Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1893-12-14


The report OF tho secretary OF tho navy CON
tains history OF the operations of the depart,
ment during The past year 9nI exhibits mosi
navy He presents satisfactory account oil
chat ges which have been made in the CON
struClion OF vessels mud makes a number Of rec.
concentrations, which are especially invited.
During the past six months tho demands for
cruising vessels have been many and most
urgent. There have boon Notwithstanding Tor
vessels to protect American interests in Near
aqua Guatemala, Costa Rlca, Honduras
Argentina and Brazil while the condition Of
affairs in Honolulu has required the consthni
presence Of one or moro ships. With all these
calls upon our navy, II became ne ces'aty IN
order to make ~ Il sufficient fleet to patrol the
Behring sea under the modus vivienda agreed
upon with Great Britain, to detail to that ser
vico one vessel from the fish commission and
three from the revenue marine
Progress IN the construction OF new vessels
has not been as rapid as was anticipated.
There have been delays In the competitor oil
unarmorcd vessels, but for the most part they
have been slch rs are constantly occurring
even IN countries having the largest experience
in naval ship building, Tho most serious
delays however, have been in the work upon
Rrmored ships. The trouble has been the
failure of contractors TO deliver armor as
agreed. The difficulties seem now, however,
to have been all overcome and nrmor IS being
delivered with satisfactory promptnesS;
As a resultoi the expense acquired by mp
believed that the dato when vessels VIII DO
completed can now be estimated with reasona'
BILE accuracy. Great gunB, rapid LIRE guns, tor
r' The following vessels Of the navy have been
completed and are now reedy for service
The double turreted coast defense monitor
| Miantonomhh, tine double turretted coastede'
| tense monitor Monterey, the armored cruiser
New York, the protected cruisers baltimore,
| Chicago, Philadelphia, Newark, San Francisco,
| Charleston, Atlanta and Boston, the cruiser
| Detroit the guuhOatl Yorktown CONCORD,
| bennington, MOchias, CGstine and Petrol, tho
| despatch vessel Dolphin, the practice vessel
| Bancroft and the dynamite gunboaJ Nesuvius.
| The Bancroft, Machias, Detroit and Cnstne
| have been placed in commission during the
| current calendar year.
The following vessels arc In process Of construc-
Second class battleships MaIDNand Tcxas, tho
| cruisers Montgomery and MartIeleHd and the
| const defense monitors Terror, Puritan Amphrta
| within one year. The hnrbor defense rom kAah-
din and the protected cruisers Columbia, Hi'sNeap-
oils, Olympia, Cincinnati and Italelgh, all u which
will be completed prior 20 July l. ls95i me tirst-
class batteships Iowa. Indiana massachusetts, arc
Oregon which will be completed February |, lsy6t
and the Rrmored cruiser brooklyn, which VII be
| completed by August OF that year 10 - also OK
pected that the three gnnboats authorized Dythe ae'
congress will be completed In less than Two years.
Since 1886 congress has at each session hu'
| thorized the building OF one or mot Veeseh
and the secretary OF the navy presents an earn
| recommends the authorization OF az ieast one
battle ship and six torpedo boats. While am
distinctly in favor of consistently pursuing the
20 icy we have OF building up u thorough and
efficient navy, l cannot refrain from the suR'
gestion that cOngris IS should carefully take into
account the number OF unfinished vessels on
our hands and the depleted condition of ouI
treasury in considering the propriety OF an ap'
preparation at this time 70 begin new worki
The method OF employing mechanical lahol
nt navy yards through boards OF labor and
making efficiency the sole test by which sbor
ers are employed and continued, Is pruducinf
the best results md tho seeremty Is earnest,
ton (, invited TO the statement OF L Us report IL
regard to the woy" ing5 o. the syaIcul