The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-01
THE NAVY On IHE
UNITED STATES.
It Now Stands Seventh Among
the Nations.
USE OF TORPEDO BOATS.
The Building OF Them Strongly Urged
by Secretary Herbert.
A Further Increase of War Ships La
Recommended and Construc-
ton of Coast Defenses
Is Urged.
USE OF TORPEDO BOATS

port Of Secretary of the Navy Herber
shows that the United States rank:
seventh as a naval power.
Surveying the whole field, we fine
much TO be proud of in the knowledge
that we can furnish the material fol
and build modern ships of war as
quickly and without any doubt as wei
as any country in the world. l fee
confident that some of our shipyards
rival the best in Europe
The work of construction on the
cast defense battle ships Indiana and
Massachusetts, of 10,2OO tons each
is progressing satisfactorily. The form
er is the more advanced toward com
pleuon. and it is anticipated she will be
ready for trial by June of the coming
year
The coast defense battle ship Oregon
of 10000 tons, has been launched, and
work is being pushed on her as rapid
~ as possible.
Work on the protected cruisers Co
lumbia and Minneapolis, of 1850 tons
each, is being rapidly pushed. y is
expected that the former vessel will be
ready for commissioning in a short
time.
The second class battle ship Maine. OF
6,64S tons, has had a. trial of her en-
gines. and her armor is now being put
IN place 1t is expected that she viii be
ready for a sea trial in about six
months.
The work on the second class battle
ship Texas, of $500 tons, is progress
ing as rapidly as poshsible. and the
vessel will probably be ready for her
sea trial within six months.
The progress of work on the double
turreted monitor Puritan, of $3.50 tons.
&c soft scro r.flo
the vessel will be ready for trial about
June l. next.
The double turreted monitors Terror,
Amphitrite and Monadnock, of 1890
tons each, are approa ching completion
IN the order named. 1t is believed that
they will all be ready for trial during
the first half of next year.
The protected cruiser OLYMPIA. of
$500 tons, will have her trial trip with
in the coming week.
Work on the protected cruisers Gin
cinnati and Raleigh, of 1888 tons each,
is progressing with as much dispatch
as possible, and both vessels will be
ready for trial by March next.
The cruiser Marblehead, of 1000 tons.
is so far advanced that the depart
ment expects that her acceptance trial
will take place within short time.
The cruiser Montgomery, of 1000
tons, was taken to Long Island Sound
in October last for her trial trip and
was accidentally run aground before
the trial began. The heavy shock sus-
tained from her contact with the rug
ged bottom caused injuries which will
not be repaired for some weeks to
leone. The accident, however, resulted
in demonstrating the excellence of the
material of which she is built The
contractors, in whose hands she was at
the time, and who were responsible for
the mishap. are making the necessary
repairs.
The armored harbor-defense ram
Katahdin, of 2,1S3 tons, will be ready
for trial about Jan. 1, 1895, by which
date it is expected that her arrnor will
have been delivered and bolted in
place.
The torpedo boat Ericsson should be
completed by the end Of the present
fiscal year.
The seagoing battle ship Iowa, of
i, 2S6 tons, will be completed, from
present indications. by Feb. l, 1896;
and the armored cruiser Brooklyn, of
$50 tons, about six months later.
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
mike it possible to give a definite idea
of the cost to the government, in con-
sequence Of which / herewith submit
the following tables of details of cost
of completed and uncompleted 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
construction were new to our design
ers. manufacturers and workmen, l
am sure that you will be convinced that
the work has been carried on without
extravaganza and to the best interests
Of the government.
During the past year the 10-inch and
Pinch guns of the Monterey have
been carefully tested under ordinary
service conditions, and their mounts
found to work successfully. This fact
has led the department to adopt the
same type for the 13-inch mounts of
the battle ships
During the past year the available
vessels Of the navy have been almost
constantly employed, and the neces-
sity for their services in different
parts Of the globe has been so con-
tinuous that the department has felt
constrained to keep vessels in com
mission which needed extensive re-
pairs and should have been laid up for
that purpose.
The need of ships constantly in
Asiatic waters is universally recog-
nized. That they are absolutely es-
sential also in Central and South
American waters has been em2hasiz-
ed during the present administration
by revolutionary troubles, all imperil-
ing more or less the rights of Ameri-
can commerce in Peru, Nicaragua on
the east and west coasts, Honduras
Guaiamala, Costa Rica, Argentine.
and Brazil. In order to even inner
fectly patrol the Behring sea during
the past season it was necessary to
call in the aid of a vessel of the fish
conmission-the Albatross- of
three vessels of the revenue marine.
If our government in the future Is
to have naval strength enough to com
mand the peace and be in condition to
enforce the terms dictated by IFS
sense of right and justice it must have
more battle ships, and must build a
number of torpedo boats.
For the defense of ports, torpedo
boats are perhaps more effective ac-
c0rding TO cost than any other class
Of vessels. The knowledge of their
existence alone will make an enemy |
chary a3out approaching within bonn |
bardlLg distance. The value Of this
boat - recognized by all naval powers,
and they are being built abroad in |
great numbers. Their usefulness was
emphasized last summer during the
lSnrlfSh faval lnaneuvers under war |
conditions where service torpedoes
SFltA coiiapslpia heads were used. In |
these maneuvers one of the contend /
ing squadrons was without these
boats, but was furnished with battIe |
ships and Z number of fast cruisers