New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-29
NAVAL WORK OF THE LAST YEAR.

THE DEPARTMENT ISSUES VOLUME sum
MtRIz,NG OPERATIONS AID EXPERIMENTS.
Washington. Nov. os.-Thc annual book pr pared by
fhv Barean Of Naval Intelligence containing TVc"
OF me Operations q foreign navies and that oi te
United States. has been Issued Tic book l. the most
valuable that has yet been compiled by the Navy De-
Imrment and embraces IN It's contents all the in0rma
ton gathered by the forlSn Naval attaches relative
to progress In naval matters generally. rs well as
complete summary Of the advances made in the United
states. In this number the notes ships ana Tor
pedo boats, Oh machinery and oNnanc" form the
principal features. Notes OF naval admini-trloa ana
personnel In continuation OF the articles which have
appeared In previous numbers. also treated OF eX-
haustvely The subject of the advances made in Tie
Of electricity shpboari and OF the naval man
ocuvres during tie year also are embraced IN the
book. The book shows that England still ouiSnpi
all other powers in the extent OF Its naval strength
50 far regards the number OF lis ships anoat and
those in course Of construction. During this year
and the next England will have completed ten YES
scls under constructions twenty will be advanced
sufficiently to lie competed In 1894: two ironcadS
Will lie begun in the doclyar!s and by contract
ten first class torpedo boats will also be begun. Re
sides this formidable array there viii be five ironcads
finished and two sufficiently advanced to be finished
In year or two.
All these ships Independent Of the contract built
shiIs nine OF which will be completed after delivery
During the year Encands naval strength was aug
mcntcd by the addition OF four battleShips five ar
morcd cruisers and three torpedo bonts small
colonial diSpatci-boat also added to her fleet
All these ships armed with the most improved
guns and many Of them Lcvathans in Size and
strength. An Interesting account Is given In the
publication Of the batlcshlp Royal sovereign. one OF
eight ships Of her class under construction. which
will sirpass In size and power any previously con
sructed for tie British Navy. on her trial trip this
summer under boiler pressure OF 1903 pounds air
pressure. 30 inches and an indicated horsepower OF
9O44, she developed 1854 knots. The weight and
stiffness Of The ship prevented any vbtioDs and her
st4adness remarkable. Her draft % feet aft.
France has also added materially to her lighting
power aaoa'. In considering the plans tor ships
the endeavor has been 20 augment much possible
the rapidly Of heavy gun fire, oil progress in this
direction being In addition 10 tho offensive power TO
assure greater protection 10 personnc! against shells
loaded with powerful explosives. the use Of which Is
becoming general and 10 place the ships the great
est possible number OF npd fire guns in order TO essb
lish the superiority OF this lire at tho beginning OF
combat In pursuance Of her policy she proposes to
lsv down the following ships during the next year :
batleshps Of 1900 tons d. placement. hrs'-clasS
protected cruiser: third class = ordinary cruisers
torpedo ship ard 10 lr,tclass torpedo boats. The
first twOnarned ships TO cost sj473,oOo EACH and
the first class protected cruisers e2l402OO.
continued failure OF monster guns ahoat and tho rccog
nized Increased efficiency Of reduced calibres and
weights Of guns composing the main batteries OF
ves.e,s. In endcavonng 10 secure tho most powerful
weapon nGoAt, the monster il0ton guns have proved
failures In England or. as al officer Of the Royal
Navy tcr-ely Terms them, abnormal gTnwihs 81 the
peace which the rough tests Oi war VIII sweep away
That this y tacity admitted In England Is shown by
the that guns 81 that type have been con
ractcd for and that the majority Of the large guns
mnde lately l3.5 Inch, siNty-sevcniOn Rifles
Italy has also been combining herself 10 sAy eight ton
guns.
During tho past year the chict Investigations Of
confined in experiment, IN England ard IN the
United states. The apartments made In THIS country
showed beyond n doubt ~" rrpcrinty 81 "A hl'f"'
steel plate properly treated md fncc hardened by tho
Harvey process over IL compound PLATE" Trials at
Indian Head are shown by The book TO prove conclu
sivcly the vnlue OF employing alloy OF nickel IN
steel, and. also that when tho Harvey process Is
propery employed IL Is capable Of Increasing the
c.cncy Of nickel steel armor 10 wondeIiui dre'r
Altogether this years book Issued by the Bureau
,s one OF tho most valuable compilations 81 general
naval information issued By the Department.