Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-23
The New Navy.

lie dIllual report OF secretary tracy OF
the navy department. makes highly inter
esting reading, not only for our people, but
for the nations of the old world, which
have prided themselves on their impregna-
bilty from naval point of view, and on
their immense superiority to the United
States in this respect. The idea of a new
American navy had its birth during the
administration Of President Arthur; its
primary development began under Secre-
tary Whitney, in Mr.. Cleveland's admins
tration, but it is under the remarkably able
and efficient management of Mr. Tracy
that the real growth of the navy has begun.
When President Harrison was inaugurated
March 4, 1889, our navy consisted of a few
decaying and obsolete wooden ships, and
three modern steel vessels-the Dolphin,
Atlanta and BOston-wth a total tonnage
of 1868, and an armament, in the aggregate,
of 13 6-inch and four S-inch guns. The
United States was destitute of facilities for
producing modern heavy ordnance, and
the forgings for these II guns had been
bought in Europe.
During President Harrison administers
tion 80 fine new vessels have been added
to the navy, with an aggregate tonnage of
54,S32, and an armament of steel rifles of
the very best class. All of these guns, ex-
cept five, are of American manufacture.
But the vessels already completed do not
compose by any means the most important
portion of the new navy. There are 20
war ships designed, or under construction,
whose completion will raise the American
navy to a strength that will command the
respect even Of the foremost naval powers
of Europe. Eighteen of these vessels are
heng completed as rapidly as circumstances
will permit. 1t is hoped that they will all
be anoat within the next II months. Ten
out of the Is are powerful armor-clads, and
the tonnage of the whole number amounts
to %, ,497. Their armament, made entirely
in this country, will consist of the most
effective naval steel rifles in existence
The most notable achievement, however,
has been in the development Of a new ar
NOR plate, which is peculiarly an American
product. Within three years our naval eX-
perts had not only brought before the pub
lie the new high carbon nickel Harvey
plate, acknowledged to be the best ever
made by any government, but also had as
Secretary Tracy graphically says in his re-
port, stripped off in five shots half the
| protection of the armored fleet of Great
Britain and of most of the fleets of the
world The armor plate which will pro-
tect the vitals of our new war ships has
been subjected successfully to tests repre-
sented by five impacts from projectles hav-
ing total energy of 25 900 foot-tons. No
/ foreign war ships afloat could stand such
a pounding, and they must all be replated
according to the American standard The
achievement is great one in itself, and it
| typifies what American mechanical genius
can do when set in motion along any par
| ticular line.
| Added to this, the development of a new
| smokeless powder, and Of safe high ex.
| plosive for the shells in high-power guns,
/ the manufacture of armor-piercing projec-
tiles equal or superior to any others of any
nation, the heavy rapid-tre guns of 1, ),
and 6-nch calibres, the improved breech
mechanism for large guns, which has near
ly quadrupled the rapidty of fire, the new
| gun mounts which permit the substitution
of hand for hydraulic power, the supply of
| torpedoes, which had been wholly lacking,
/ and the use Of nickel-steel in the manufact-
ure of guns, are among the achievements Of
the four years which the secretary of the
navy has under review
The record is remarkable one, AS show
ing what American ingenuity and enter
prise are equal to when given wise and
patriotic direction and encouragement, as
they have been under the Harrison admin
istration.