The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-12-08
WARsHTps AND NAVAL MATTERS

NAk9hlPS AND NAVAL MATTERS.
Plea for More Vessels OF Defense and
Offense.
Attention is called to the report Of the
secretary Of the navy, which shows very
gratifying progress in the construction
Of ships for our new navy, All the yes
sells now building, including the torpedo
boats ordered at the last session Of
congress and excepting the first-class
battle ship Iowa, will probably be COM
pleted during the coming fiscal year.
The estimates for the increase of the
navy for the year ending June go 1895.
are large, but they include practically
the entire sum necessary to complete
and equip all the new ships not now in
commission, so that unless more ships
are authorized the appropriations for
the naval service for the fiscal year end
ing June so, 1896, should fall below the
estimates for the coming year by at
least $12,OOG,OO0
The secretary presents with much
earnestness a plea for the authorize
ton of three additional battle ships
and 10 or - torpedo boats. While the
unarmored vessels heretofore author
lied, including those now nearing com
pletion, will constitute fleet which il
is believed is sufficient for ordinary
cruising purposes in time of peace we
have now completed and in process of
construction but four first-class battle
ships and but few torpedo boats. If we
are to have a navy for war-like opera
tons, offensive and defensive, we GER
tainly ought to increase both the num-
Der Of battle ships and torpedo boats
The manufacture of armor requires
an expensive plant and the aggregation
f>p, .I~sI
NOR necessary to complete the vessels
now building will be delivered before
the LIST of June next If no new con-
| tracts are given out, contractors must
disband their workmen and their plants
must lie idle. Battle ships authorized
at this time would not be well under way
until late in the coming fiscal year.
and at least three years and one-half
from the date of the contract would be
required for their completion. The sec
rotary states that not more than Is per
cent. Of the cost of such ships need be
included in the appropriation for the
coming year.
BUILD MORE SHIPS.
1 recommend that provision be made
for the construction of additional bat
tleships and torpedo boats. The Sec
rotary recommends the manufacture
not only of ordnance and ordnance ma
! terial for ships for the navy, but a sup
ply for the auxiliary fleet Guns and
their appurtenances should be provid-
ed and kept on hand for both these pur-
poses. We have not today a single
| gun that could be put on the ships Paris
| or New York of the International Nav
! igation Company, or any other ship of
our reserve navy. The manufacture of
guns at the Washington navy yard is
proceeding satisfactorily and none of
our new ships will be required to wait
for their guns or ordnance equipment.
An important order has been issued
by the secretary of the navy co-ordin-
ating the duties of the several bureaus
concerned in the construction of ships.
This order, it is believed, will secure to
a greater extent than has heretofore
been possible the harmonious action of
these several bureaus and make the at
tainment of the best results more GER
tain.
PROTECTING AMERICANS.
During the past fiscal year tLare mas
been an unusual and pressing demand
in many quarters of the world for the
presence of vessels to guard Ameri-
can interests. In January last
during the Brazilian instruction, a
large feet was concentrated in the har-
Dor of Rio de Janeiro. The vigorous
action of Rear Admiral Benham in pro-
tecting the personal and commercial
rights of our citizens during the dis
turbed conditions afforded results
which will, it is believed, have a far
reaching and wholesome influence
whenever, in like circumstances, it may
become necessary for our naval com
manders to interfere on behalf of our
people in foreign ports.
The war now in progress between
China and Japan has rendered it neces-
sary or expedient to dispatch eight YES
sells to those waters.
The secretary of the navy and the sec
rotary of the treasury recommend the
transfer of the work of the coast sur
vey proper to the navy department.
heartily concur in this recommends
ton. Excluding Alaska, and a very
small area BESIDES all the work of map
/ ping and charting out the coast has
been completed. The photographic
work. which must be done over and ovel
{ again by reason of the shifting and
! varying depths of water consequent up
/ on the action of streams and tides, has
| heretofore been done under the direc-
ton of the naval officers in subordina-
ton to the superintendent of the coast
survey. There seems to be no good rea-