Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-07

Washington, D. c., Dec. 1.-The an
maui report of the secretary OF the
navy gives in detail the adj
vance made in the work OF buildln"
the new navy during the past year. Up
to the present time the grand total CT
new vessels in service. Servicaable for
was purposes is nineteen. with twenty
TWO huildinS Of vessels unSerSicoable
for war purposes, the United States
has SiXty-four in commission. thirteen
of them single turret monitors III such
condition of deterioration is 10 be
practically useless for war purposes.
The United States now ranks seventh
rs Il naval power. OF the old wooden
ships. With the exception of the Hart
ford and the Kearsarge, both Of which
are specially excepted by act Of con-
gross. all will disappear from active
service within three years under the
operations of the 10 per cent. limit.
The production Cf modern high pow
er guns at the Washington factory is
progressing satisfactorily, the gun plant
at this establishment not being sur
passed by any in the world. The
manufacture of smokeleSS powder has
been continued during the past year
with promising results, but the manu-
featuring is still in The experimental
stage. High explosives have been sue
cessfuny experimental with. and the
manufacture Of armOr-piercing pro
iectileS is now we'll established. The
progress in the development OF small
arms abroad has convinced the depart
iment that there should be Il change III
tie small arm life now in use in the
navy. After exhaustive trial the
board has recommended Il maGaZiuc
rifle of $50 calibre, to use smokelcSS
powder, giving a muzZle velocity of
24OO feet Il second effective range of
Il mile and Il half, and employing car
trid@cs Of such weight us to permit not
less than 200 rounds per man to be
carried This rifle will be of Il smaller
Calibre than that in use by any other
power.
Tests of armor plate during the past
year have been most important. some
eceeding in severity any ever at
tempted in this country or abroad.
These experiments have concluSiVcly
demonstrated the beneficial results
of the Harvey process. Foreign GOV
ernments are now following our lead
in nickel plates.
The secretary recommends that the
S450,OOO appropriate in 1889 for the
building of a vessel similar to the
VeSuvius be made available for the
construction of three torpedo boats Of
about the same design as the Ericsson.
He Details at length the experiments
made during the past year with the
pneumatic dynamite guns of the
NeSuvius, and recommends that further
experiments be deferred until after the
installation at Sandy Hook Of the
tifteen-inch gun now in course of con-
Struction for the war department. In
these guns the Pneumatic company
promises to overcome the difficulties
existing in those of the VesuviuS. The
secretary recommends that congress
give authority to transform the Vesu-
viuS into a torpedo cruiser. The ques-
ton of the stability of certain of the
more recent cruisers in heavy weather
is gone over at length, and proposed
changes to insure greater safety are
mentioned.
The secretary strongly recommends
congressional action in reference to
the personnel of the line of the navy,
saying its present condition is TOO ser
iOus TO be neglected any longer. No
method now exists whereby the gov
eminent can get the very flower of its
personnel into those positions where
they can be Of the greatest service
AS it is now, a large proportion of the
officers are serving at time when
mind and body ought to be at the best,
i'll the lower ranks. The secretary also
recommends an increase in the force
of enlisted men of 1900. Increase in
n1blic interest in the naval militia liz
differ cnt states during the past year
has been very gratifying.
NIRVANA TEA.