The record-union., 1893-12-01

Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 30.-Secretary of
the Navy Herbert has submitted his an
nual report to the President. In part he
says:
To the President: Since the date OF the
last report the following vessels have
been launched: Columbia, Marblehead,
Olympia, Cincinnati. katahdln, Indiana,
Massachusetts. Minneapolis, oregon.
The following new vessels have been
completed, accepted by the Government,
and placed in commission during the cur
rent calendar year: Monterey, Bancroft,
Machias, Detroit New York, Castine.
The preliminary trials of the Monterey,
Bancroft, Detroit, New York, Machlas,
Castine and Columbia resulted success
fully, as did also the final trials OF the
Monterey, Bancroft and Detroit. 1t is a
sour.e OF qualification to the department
to state that on the preliminary trials the
speeds attained were, IN most cases, IN
excess OF the minimum speeds required
by the several contracts.
VESSELS sERVICEABLE FOR WAR PUR-
POSES.
The progress thus far made in our
naval development is clearly shown in
the following figures, which give the
sells which this country viii possess
when those now building are completed: !:
ArmOred-Battle ships, first class, t;
battle ships, second class, 2; armOret
cruisers, =; coast-defense vessels, 8; har-
bor-defense ram, l; total, 10. Unarmored
Protected cruisers, l3; cruisers 3; gun
boats, 8; dynamite gun vessel, /; total.
20; grand total, Il. Of these l9 are now
in service, l9 are building and are au-
thOriZed.
VESSELS UNsERVGCEABLE FOR WAR PUR-
POSES.
Iron cruisers, 4; wooden cruisers, 13;
iron gunboats, l; single-turreJ monitors.
i; dispatch and practice vessels, 2; tugs,
and freight boats, -; sailing vessels, Z;
receiving ships, 9; vessels beyond repair,
3; total 64
glOf the old wooden ships of the navy
but eight remain in active service as
cruisers, and one, the Hartford, is now
being repaired for service. With the eX-
ceptiOn of the Hartford and the Kear-
sarge, which are specially excepted by
Act of Congress. all of these vessels will
disappear from active service within
three years under the operations of the 10
per cent. limit. None Of our wooden YES
sells can be taken into account in the con-
sideration of an effective navy.
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS.
The difficulty experienced until recent
ly in procuring armor has caused long
and unlocked for delays in the construc-
q. ion of armored vessels. our armOr-
makers have encountered even greater
difficulties than they anticipated, but
these difficulties have all been overcome,
and deliveries OF armor are now being
made with satisfactory rapidity.
Surveying the whole field, we find
much to be proud of in the knowledge
Al J, 5,l g. !
build modern ships of war as quickly
and, without any doubt, as well as any
country in the world. | feel confident
that some of our shipyards rival the best
in Europe.
The progress of development in the
construction of the vessels Of the new
navy heretofore authorized is thus shown
to be so well advanced as to make it pos
sible to give definite idea of the cost to
the Government, in consequence of
which l herewith submit tables of de-
t.ils of cost of completed and uncOm-
I leted vessels of the navy up to the
beginning Of the present fiscal year.
Taking into consideration the fact that
almost all of the details of this construc-
ton were new to our designers, manu-
facturers and Workmen, | am sure that
you will be convinced that the work has
been carried on without extravaganza
and to the best interests Of the Govern
ment.
ORDNANCE.
The production of modern high-power
guns at the Washington factory is pro-
crossing satisfactorily. The gun plant at
this establishment is not surpassed by
any in the world, and increased expert
ence has resulted during the past year in
still greater economy in all branches of
manufacture. Up to the present time
there have been completed for service
237 guns. ranging in caliber from 4-inch
to l3-inch, all of which have not only
proved successful upon trial, but have
also given results which show con-
clusiyely that the general system of con-
struction employed has no superior III
foreign countries.
POWDER.
The department is pleased to state that
new source of powder supply is now
assured on the Pacific Coast. During the
past year the first lot of brown powder,
manufactured by a California company,
was received. The lot was for use with
the 6-inch gun. and has been tested with
most gratifying results.
The manufacture of smokeless powder
at the naval torpedo station, at Newport,
K. l., has been continued the past year
with promising results, but the depart
ment considers that this manufacture Is
still in the experimental stage.
HIGH EXPLOSIVES.
Emmensite and the nitrate high ex-
plosives referred to in the last report
have been experimental with during the
year and successfully fired from high
power guns up 10 and including the D.
inch caliber. A decorating fuse has been
used in the shells charged with emmen-
site, with which excellent results were
obtained.
The manufacture of gun cotton has been
continued at the torpedo station with
marked success, and during the year ex
haustlYe experiments in the manufacture
of sniokeless powder have been con-
Quoted al that place.
PRoJEcTLEs.
The manufacture of armor-piercing pro-
iectile in this country is now we'll estab-
lished. Exhaustive tests of shells show
conclusively that they are equal, if not
superior, TO any armor- piercing she'll
manufactured abroad.
SMALL ARMS.
Tho progress made in the DEVELOPMENT
of small arms abroad during the last
Saven years has reached such a point that
the department has become convinced
thst the time has arrived for change in
fhe smalI-arm rifle now in use in the
navy With this end in view a board of
naval officers was appointed in July of
this wear to first consider and decide upon
the caliber. and then to test and submit
the small arms best suited to the naval
service.
Alter careful deliberation and research,
taking into consideration the actual
necessities of our own naval service, the
board recommended magazine rifle OF
DAD caliber, to use SmokelesS powder
which will give muzzle velocity OF 2. 400
foot seconds. an effective range OF mile
and half. and employing cartridges Of