The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-12-14
WONDERFUL NAVAL WORK
YANKEE GENIUS FAR OUTSTRrPS
EUROPE'S MECHANICAL SKILL.
The New American Navy Will soon Be
Able to Cope With Any Afoet.
Report OF Secretary OF
the Navy Tracy.

The annual report OF Secretary OF the
Navy Tracy furnishes an interesting resume
of the work accomplished by that depart
ment, especially IN the building of modern
warshrs, the pressing need of which the
recent imbroglio with Chilli and the growing
merchant marine iostcted under the mai.
subsid es, well demonstrated
On the 4th OF March 1859, the fleet of the
United States Navy, apart from few old
ships long since obsolete and fast going 10
decay, consisted of three modern steel yes.
sells, the gun forgnss Tor which, a. well ~
the ,hafting FOR tie vessels, had been pur
chased from abroad as they could not be
made in This country. These vessels were
the Dolphin, Atlanta and Boston. During
the present administration 10 new war yes.
sells have been put in commission, all OF
which. except five of the earliest, have been
manufactured in this country. Three new
steel tugs have also been put into service.
There are under construction Is vessels
on which rapid progress is being made. All
of these are being manufactured in this
country. Advertisements have been issued
for the two new vessels. authorized By the
last .ession of Congress the Iowa aid
Brooklyn
The new navy. including all vessels built
or authorized. now consists Of the follow
Ing. one seagoint battle ship first class
Iowa; three coast line battic ships first
s-Massachuetts, Indiana, oregon; two
battle ships. second cass-Matne. Texas: six
douole-trrretted harhor.dcfencc vessels
Puritan Monterey Misntononiob Monad-
neck, Terror Amphirite; TWO ormored
Cruisers-New York, BROOKLYN; one ram
N % nt a
Columbia, Minneapolis; II ciui-ers--Olym.
pia Baltimore Chicago. Philadelphia,
San Francisco, Newark, Charleston, Bos-
ton, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Raleigh, Detroit,
Montgomery, Marhlehead: one dispatch YES
sel-Dophin;siN gunhoa lorktown, Con.
cord, Bennington Machias Casiine, Pe,rel
one dynamite vessel.-N Nesuviusone practice
veVel-Bancroit; two torpedo boats-Cush
ing, No. .; a total of ~ vessels.
The progress both in ships and ordnance
by which the United States has emerged
from its condition OF helpleSSnesS at sea,and
by the employment of its own resources
has dstanced It's more experienced competi-
tors, marks an epoch IN the naval develop.
mcnt not only OF this country but OF the
world.
On the subject OF armour plate tests the
report SAYS that after = long series of tests,
high degree OF superiority was finally reach
ed. y nickel plate manufactured by Car
negie unuer the rolling process. showed n
marked superiority over the all steel plate,
and both IL and corresponding Rethlehem
Pa plate showed capacity of resistance 10
penetration nearly 10 per cent. greater than
chat of the French all steel plate. The
high carbon nickel Harvey plate WINS not
oniy the best of all the plates tested but the
best armor plate ever subjected to ballistic
test up to this time. Never before these
trials mad any aruor late in the world been
subjected to such test as was represented
by these blows OF total energy of $4,000
loot IONS -
The result may he told in word. All
five of the projectil,s were smashed upon
The surface of the plate The result has
never been equalcd or even approached be
fore by any armor plate, American or ford
eign. 1t has demonstrated that the Unite.
States i'll the reconstruction OF ITS new navy
which, 10 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, up TO this time, has
not seen. Fh
Following the example of the United
States the English Government four weeks
ago held trial of the new American armor
and II is clear from the highly successful
results of the trial that the United States in.
stead or being the last in the race in the
construction of vesse of war or OF borrow.
ing its best ideas from abroad, has set an
example in this respect which other marit-
ime powers will speedily follow,
The number of high-power guns in Use
on vessels in commission or ready for use,
is 231, a are p rtly completed ana llo are
afloat.
There is every reason to believe that the
smokeless powder now used will entirely re.
place the ordinary powders in all guns of
smaller caliber and that its Use will gradu-
ally be extended up 10 the largest calibers,
During the past year 1900 pounds of this
powder have been made at tue torpedo sta
tion at Newport.
The important characteristics of Emmcn
site as high explosive are still the subject
OF experiment. For this purpose six-inch
wire wound gun was used. and shells filled
with Emmensite have been fired from this
gun with velocity OF 1000 foot-seconds
that exploded on impact with water at
range of 6OOO yards.
Concerning the future needs OF the navy
the Secretary says
''To regain the relative position among
these navies We occupied prior to our Civil
War is certainly not too much to attempt
especially as We know now that we have
no such efficient coast deiences MS we then
believed ourselves 10 possess. To reach this
point it is not disputed that we need more
irst class battle ships. We have now only
three authorized Eight or nine more of
these. in addition to our authorizr d fleet,
would give us "A respectable navy, sufficient,
perhaps for our purposes"
The need OF more topedo boats Is urged
and the tact that ull the other naves of the
world are well supplied with this class of
crart, is quoted for comparison, While tins
country has only 9. Spain has Is. Japan 90
Norway and Sweden 80, China 90 and tie
greater powers larger numbers. Frame
leading with 24s. At least 80 such boats are
needed by the United States.
Secretary Tracy, in conclusion, renews
his recommendations on trained militia
for naval service.
THE MONETARY CONFERENCE.