Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-12-14
OUR NEW NAVY,
| The President Not Greatly in Favor
Of Further ADprODrintiOnN

The report of the secretary OF the navy
contains a history of the operations OF his
department. during the past ear and ex-
hlbits u most gratifying condition Of the
personnel of our navy. lie presents salts
factory account of the progress which had
been made In the construction Of vessels
and makes a number of recommendations
to which attention is specially invited.
During the past six months the demand for
cruising vessels have been many and urgent.
There have been revolutions, calling for
vessels to protect American interests in
Nicaragua, guatemala, Costa Rica, Hon
duras, Argentine and Brazil. while the con-
dition of affairs in Honolulu has required
the constant presence Of one or more ships
With all these calls upon our navy it be.
came necessary, i'll order to make up q
sufficient fleet to patrol the Derng sea I'M
der the modus vivcndi agreed upon with
Great Britain, to detail to that service one
vessel from the fish commission and three
from the revenue marine.
Naval Constructions.
Progress in the construction of new YES
sells has not been as rapid as was antici-
patcd. There have been delays in the COM
pletion of unarmorcd vessels, but for the
most part they have been such as are COLI
stanlly occurring even In countries having
the largest experience in naval ship build
ing. The most serious delays, however,
have been in the work upon armoreu
ships. The trouble has been the fixture OF
contractors to deliver urnor as agreed.
Difficulties seem now, however, TO have
been all overcome and armor Is being de-
livcrrd with satisfactory promptncss. AS
result Of the experience acquired by ship
builders, designers and material men 1t IS
believed that the dates when vessels VIII
be completed can now be estimated WIN
reasonable accuracy. Great guns, rapid
fire guns, tOrpcuocS anu powder are pellS
promptly supplied.
lhr following vessels OF the new navy
nave been completed and are now ready
Tor service: The doub.e-turretcd coast de-
rctcd coast defense monitor Monterey, tne
! urmorcd cruiser New York, the protected
cruisers baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Newark. SAN Francisco, Charleston, Attain
tn and Boston the cruiser Detroit, the gun
boats Yorktown, Concord, Remington, Ma
chius castinc and petrci, the dispatch boat
the dynamite gunhoat Ecsuviu<. or these
the Bancroft, MachiaS, Detroit and Castine
hav. been placed in commission during the
current calendar year. :. uo,ro-, =,
constructions: Tho sccond-class bIttlcShps
Maine and Texas, the cruisers Montgomery
and Marblehead and the coast defense mon
itors Terror. Puritan, ;Amphithrite and Mo- ,;
nadnock, all Of which will be completed
within one year; the harbor defense ram
K;ltahdn and the protected cruisers Column,
IL,
Raleigh, all OF which will be completed
prior to July !. 1885; the irst:cass battle,
chips Iowa. Indiana, Massachusetts and
Oregon. which will be. completed Feb; l.
1896. and the armorel cruiser Brooklyn.
which will be completed by Aug ! OF tha6
year 1t is also expected that the three
will be completed in less than two years.
Economy Recommended.
Since 1886 congress has at each session
authorized the building Of one or more
vessels. and the secretary OF the navy pre-
scnts in earnest plea for the continuance
Of this plan. He recommends the authorl-
Zation Of at Leaf one battle ship and SIX
torpedo boats. While I an distinctly IN
favor Of consistently rulsuing the pollcy
we have 1naugurated in building up a
Thorough and efficient navy. cannot refrain
from the suggestion that the congress shoun!
carefully take into account the number OF
unfinished vessels on our hands and the
depleted condition Of cur treasury In con-
SIDE ring the prGpriety Of an appropriation
at this time to begin new work.
The method OF employing mechanical lahor
at navy yards Trough boards OF labor
and making eflicien Y the sole test by which
laborrrs arc employed and continued, Is
producing the best results and the secre-
fary is earnestly deyOting himself TO its
Development. Attention is invited to the
statement Of his report In regard to the
workings Of the system.