Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-12-07
REPORTON THENEW NAVY
SECRETARY HERBERT REC
OMMENDS MORE WARSHIPS.
He Advises the Construction of Three
Battle Ships and Twelve Torpedo
Boats-The Naval Estimates
The New Submarine Torpedo
Teaches a Lesson

BattIe-ShiDs and Twelve Torpedo
Boats-The Naval Estimates
The New Submarine Torpedo
Boat-,Japan Teaches a Lesson.
The annual report of the Navy Depart
ment has just been made public.
The most important reco nmen iation made
by Secretary Herbert is that Congress au-
thorize the construction OF three great bat
tle-ships of about 10, 900 tons displacement,
to cost. exclusive OF armament not exceed
ing 81 900, coo each. and twelve torpedo
boats of from 100 to 800 tons each, at tbs
discretion of the Secretary. to cost not eI-
ceeding an average Of $40, 900.
There are many features of interest In this
report. not only III the way OF review OF
naval progress at home AMI abroad but also
relating TO great questions OF naval po!icy.
He shows that since his last report iv1
splendid ships have been completed, t-tei
and added to the naval list. three OF wn:ch
are capable OF speed In excess Of twenty-one
kno:s, while two OF them are the f eetest
cruisers in the world. The Ave vasSets are
the Marblehead. 1874 knots; Columbia.
% 60 knots Olympia, 21.6) knots; Mont
gomery, 1906 knots, and Minneapolis,
%. 07G knots.
One important change of naval policy is
noted in connection with the advertise
ments for three new torpedo boats soon to
provisions will be allowed on these boats :;
that the premium system undoubtedly had
its advantages when adopted, but the de-
partment is now convinced that the time
has come when. with the experience gained,
it may with profit be abandoned.
Still treating of torpedo boats, the report
shows the startling number of these craft
now on hand in foreign countries to be 1889
and the number building 1872. Great Britain
has IT'S on hand and sixty-four building,
while France is even better off with PA on
hand and forty-one bulldinZ OF seventeen
countries enumerated. not one has less than
twenty-five. OF these boats, the United
States, with more coasts and ports than any
other Nation, has but six, counting three yet
to be built.
The work on new ship construction has
proceeded satisfactorily and the deliveries
OF armor which had retarded the work are
now being made at a rate that promises to
bring In the full contract supply during the
next spring. The work on the new gunboats
at Newport News Is also going on rapidly,
and the Secretary says that these vessels
have been contracted for at price fully as
low as is paid for similar work In France
and England. The Secretary speaks in
terms of deep regret Of the loss Of the Kear-
sarge, and to prevent the famous name from
Iapsing on the naval list, he suggests that
battle-ship be built to perpetuate if. He also
suggests that the renowned Old Constitution
be put in repair and placed on exhibition at
the Washington Navy Yard as an object Of
interest to patriotic Americans.
The Secretary las taken a cue from the
battle of the Yalu and says that he has
given instructions that all but the most
necessary woodwork must be removed from
our ships. AS all the guns for our new
naval vessels are now nearly finished the
report states that the work Of constructing
a sufficient reserve store should be com
menced at once, and a proper estimate is
1hy,oif tod 70 hot nd 10 COLL cd
in this connection to fact that although the
Government is annually expanding large
subsidy for vessels. such as the Paris and
New York, to secure their use in time of war,
it has not gun to put on them. At present
in case of war, Great Britain could speedily
arm her merchant marine on the great
lakes and do us enormous damage, while If
we had a reserve supply Of guns, we could
dominate these waters.
On this point of preparation for war in
time of peace, the Secretary makes this very
significant comment
The latest and one Of the most impressive
lessons in all history is now being taught by
China and Japan. A Nation, the most pop
ulous in the world. able to put millions of
fighting men into the field, Is now. after SUI
fering many disasters, securing Europe and
America for munitions of war. 1t relied
upon its numbers. Now it is buying dis
carded guns and discarded ammunition,
whatever it can get, to aid in repeling the
assaults of a people vastly inferior to 1t in
numbers"
The Secretary caused experiments to be
made at Newport to determine the probable
effect upon the crew of a submarine boat
of the explosion of torpedo charges. Live
animals were inclosed in an old Lay torpe 10
case, which was submerged In fifteen feet
Of water, and charges of eighty pounds OF
gun cotton were exploded at various dis
tances from 431 feet to eighty feet. No
damage was done to the inmates an it has
been demonstrated that the crew of a sub
marine boat will be safe 50 long as the hull
IS not ruptured
The naval estimates for the fiscal year en,I-
ing June 80. 1895, amount TO $50, 952, 020. 40.
of which $13, 259, 392 is to make payments
upon work hitherto authorizing the con-
struStion, steam machinery, arnor and
armament Of the new vessels now approach
ing completion. This appropriation, which
is to meet an Indebtedness due before the
end of the fiscal year, sill be substantially
the last, for. with the expenditure oil $780,
0G0 in 1897, the existing new navy VIII be
entirely paid for.