Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-01
The Fight Off Yalu Teaches Our
Government Something Valuable.
NAVY YARDS A NECESSITY
Importance Of Being Able to Quick
Iy Repair Disabled Vessels.
MORE DOCK YARDS NEEDED

One valuable lesson which officials Of the
Navy Department think has been taught by
the great naval engagement between the
Japanese and Chinese fleets at the mouth
OF the Yalu river Is the absolute necessity
OF maintaining the navy yards, repair
shops and store rooms in readiness for in
slant service. According to the cable re-
ports, both of the fleets engaged at Yalu
sustained great damage. True, the Chinese
lost many vessels entirely, but they still
had a formidable force afioat, while scarce
ly vessel Of the Japanese fleet escaped
without severe damage mainly from the
murderous fire Of the machine guns. At
the conclusion Of the fight each side with
drew to their nearest respective dockyards
for repairs. Upon the efficient equipment
and management of these dockyards very
much depends in just such a case as the
present. Each feet is well-nigh disabled
for fun Their operations. If the Chinese
yards. which are VIGOROUSLY ill-equipped
and mismanaged, are unable to complete
the reI air of their fleet for six weeks. which
Is about the time allowed here by naval ex-
perts. while the Japanese put their vessels
In shape for service in two weeks, as they
count on doing, they will be masters of the
Yellow sea, and can inflict enormous dam
ports at the very door Of Picking. the
Chinese capital, and ravaging the coast.
All of which demonstrates the great value
of a good dockyard system.
Our Deficient DOckyards.
Naturally this has turned the attention
of naval officers to a consideration Of our
own resources in that line, and there is
seen to be a pressing reed for a radical re-
form in system at some points. A few Of
our yards are well-equipped with modern
plants for shipbuilding and for extensive
repairs-New York and Norfolk, for in
stance-but in almost every other place the
yards are filed with antiquated tools and
lumber and ship houses, all very useful in
the old days Of wooden ships, but now a
positive tncumbrance to work. 1t has been
urged that the navy could have recourse to
private shipbuilding firms for repair and
construction work in time of need. But, on
the other hand, these establishments may
be crowded. with private ORDERS necessitat-
Ing their absolute confiscation by the gov
ernment in order to control their work. !;
and, besides, there are only a few private
plants able to undertake the heavy work of
overfarling one of our great battle ships.
They cannot be provided in an emergency,
as was done in our civil war. for the COM
pick and expensive plant needed for mod
ern naval works requires years instead Of
days for it's construction.
These facts have strongly impressed
thoughtful naval officers with the belief
that something must be done to put all Of
our navy yards and stations in good condi-
tioi, W luOutIHlZe tTeIn ana equip them so
that they shall be availab BILE at short notice.
for In these days war comes like lightning
from summer sky, the actual declaration
following instead Of preceding hostilities
as witness the sinking Of the Kow Shing,
and the nation in superior readiness taking
quick advantage of that fact. Probably the
Boston navy yard will be the first to feel
the effects Of this policy Of rehabilitation Of
the yards, and others will follow as fast as
Congress can be induced by urgent repre-
sensations to appropriate the necessary
funds.
New System of Communicating Ships.
Another subject germane to that first
mentioned, which has already been pressed
upon the attention Of the Navy Department
by some Of the brightest lights in the serv-
ice-men who are not ashamed to adopt a
new idea, IL a good one, because 1t is Of for
eign origln-is an entire change in the sys-
TEN of supplying and commissioning our
ships. The idea comes from Germany,
where 1t has been practically applied with
most promising results. There would be no
difficulty in its application to our own navy,
though some slight change in ,etail might
be necessary in order to give 1t sufficient
elasticity for country with two widely sep
arated coastlines.
1t contemplates the division Of the vessels
of the navy into four classes. The first
would include vessels in actual service; the
second those lying In port and ready for sea
IL
need Of limited repairs, say a months, and
the fourth, vessels needing extensive repairs.
On each station, North Atlantic, Pacific,
European, Asiatic and South Atlantic, a
fixed number of vessels must be maintained,
and of this number not less than a fixed
percentage must be in classes one and two,
thus insuring an absolutely reliable force at
any given point at any time.
In pursuance of this plan, at one of the
home dockyards each vessel would have set
apart storehouse. In this would be kept
her supplies when not in class one Every
thing must be provided and set apart in It's
proper place. When there should be need
for a ship Immediately, draft would be
made on class two and a proper vessel Sc
lected. The crew would march to the store
house, each man pick up his load, appointed
in advance, and carry 1t aboard ship; coal
would be taken. and, everything moving
like clockwork, the ship should be able to
sail at a days notice. This would be in re-
freshing contrast to the present system,
where coal is taken at one place, boats at
another, ammunition somewhere else, tubes
and supplies telegraphed for from another
yard or obtained from contractor, and the
ship detained a week or month, as the case
may be, and all, too, after much hurry and
worry and friction.