The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1892-12-15
rHE MEM NANY.

| B,lD
| TUE NEW NAVY.
| Our now navy, including all vessels built or
authorized, now consists of tho following yes.
| sells:
| One sea going battle ship first. class): Iowa.
| Three coast line battle ships first classj {,
| Massachusetts, indiana. Oregon.
Two battle ships lsecond class): Maine,
| Toxas
| Blk double turreted harbor- defense vessels:
Puritan, Monterey, AIiantonomah, Monadnock.
Terror Amphitrite.
Two armored cruisers: New York, Brooklyn
One ram
Two protected cruisers of extrone speed:
Columbia and Minneapolis
Fourteen cruisors Olympia, Baltimore, Chi,
rago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, NoWarls,
lharlestnn, Boston, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Ra-
Leigh. Detroit, Montgomery and Marblehead.
One dispatch vesssli Dolphin.
Six gunbosts Yorktown, Concord, Benning.
ton, MHchas, Castine and Pstr,l.
Ons dynsmite vesselI ycsuvlus.
One practice vessel Bancroft
Two torpedo boatai Gushing and No.s
Making total of forty. two vessels.
FOUR WEARS OF PROGRESS
The development pc the past four years has
not been coniiued to ships alolo. At tho be.
ginning pf this admlnistraton the naval estab.
lshnent was entirely destitute of certain ole.
nients of etiici 'ncy each ono OF which was in.
dispensahls to Its practical employment rs a
fighting force, aud tho absence OF which. it 1t
had been possessed Of 100 ships woIld still
have left it in . oondtion of paralysis,
Those were tho followingi Armor, torpsdoes,
heavy, rapid-ire guns, armor- piercing shells,
smokeless powder, high explosives.
In March, 1889. the navy was stiIl without
arlnor. although contract made two years
before provided for future supply This
armor was to be OF simple steel A contract
for like amount was made with another firm
In 1880, and led to the erection OF u second
plant. Both plants are now furnishing ma.
terlal In the meantime q SERIES OF exhaustive
experiments, lasting over three years, resulted
In the development OF an armor OF new com.
position and treated by n new process far su.
perior to any hitherto known and destined
to furnish the standard both of quality and
manufacture for the great naval powers Of
Europe.
In 1880 the navy had eoversl ships IN process
OF construction that were designed and fitted
Tor torpedoes, but II had no torpedocs that
could be used from the ships, nor was thers
any concern that could make them In this
country. Since that date thu manufacture of
the Whitehead torpedo the most efficient
known, has boon domesticated, and contract
has been mado for 100 ls;inch torpedoes OF tho
rocant type. Ssysral VI those hsyo been com,
pleted aud are now undergoing adjustment
tfials; the rsmaindef will DO ready for seryics
IN na short time. - & !
',SH feoo' .ho navy Haq tio neaVy lNpq- nt9 guns.
Since that time these guns bava boon developed
pf palibers of I, . and 6-inch, tho suocess Of
which under trial has proved camplete. The
difficult problems presented In these guns, In
referonpa ia breach mechanism, metalc car
fridge cases and other essential features hayo
been overcome, and q maximum rapldity Of nre
has basn obtained with each oalibor all parts of
tho gun working perfectly,
RMoR.rIERcINo SHELLS.
Although the few ships that had been COM
peted in 1880 were armed with high power
guns, We had no projectils that could make
the slightest impression upon armor- plating
This species OF projectile which was exceed.
ingy difficult to make, aud had b,en the mo.
nopo'y OF one or two Arms in Europe, Is now
turned out in sbupdsut quantitiss by Amer.
1cfu ,y.apufacturefs; aud reoout trial, Justify
tLe sssortion that tho domestic IN ,nu. .acture,
entered upon under the fo,teriug caro- and en-.
coursgement of the navy department has al.
really surpassed tue forcigo pro luct 81
The remarkable advantage OF saakeleas
powder, then recent European iuyontion, led
1eo departlnenS "a 1889 10 undertake its de-
yelopinept In tbs country. BY INDEPENDENT
investigation and experiments, conducted by
aown agencies, at Its own establishments, il
pas succeeden in developing q smokelsss now.
9er, WHICH IN efficiency ana endurance gives
Rstter results than any known powder abroad.
In 1889 no high explosive was known in this
country which gave the powerful reudina
eject required for naval use. and which was al
the sap,s time suffieisntly safe and stable 10 h