The record-union., 1893-12-01


ton that il will result in giving the
United States Navy a rifle with ballistic
and tactical qualities superior to those OF
any other small arm now in actual service
OF adopted and in course OF construction.
TORPEDoEs.
The department has in view the con-
Quoting of series of experiments with
dirigibie torpedoes looking TO their ma
nipuiation from a movable base.
xperiments are still in progress look
ing to the adoption OF a suitable torpedo
net defense for our vessels.
ARMoR.
The tests of some armor plates at the
naval proving ground at Indian Head
during the past year have been most inn
portant, some exceeding in severity any
ever attempted in this country or abroad.
The results of these tests have been con-
elusive in demonstrating the desirability
OF using the Harvey process for the armor
OF all vessels now under construction. In
one test, that of a fourteen-inch nickel
steel Harvey plate, the results were re-
markable. Against this plate were fired
four ten-inch Hotter armor-piercing
shells, with striking velocities of l,412,
1853, ,959 and 1853 fOot-seconds, respect
lively. All four of these projectiles were
crushed on the plate, the greatest pene-
tration, which did not exceed eleven
inches, being that of the last shot which
was fired at fragment OF the plate
weighing but Al tons, with striking en-
ergy Of l4,7l5 foot-tons, or 1874 1oot-tonS
per ton of plate attacked. 1t is believed
that such an energy per ton OF plate has
never been used in any test.
SHIPS IN COMMISSION.
During the past year the available
vessels of the navy have been almost con-
stantly employed, and the necessity for
their services in different parts OF the
globe has been so continuous that the de-
partment has felt constrained to keep
vessels in commission which needed ex
tensiye repairs and should have been laid
up for that purpose
The need of ships constantly in Asiatic
waters is universally recognized. That
they are absolutely essential also in Cen
tTal and South American waters has been
emphasized during the present admins
tration by revolutionary troubles. all inn
periling more or less the rights of Ameri-
can commerce in Peru, Nicaragua on the
east and west coasts, Honduras, Guata-
maIa, Costa Rica, Argentine and Brazil.
In order to even impertectly patrol the
Behring Sea during the past season it was
necessary to call in the aid OF vessel Of
the Fish COMMISSIONER AlbatrOsS-
and of three vessels of the Revenue
Marine.
When the naval review fleet was dis
banded, May 81, 1898, Rear-Admiral A.
+. X. Benham was appointed Com
mander-in- Chief of the North Atlantic
Squadron, with the following vessels
under his command: San Francisco,
MiantOnOmah, Atlanta, Kearsarge and
NeSuvius. The Atlanta has since been
placed out of commission, and is now un-
dergoing repairs. She has been contin-
uously in commission for six years.
The Newark, Charleston and Detroit
are now in Brazilian waters. The
Charleston will remain there till her
services are no longer needed, and will
then proceed to the Pacific station.
The vessels on the Pacific station at the
present time are the Philadelphia flag
ship, Yorktown. Mohican, Adams, Al
lance, Monterey and Ranger. The Bos-
ton was on service in Hawaiian waters
from August, 1892, until September of
this year, when she was placed out of
commission at the Mare Island navy
yard in order to receive necessary re-
pairs.
The vessels on the Asiatic station are
the Lancaster (fagshIp), the Marion,
Concord. Monocacy and Petrol. The
Baltimore is now on her way to that sta
ton, where she will relieve the Lancaster
as flagship, after which the latter-named
vessel will proceed TO the United States.
Affairs on this station have been Of such
nature during the past year as to keep
the vessels there moving almost contin-
uously.
1t is the present intention of the depart
ment 10 bring up the force on each sta
ton to the number which experience has
proved to be necessary for the proper,
efficient and economical protection of
American interests, by the addition of
new vessels as they become available.
MORE VESSELS NEEDED.
If our Government in the future is to
have naval strength enough to command
the peace and be in condition to enforce
the terms dictated by its sense of right
and Justice" it must have more battle
ships, and must build reasonable num-
Der of torpedo boats.
Noone can value economy more highly
than l do, and its practice is certainly
necessary at this time when the Govern
ment expenditures are likely to be more
than its receipts, but the safety of the
country, its honor, and its dignity must
rise above every other consideration, and
it is respectfully submitted that the pro-
gramme of authorizing the building of at
least some vessels at each session of Con-
gress ought not to be Interrupted now. L
recommend that the construction of at
least one battle ship and six torpedo boats
be authorized by Congress at the coming
session.
The increase of our population and the
expansion of our trade under more favor
able commercial regulations than at
present, which may be expected to result
from future legislation. are certain to be-
get American interests which will look
to naval protection in all parts of the
world. The regulation of the seal fisher
les and the frictions which. even under
the best regulations, are likely to exist
In the neighborhOod of Behring Sea; the
powerful naval establishment maintained
by Great Britain at the entrance of Puget
Sound; our close interests with China
and japan, increased every day by pow
erful lines of fast steamships; our geo.
graphical and political relations with the
islands of the Pacific; our multifarious
interests along the whole South and Cen
tral American coasts, now more or less in
a state of political unrest, would be more
than sufficient TO tax nearly all of our
present naval strength in the Pacific
Ocean alone. Indeed, the continent to
the south of us, and both oceans, as l
have said before, now demand the pres
ence of American ships of war to greater
extent than ever before, and this demand
is not in my Judgment, a temporary one,
but one that will steadily increase.
With the increase of ships herein out
lined. our navy will still be one for de-
fense rather than offense. We would,
however, with this policy enforced, have
our ports adequately protected and at the
same time have sufficient power on the
high seas and in foreign ports to main
tain the rights and interests of our peo-
pie, and to uphold the honor and dignity
of our flag among the nations OF the
earth without unduly burdening our
people or entering into any rivalry with
those great navies maintained by nations
who believe their existence depends on
their naval strength.
ENLISTED MEN.
The present condition of affairs abroad
makes it imperatively necessary that the
nov vassals should be sent to duty on