The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-01
SHIPS OF THE LINE.
Secretary Herbert Has Ideas of
His Own.
Where the United States Should
Stand Among the Naval Powers
Of the World.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

New YORK. July 81. - The Herald
Washington special Says: REGARDING the
naval policy of tho present administration.
it may be stated with authority that Sec
retary Herbert will advocate tie con struc-
ton of more ships. He will be cnnserva-
tive in his estimates, but he still believes
that we are some distance from the point
where We can afford 10 stop the work of
ship p-c0nstruction. He has estimates that
S11. 600 will be required to complete the
forty-two vessels built and building Tor
the new navy. AS this amount will be dis
tributed over the coming three years. he
can advocate the addition of ship or two
each year during the present administra-
tiop without adding ,acFtricii. r t.iS...
nual ppropriation for ship-constructior..
He is on record as advocating The construc-
ti5n of fleet OF at least ten battle-ships,
and he told me short time ago that his
views in that respect had not changed
since he came to the head of the Navy
Department. 1t is almost certain that his
Influence will be eXerted In the direction
of getting at least one battle-ship from
This coming Congress.
1t is understood also to be the intention
as to just what our new navy should COM
prise. There are not to be any radical
departures from the lines laid down dur
ing Whtney's administration and contn-
ued through Tracy's. but Herbert will. it
is believed, mark the line where we should
stop with each type OF vessel. 1t is his
opinion that before calling halt we
should at least reach the poin. where we
stood at the close of the war. and this was
in sixth place among the naval powers of
of the world.
The programme for action by the COM
ing Congress will. it is believed, call for a
battle-ship and several gunboats or small
cruisers. 1t is the Secretary's idea for the
representation of the United States in
foreign waters, vessel Of 1000 tons is as
valuable as one of four or FIVE times that
size, and Herbert feels that the proper
naval policy must include power to protect
American citizens wherever they may be.
The extraordinary performance Of the
Detroit last April suggested to the Secre-
| tary an idea of type, displacement and
speed, and it is probable that the Navy
Department will recommend that vessels
OF not more than 1000 tons nor less than
l5O0 tons displacement. with a speed OF Il
| or ID knots an hour. be built. Their coal
/ capacity is TO be sufficient for a steaming
radius OF something like 1900 knots, AS ex-
| perience has shown necessity for an
/ ability to keep to sea without docking. II
/ is presumed that sheathed bottoms OF
/ composite construction will be insisted
/ upon.
/ Careful note has been made by the Sec
| retary OF the large amount of coal re.
| quired by the auxiliary machinery OF the
new cruisers, and an effort will be made
| to reduce this expenditure to the lowest
| limits compatible with efficiency. Abiry
! to cruise without steam power will receive
! considerable attention. 1t is likely that in
J several instances an attempt will he made
to reintroduce sail power to an extent suf.
/ ficient for moderate cruising. and a hoist
! ing-Screw will be considered in this con.
neeton. The somewhat radical ideas held
! by the Secretary on the subject of arina.
ment will no doubt be considerably modi.
! fed by the Ordnance Bureau, but it Is be.
! lieved that larger caibers of rapid-firt
/ guns will form the batteries of the ship.
repnn, m,,rdpd