The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-12-04

now building, including the three iotps''O
boats authorized at the last session OF cSH-
gress, except the first class oAt,ivsu1p
lows, will probably b. completed dui ln-
the coming H-c4l year. The es' lnAte' -
tie increas- OF the navy for tie wear end
ing June 30, 1894, are large but taey in-
clude practically th- entir= sum Necessary
10 complete and equip all the new saio noI
now IN cOmmlS>ie 80 taat Cnir>s ne"
ships are authorized the appropriations AoI
the naval 50 vice for the fiscal year eu u1IHS
Jun 30. 1897. suould fall below es'lm 'teS
for the coming year 10y at least Sl-, -,UOJO Ou'.
The secretary presents with mica eSFH-
eStucs- u plea f'r the Su uoF!Ztt9OH %
three additional battle ships aGd ten or
twelve toTp-do boats, while the uu
armored vessels heretofore authorized. IN
clu!iug tuo,- now nearing c1mpIet'on,
will constitute feet which It Is believed
is sufficient for ordinary cruising purposes
in time Of peace We have now com
pleued and In process of construction but
four first-class battle ships and but few
torpedo boa;s. II we are % nave navy
for wari!ke operations, offensive and d.
fen>iyr, we Certainly Ou-ht to iucrets.
both tie number OF battleships aud tor
pedo boats.
MORE BATTLESHIPS AND TORPEDO BOATS.
The mauutac, ure of armor requires sx
pen-iye plants ana the aggreg itlon f
many skilled workmeu. All tue arm"r
necessary 10 complete tie vessels Hov
building Will be de. e.iyerei before the frs,
Of June next. Ii no new contracts are
given out contractors must disband their
workmen aEds their plants mus oe
idle. BtttlesIIps authorized at ih!s time
would not BE- We'll under way until late IN
the coming fiscal year ana at least three
years and half from the date of the con
tract would be required for their compile
tIou. The secretary states that not more
hal ~ p.--p o. Df q
need be included in the appropriations for
the end Of the coming year.
| recommend that provision be made for
the construction of additional battleships
and torpedo boats. The secretary recom-
mends the manuf ,cture not only ot "A re-
serve supply of ordnance AMI ordnance
material Tor ships of the navy, but also n
supply for the auxiliary feels. Guns and
their apurteuauces should be provided aud
kept on hand for both thes- purposes. We
have not today single gun that could be
put upon the ships Paris or New York of
the International Navigation company or
or any other ship of our reserve navy. The
manufacture of guns Ht the Washington
navy yard is proceeding satisfactorily. and
none of our new ships Will be required TO
wait for their guns or orduance equip
ment.
co ORDINATION OF NAVAL BUREAUS.
An important order has been issued bv
the secretary OF the navy co-ordInatiug tie
duties of the several bureaus concerned in
tie construction of ships. Tue order. it is
believed, will secure to a greater extent
than has heretofore been possible the Ear-
monious action Of the several bureaus aud
make The attainment OF the best results
more certain.
During the past fiscal year there has
been an unusual ana pressing demand IN
many quarters of the world far the pres
q ..la a d.
ests. In January last. during the Bra lillian
lusurrectlOu, Il large fleet was concentrated
in the hArbor OF RIO de Jauriro
The vigorous action Of Admira. Beuham IN
protecting the personal suu Commercial
rights of our citizens during the dis;uI bed
conditions, afforded results which VIII, it
is believed, have a far reaching and whole
some influence whenever in like circum-
stances, IL may become necessary for or
naval commanders TO Interfere on behalf
of our people IN foreign ports. The war
now In progress between China aud Japan
has rendered it necessary or eXpedi-nt to
dispatch eight vessels to those waters.
TEANSFEB OF THE COAST SURVEY.
Both secretary OF the navy aud the sec
retary OF the treasury recommend
the transfer of the work OF the coast
survey proper to the navy depari ment
| heartily concur IN this recommendation.
Excluding Alaska and a very small area
besides, all the work of mapping and
charliug our coasts has been completed
The photographic work which must be
done over again by reason Of the shifting
and varying depths of water cons- quent
upon the action of stream and tides has
heretofore been done under the direction
OF naval officials in subordin4tiOn TO the
superintendent of the coast survey. There
seems to be no good reason why the navy
should not have entire charge hereafter of
such work, especially a. the photographic
office OF the navy department Is now, and
has been Tor many years, engaged in
making efficient maps entirely similar to
those prepared by the coast survey.
feel II my imperative duty u call at
tentlOu to the communication Of the sec
retary in regard 10 the p r-ounsi o! the
line of the navy. the staruatIou of promo
tlon IN this, the vital branch of The service
is so great as To seriously impair it. eff
cheney. / consider it Of the utmost i'm
pOrtauce that the young and middl le-aged
officers should. before the eve Of retire
meUt. be- permitted 20 reach a grade en-
titIing Ibem to sciive and important duty.
CIVIL SERVICE n THE NAVY YARDS
The system adopted few years ago
regulating the employment Of labor
at the navy yards IL rigidly up
its usefulness and eXUeGiency.
/. is within the domain OF civil -ervi e re-
form inasmuch as wOrkneu are employed
through board OF labor selected at each
navy yard and given WORK without refer
ence TO politics aud ia the order OF their ap-
plIcttiou. preference however being given
TO army AMI navy veterans and tuos. Asv-
ing form r navy yard experience. Amend
meuts suggested by experience have been
made to the rules regul ,tiug the system.
Through its operation the work At our
navy yards has been vastly improved in
efficiency aud the opportunity % yvo-. has
been hoa0rabiy aud fairly awarded 20 will
ing and competent applicants. IL j. houed
that II this system continues u b. STRICTLY
adhered To There vii. soon be rs "A natural
consequence sGcl aH equalization Of party
benefit As viii remove all temptation TO re-
IHT or anAu.Cn II