New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-28
THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY


PREMIUM sysTEM-PRoGREss IN BUILDING
THE VARIOUS SHIPS UNDER wAY-IMPoR-
LANCE OF ADDITIONAL ToRPEDoBoATs
THE VESSELS AUTHORIZED WILL
HAVE BEEN PAID FOR. WITH
ONE EXCEPTION. IN 1896.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 27-The annual report of the
secretary OF the Navy, II. A. Herbert. has been
Issued. 1t is in part as follows
rho following new vessels have been completed
ana 'reu s Hnots Conmbia 2sS5 knots; Olympia.
q 100 knots; Montgomery 1885 Knots' M'''"e"po"''
gbe Indiana Texas ard oregon have had unc
official preliminary trials under the dlrsc'o}ini ioi
machinery trial on October Il. 1891. her ensin es
developing an indicated HORSEPOWER oa 81 4 Is
E tG"r hours and showing a" average SD''1 D'
The last naval appropriation act contained
provision AUTHORIZING the construction OF three re
additional torpedo-boats The department has care
fully considered questions reIas to the nome and
abroad and has finally decided upon the eons q ne
Ericsson. with slightly greater displacement,
and to attain an average speed Oh not less '''''
no speed premiums will be provided for In In me
contracts for the building of these Ssena,s Nos
l. and small premiums ard penaites oS WeiS p aI
vided for This system undonbeid ha n@1 c,nynced
the department that the tine has come when.
w wh pre fHP be snas mas ose
Work on the frst-class bateship Iowa is progress
ing as rapidly the requirements OF sood wo ib
vessel will be completed during me ater la "a
& se ahs 6rsson are Me advanced
completion. and Will be in condition Tor aecep'"r,Sr
second-cass batteshIp Maine will be ready for
commissioning before the enI OF ms n,gSr Se am
her recent machinery trial at sea indicates tndt sac
is to be gratifying success. The second-cass bat
tr gshp and ,iN should be Completed and ready
missionng few months later , -. -...
ing favorably. and 1t is expected that this yesse
will be completed during the early months Of lNt;
monitors Puritan and Monadnock. and these vessels
will probably be ready for trial before the end oil
tors Terror and Amphitrite is 50 well advanced
that in case Of an emergency these vessels eo 2
arniored ram Katahdn will probably be completed
during the early part OF the next hseai yea
tried, and is practically ready for commission
ing. The progress of work on the three gunooals
Nos. Z, and g. now beng built at me NeWpoSr'
News Shpbuiding and Dry Dock COMPANY works;
is such as to indicate that se Sb w DC
as the Department has been able to make, with ,ie
that "a. these vessels have been
for al price per ton fully as low as Is pa'o LOT
similar work in France and England
A NEW KEARsARGE SUGGESTED
1t was peculiarly unfortunate that the Kearsarge
historic in battle. should go down upon we'll
Il
was not even cloud in the sky. The prompt pun
ishment by sentence of a court-marial of the OFF,
GERS responsible. does not repair the INJURY mere
Is sun feeling deepseaIeG bat ea i, Is
a that ought not 10 be permitted 10 ule OUT o.
the Navy list. | respectfully suggest that yod rec.
ommend Congress TO authorize the construction OF
"A batt,eshp 10 perpetuate this name. ne -
ppdonied Of naming our batteshp5 for stae-the
pillars of the Unon-6ut the propreiy of maxim an
exception to this rule in favor OF the hearsa'se
would / believe, be universally recognized
STABILITY OF CERTAIN VESSELS.
Shortly before my last annual report was sub
mitted the department discovered that the Detroit
and her sister ships. the Montgomery ana Maroie-
head and the Machias and her sister snip. the
Castine all then nearing completion were deficient
in initial stability In order TO obtain positive
and accurate knowledge a board. of which Rear
Admiral ]. G. Walker. United States Navy was
president. and consisting OF officers VINO mao peS
structon of these vessels was appointed 70 thoT
oughly examine these ships ana max snTn the
finding of this board In regard to the Detroit class
tsss The changes Recommended in the three ships
OF this class have been made. ana these NeSseis;
ssrvice u are in COMMISSION The board
mended removing certain top weights from IN, me
toms. and lengthening each OF them by four,ee, t
feet This has also 6es1 DONE sbs ana he M
reco lamentations. The discovery Of the errors in
nsnSsd fSe Separtmen to extend the
of the Walker Board. and to order a thorough ex
animation of all vessels then in process, OF con
struction about whose stability there could be an,
possible question II errors existed In the designs
partment should have knowledge Of them at The
very earliest moment The report Of the ne seaTt
the batteships the board reporting that: "Th'
fsons Of ~ these vessels is most satisfactory
gratifying verifcation Of the results OF the origna
cvrsc, in the calculations" The difference be
tween the estimates and the actual resui, wa
inch lpse me
than design.
THE BUREAU SYSTEM.
With us difficulties are no doubt enhanced by III
fact that We have four separate and distinct bi
reaus each concerned more or less with the desis
and construction Of vessels The Bureau OF Con
structlon and Repair designs the hulls of our ships
the Bureau OF Steam Engineering the engines an
machinery. the Bureau of Ordnance the ar'nor an
armament and the Bureau Of Equipment the an
chors chains gaeys, and electric lighting appaia'u'
Each Of these bureaus o abs division Of work is ha
each bureau, being intent upon It's own Designs ~, an
above all things to see that that portion Of the 81.
which is under its superintendent sAan pc ~. y.
often difficult TO say where in the construction OF
ship the duties OF one OF these bureaus leaVe %
and those Of another begin, and some idea Is OF
tained of the difficulties encountered by secreiaI
who has cast upon him me duty OF
Our bureau system has justly provoked niue
can deny If the lines dividing duties could be Away
clearly laid down. If conflicts OF authority Sord rio
could always be secured and duplication OF w9 OF
nrevented il would be admirable system as u
dIv,sion Of labor undoubtedly secures the penen
always resulting in business from spse ds
ns work nv and 40 many conflicts OF author!ty o.
faeen bureaus that Secretaries and Naval boai.
have heretofore many times condemheu INC s'''e
in the strongest possible terms -, -. oo.oh
After much thought, finally issued on Ucto y,
II,ureau OF Construction and Repair Is charged vi,
the responsibility for the desig structursi
second paragraph Of the order a b 5e 70 Of
,au yessel very much after :he manner OF
regulation issued by Secretary Tracy me Gro ro
tbsn goes on to provide that changes In ships iIo
The original designs, OF any and every cnarac.
Whatever. whether in hui, machinery. arm9r "