
of Whitehead torpedoes in this country,
and contract was entered into last May