River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-12-15
OUR NAVY.
Is Rapid Development shown by the
Report of Secretary Tracy.


WASHINGTON, Dec IL. = Secretary
Tracy in his report TO the president
tarts out with list of vessels in the
lavy, and p ints with pride to the
work. accomplished during the present
dministrat ON. lie says:
'On the Attn OF March. 1859. the feet OF the
Jnited States navy, apart from a few old ships
ong since obsolete and fast going 10 decay, con-
listed OF three modern steel vessels, of an ag-
regate tonnage Of 1883 tons, and mounting
thirteen e-lneh ana four s-ineh guns, the forgings
OF which last, as well as The sLafting for the
essels. had been purchased from abroad, as
hey could not be made in this country
There have been a total Of nineteen vessels
Z the new navy put in commission during this
administration, OF an aggregate tonnage Of a.
80 tons, mounting altogether two Finch.
tx l0-ineh, sixteen sineh and eighty
wo 6-ineh guns. all of which. with the
reception OF i've Of the earliest, have been
manufactured in this country. Three
lew steel tugs have also been construed and
,ut In service during this period There are
eighteen vessels in process OF construction and
ertain to be completed. should their armor be
elivered within the next year, OF an aggregate
onnage OF e3.407 tons and mounting alto
ether twelve l3inch SIX i2-inch, sixteen 10
nch, thirty e-inch. thirty-two 6inch, thirty
light 5-inch and thirty four 4-inch guns, all OF
which have been or are 20 be manufactured
n this country. During tats period twenty-five
'essels viii have been launched. thirteen OF
hem, including the three tugs, during the cur
ent year, and OF all the new ships the con-
struction OF which has been begun during the
present administration only two will remain on
he stocks on the 4th OF March next
"Our new navy, including all vessels built or
authorized, now consists Of the following ves-
els; One sea-going battleship (irst class
.owa. Three coast-line battleships (first-class)
Massachusetts, Indiana, Oregon. Two battle
,hips second classl-Maine, Texas. Six
iouble-turreted harbor-defense vessels-Puri-
an. Monterey Miantonomoh, Monadnock, Ter
or, Amphitrite. Two armored cruisers-New
York. Brooklyn One ram. Two protected cruis
srs of extreme speed-Columbia. Minneapolis
Fourteen cruisers-Oympia, Baltimore, Chi
ago. Philadelphia. San Francisco. Charleston,
Newark Boston. Atlanta. Cincinnati, Raleigh,
Detroit Montgomery Marblehead One dis
patch vessel-Dolphin Six gunboats-York-
town. Concord, Bennington, Machias, Castiue.
Petrol One dynamite vessel-Vesuvius. One
practice vessel-Bancroft Two torpedo boats
Gushing, No. 2, making total OF forty-two
Eessels.
IAN the above, with perhaps one or two ex-
,eptions. are essential components Of a
fully developed naval force. but the rel
alive contribution TO the defensive power
II the United States TO be found in
these groups OF vessels Is not to be
measured either by the number OF ships
or the number OF tons alone, The develop
nent Of the last four years has not been con-
aned TO ships alone At the beginning OF this
administration the naval establishment was
entirely destitute of certain elements OF EN-
cheney, each one Of which was indispensable
70 its practical employment as fighting force.
and the absence of which, il it had been pos
sessed OF hundred ships. would still have left
II in a condition OF paralysis. These were the
following; Armor. torpedoes. heavy rapid-ire
guns armor-piercing shells, smokeless powder,
high explosives.
Tho secretary details at length noteworthy
progress Ia the production of these things, and
says the progress noted, by which the United
States has emerged from it's condition OF help
.essness at sea and by the employment OF its
own resources has dstanced its most expert
enceo competitors, marks an epoch in naval de-
velopment not only OF this country but OF the
world.
Coming down TO detailed statement TO
arrnor tests the secretary tells OF the work ac-
complished, of the tremendous test TO which
the Harvey nickel-steel armor plate was sub
jected. as the result Of which imp owed meth
DDS were introduced in the Harvey process, and
continues:
tine result has never been equaled or even
approached before by any amor plate. Amer
lean or foreign Ii has demonstrated that
the United States in the reconstruction OF
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; and that
while vast sums have been spent in plating the
sides OF for ign men-of-war with an inferior ma
terial, this cOunirF Will employ for tue parpose
an armor which is not only far more efficient
but which represents PROFESSIONALLY, having
reference TO the dimensions of plates thus far
tested, the highest development Of molerr
science, and development reached by IS OWL
independent efforts.
"Following the example OF the United States
the English government four weeks ago hell q
trial of he new American armor, an II is cleal
from the highly successful results ~ the tria
that the United States, instead of being the last
in the race in the construction of vessels OF wal
or Of borrowing its best ideas from abroad, has
set an example in this respect which othel
maritime powers will speedily follow"
In reference to ordnance OF the navy the
secretary makes extended reference TO develop
ments promising greatly improved results
Comm ent is also made at length as TO powder
manufacture. high explosives and projeetiles
all showing progress Of the most satisfactory
nature. With regard to torpedoes, while abe
Howell torpedo has not gone much beyond The
stage Of hope with which the department en-
tered upon a contract for its manufacture foul
years ago, yet the latest trials are giving grea
promise.
The secretary speaks with much satisfaction
of the act to encourage American ship build
ing" under which the City of Paris ard CitI
of New York are admitted 10 American reg
istry
The aggressive policy - foreign nations con
tinues. and this country, whether II will Of
not will soon be forced into a position wherI
IL caEnot disregard measures which form
standing menace to its prosperity and security
On the isthmus our commerce is engaged in
desperate fight to maintain its foothold. Ii
the south Pacific repeated annexations ant
protectorates are extending the power and In
fuence OF the maritime states Of the ol6
world. Subsidized lines OF fast steamers ar,
completing the circle of maritime communi
cation on the eastern and western coasts o
the Dominion OF Canada and fortresses dali,
increasing in strength are surrounding oul
CO. y upon the south and east Under thes'
oigcums tances il is imperative 10 the welfare o
this country that the policy OF naval recon
siruction, so successfully carried on in tn,
Iast. should suffer no interruption in thu
future.
Much space is devoted to interesting detail:
as to the operations OF ships in commission the
last year in Behring sea and elsewhere; on tn,
work OF the marine hospital bureau in connee
ton with cholera quarantine, etc. Interesting
statistics are given as TO the growth Of the gov
eminent toward establishing naval militia, th'
creation Of which is characterized as one OF tn
most important steps in our recent naval prog
ress
The estimates in the report for the fiscal yea
ending June 80 1884, for navy and marine corps
including those for public works and increased
navy are s24, AL .49s being ;27l3,l4l less thar
s1..x