The morning call., 1892-12-12
UNCLE SANS NAVY
Four Years of Striking
Progress.
SECRETARY TRACY'S VIEWS
he Outlines the Plans for the Future
Development of the Nations
rlaritime Defenses.
Special to TIE MORNING CALL

lIe navy In MS annual report SETS iorth
the fact that when the present Administra-
tlon came In. on March 4. 1889, besides old
and obsolete wooden ships. only three
modern war vessels were in commission.
During this Administration nineteen new
vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of ,S32
tons. mounting two l2-ineh, six 10-inch,
sixteen S-inch and eighty-two 6-inch guns
all Of which, with the exception of five Of
the earliest. have been manu- actured in this
conntry-haye been completed. Three new
steel tugs have also been constructed and
put in service. There are in process of
construction eighteen new vessels, certain
to be completed, should the armor be deliv-
cred. within the next year, Of an aggregate
tonnage of 90. 3.407 tons and mounting alto
gether twelve 13-inch, six 12-inch. sixteen
lO-inch, thirty S-inch, thirty-two 6-inch,
thir.y-eight 5-inch and thiriy-fo 4-ineh
guns, all of which have been or are to be
manufactured in this country.
The development OF the navy during the
past four years has not been confined to
ships alone. At the beginning of this
administration. says the secretary, the naval
establishment was entirely destitute of cer-
tain elements OF efficiency. each one of
which was indispensable to its practical
employment as a fighting force. aud the
absence OF which. il it Lad been possessed
OF hundred ships, would still have left it
in condition of paralysis. These were:
Armer, torpedOss, heavy rapid fire guns,
armor- piercing shells, smokeless powder
and high explosives. The Secretary details
at length the noteworthy progress in the
production of these things, and says the
progress noted, by which the United States
he's emerged from its condition of helpless
ness at sea and by the employment OF its
own resources has distanced its most expert
enced competitors, marks an epoch in
naval development not only OF this country
but of the world.
Delays In the delivery of armor have
caused the dates Of the final completion Of
the srmored vessels under construction to
be somewhat later than at first contem-
plated. The only compensation for this de-
lay is the superior quality of arlcoI that has
been recently developed. In connection
with the development of nicke-steel for
armoT, the department has undertaken a
series Of experiments in the application of
this material 10 other ends, which promise
no less important results than those already
attained. If the expectations formed are
realized il will not be long before nickel
steel will be extensively used in ship and
marine engines, with marked improvement,
both in the strength Of parts and reduction
of weight, while its pon-eorrodible quail
ties. already partly demonstrated, point to
the probability that 1t may ultimately pre-
sent a solution for the harrassinc problem
Of preserving the submerged plating of
shiUS.
Coming down to a detailed statement as
to arHor tests the Secretary tells Of the
Tremendous tests 10 which the Harveyed
nieKeLsteel armor-plate was subjected in
November, 1891, as a result Of which i'm
proved methods have been introduced in
the manufacture of armOr by the Harvey
process. a final test was made in July last
The plate was of nickei-steel-Ha
of 1oh inches In thickness. An iuch gun
was used in the test Five Holtzer forged
steel shells. weighing $50 pounds each. with
striking velocity OF 17oO feet per second
and each with an energy of 5000 tons to
the square foot. were fred at the plate at q
distance of thirty yards.
Never before these trials had any armor-
plate in the world been subjected 20
such test as was represented by these five
blows OF total energy Of 250eo-foot tons
All i've Of the projecties were smashed
upon the surface Of the plate. which showed
No sign of injury beyond the opening of n
slight temper crack, four inches in length
from one edge, and a vale less than one
inch In thickness on the back Of the plate
opposite each point Of impact.
This result has never been approached by
any ermOT-plate, American or foreign II
has been demonstrated that the United
States, in the construction of its new navy,
which ten years ago had no existence, even
on paper, is enabled to place upon each and
all OF its armored vessels a material the like
OF which the world has not mp TO this time
seen, aud while vast sums have been spent
in plating the sides OF foreign men,
OF war with inferior material this
country will employ for the purpose
an armOr which is not only far more eff
cent, but which represents unquestionably.
having reference 10 the dimensions Of the
plates thus far tested. the highest develop
ment of modern science, and development
too which has been reached by its own in
dependent efforts.
Following our example, the English Gov
erDment four weeks ago held a trial of the
new American armor, and il is clear from
the highly successful results that the
United States, instead OF being the last in
the race in the construction of vessels of
war, or of borrowing the best ideas from
abroad, has set an example in this resr ect
which other maritime nations Will speedily
follow.
With regard to the armor contracts, the
Secretary says that neither the Bethlehem
nor the Carnegie company is making such
progress at the present time as the depart
ment could desire, but both are increasing
their output from month TO month. and the
department is now preparing to advertise
gar l.
armor required TO complete the vessels now
authorized.
When these lants are able to turn out, rs
Will shortly be the case, the full quantity OF
armor required by contract. the aggregate
supply will still amount to only 5000 tons
per annum, or not more than enough for
the construction Of three battle-shps. To
provide armor for eight such ships, In addi-
tion to those authorized. would require three
years after the fulfillment OF the present
contract, with the works running at their
full capacity.
1t Is the belief OF the Department, in CON-
mon with the Naval Committee of the pres
ent House, that this number Of additional
oattle-ships Is essential to the protection Of
the United States. 1t is upon such vessels
that this country. as we'll as others having
sea6oard, relies. and must continueito rely.
lot Tie purposes of defense. AS long rs
naval warfare remains what it is to-day,
without them we are helpless at sea. With
the plants in existence we can not only
armor the ships now authorized, but we
have the means at hand for armoring others
IL we make our preparations in time. The
value to the United States of the possession
OF two such esta blishments cannot be ex-
pressed in words or figures.
In reference TO the ordnance of the navy
the Secretary makes extended reference TO
Developments promising greatly improved
results. and which points have heretofore