The morning call., 1894-11-28
NEEDS OF A NAVY.
Mr.. Herbert Makes His
Report.
TORPEDO BOATS WANTED.
Tendency Also to a Big Line of
Battle-Ships.
WORK ON THE NEW VESSELS.
Uncle Sam Will Soon Be in a Posi-
ton to More Than Hold
His Own.
WORK ON THE NEW VESSELS.

POAb ~ bhO PASoANSAN' -'H
points are as folio rvs:
Since my last official report the Indiana,
Texas ami Oregon have had unofficial pre-
limlnary trials under the direction of the con-
tractors and the Maine had her official
machinery trial on October II, 1894, her
engines developing an indicated horse power
of 9224.3 for four hours, and showing an
average speed OF 17.45 knots.
The last naval appropriation act contained
provision authorizing he construction OF three
additional torpedo-bOatS. The department has
carefully considered questions relating 10 the
development of this type of vessel both at
home and abroad, and has finally decided upon
the construction of torpedo boats OF the general
type OF the Ericsson, with slightly greater
displacement and % attain an average speed
OF not less than 24.5 knots on the acceptance
trial No speed premiums will be provided for
IN the contracts for the building OF these
vessels. In this connection, l would call your
attention to the fact that the construction Of
Iorpedo-boats is SIN actively carried on abroad.
A reference 10 the report OF the chief con-
structor viii show that work on new vessels
now Ia course of construction has advanced
quite satisfactorily during The past year Prog
Tess in he construction OF our atmored vessels
was Tor many years delayed by reason Of the
unexpected difficulties encountered by con-
tractors la The manufacture OF armor. As was
anticipated, uUhCNOis III my last duuudI EcpOIts
armOr is now being delivered al such rate as
10 justify The expectation that both the com.
panies now under contract with the Govern
ment Will CO mplele their deliveries during the
coming spring. The statemen made here.
after as to the periods at which vessels are e6-
peeled 10 be completed are therefore advanced
with full assurance that they are reasonably
accurate. Work on The frSI-class baitle-ship
Iowa is proceeding as rapidly as he require
is expected that the vessel will be completed
DUNG the latter part Of 1896. The fTst-class
battle ships Indiana, Massachusetts and Oregon
are well advanced toward completion, and will
be in condition for acceptance by the Govern
ment within the coming year. The second
class battle-ship Maine Will be ready for COM
missiOnng before The END of this fiscal year.
She is being built at the New York Navy-yard
and her recent machinery trial at sea indicates
that she is be a gratifying success. The
secoDd-class batlle-shp Texas is practically
ready for her machinery trial, and should be
completed and ready for commissioning few
months later. Work on the armored cruiser
Brooklyn is progressing favOrably, and 1t is
expected that this vessel Will be cOmplel ed dur
ing the early months of 1896. Rapid progress
Is being made on the double-lurreted monitors
Puritan and MOnadnock, and these vessels will
probably be READY for trial before the end OF
this fiscal year. Work on the double-turreted
monitors Terror and Amphitrite is so well ad-
yanced thai, in case Of an emergency, these
vessels could be prepared for servics within a
few months The aTmoTed ram Katahdin will
probably be completed Outing the early part of
the next fiscal year. The protected cruiser
Olympia has beer successfully tried and IS now
practically ready for commissioning The
progress Of work on the three gunboats, Nos Z
8 and 8. now being built at the Newport News
ShipbuildiDg and DrydOck Company's works, is
such as TO Indicate that they will be completed
within the contract time. such an examination
as the department has been able 10 make, with
the Information at its disposal appears to
justify the conclusion that these vessels have
been contracted for at a price per ton fully as
low as Is paid for similar work IN France and
England.
There Is still a feeling. deep-Seated, wlde-
spread, and fully shared by The Navy Depart
ment, that kearsarge is a name that ought not
TO BE- permitted TO die out of the navy list l
respectfully suggest that you recommend Con-
gress TO authorize The construction of a battle.
ship TO perpetuate this name. The department,
il is true. approves the policy heretofore
adopted OF naming our battle ships for States
the pillars of the Union; but the proprety of
making an exception to this rule in favor OF the
hearsarge would. L believe, be universally
recognized.
Under the provisions Of the act providing for
the furnishing OF vessels of war TO State gov
ernments for the use of the naval militia, the
department has lately been requested to loan
the old Constitution for such purpose. For
many years past this ship has been used as a
receiving ship at the hayward Portsmouth.
n. d., has been housed over, and only such
repairs put upon her as would reuder her
habitabe and in condition to float Her
present state is such that If this famous
old vessel Is to be longer preserved
as mementO Of our glorious mast
larger sum Of money than that appropriated
at the last session Will be necessary. In view
OF the memories which are inseparably con-
nected with this vessel. the partment believes
that it would be wise for Congress to authorize
that she be repaired and put in such condition
as will preserve her indefinitely Should such
an act be passed the old ship might then be
brought 10 Washington and kept at the nayv
yard as IN object Of interest 10 the mauy thon.
sands of patriotic Americans annually visiting
the capital of the nation.
The guns required for The new vessels here.
totore authorized are now so nearly comnleteo
that the construction OF a sufficient reserve
supply should be commenced without n Law
and the department recommends an appronria.
ton 10 that end.
Under treaty provisions neither the United
States nor the English can Keep more than one
small naval vessel upon our Northern lakes
so lar The TWO countries are matched In case.
however. a war should unfortunately break out
between them. Great Britain could promptly
furnish guns and gun mounts TO her merchant
marine on the lakes, and though their marine
is lar inferior 10 ours in strength the British
might master those waters and do tncaleuIabl
damage 10 our lake cities. Ii we had a reserve
OF ordnance and ordnance stores we corId
dominate those waters without question.
The latest and one Of the most imnressiys
lessons in all history is now being taught nv
China and Japan. A nation, the most populons
in the world, able TO put millions of iphtIng
men into The field, is now, after suffering MANY
disasters, securing Europe and America for
munitions of war. Ii relied upon its pumLers
Now 1t is buying discarded guns and discarded
ammunition whatever it can ge, to aid it in
repelling the assaults Of people vastly inferior
TO 1t in numbers.
Practical experiments have been carried on
during the past year with an S0-pOund 6-inch
shell, containing IL pounds or wet gun cot on
with dry gun-cotton primer and a illuminate
detOnator. The velocity aitainrd was about
400. foot seconds. which. at the maximum ele-
walton usually attainable from ships sponsors
or turrets would give range of not less than
three miles. The results obtained were so IA
vorable as 10 lead TO continuing the experiments
with a 1O-inch shell. containing about 70
pounds OF gun cotton and fired with charge
giving an initial velocity OF about 17O0.fooi