The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-11
American Warships Affected by
the Lack of Proper
Overhauling.
MORE DRYD0CKs NECESSARY.
Building of But Two Small Vessel.
During the Year Advo.
Gated.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 1O.-The
first ship of the new navy was put into
commission over nine years ago, and ac-
cording to Chief Constructor hichborn,
the demands for ordinary repairs on the
earlier vessels for the preservation and for
the maintenance of their euuipage in a
proper state of efficiency are yearly becom-
ing more serious, and Congress must here
after make much larger appropriations for
this purpose. Constructor Hichborn, in
his annual report, declares that modern
steel ships, with their extreme subdivision
and elaborate systems of ventilation,
drainage and mechanical auxiliaries of all
kinds, require much greater care, both
when in commission and ordinarily, than
was formerly the case with the old wooden
ships. Neglect is followed by much more
serious and far-reaching deterioration and
1T is absolutely essential that the most care
full supervision should be exercised at all
times and remedies promptly applied in
order that the efficiency of the vessels as
men-of-war may be properly maintained.
For several years past the construction
bureau has been compelled to economic
nearly to the danger point, being limited
by repair appropriation of less than 3
per cent of the original cost of vessels,
while in the British navy the figure varies
from to per cent, the lower figure ap-
plying to the heavier armored vessels.
Constructor Hichborn insists that 81 500, 600
is needed for this year, where only 5000 900
was secured from Congress for the current
year.
A significant feature of Constructor
Hichborn's report is that he officially rec
commended the construction of only two
new vessels to be authorized by Congress
at the next session, instead of the great
increase to our force of heavy battle-ships
which was unofficially suggested by his
paper read before the naval architects in
New York three days ago as being
promptly needed by the navy.
The vessels he recommends are two
small composite sailing vessels of 1000 tons
displacement, to cost only $250000 EACH
These, if authorized by Congress, will be
the first two vessels without steam power
that have been placed in the naval service
for many years. No argument regarding
this recommendation is submitted by Con-
structor H;chborn.
Constructor Hichborn devotes consider
for greatly increasing the number of dry
docks at the navy-yards, the efficiency of
our cruisers being seriously affected by the
difficulties encountered in cleaning their
submerged portions. He recommends new
docks at Portsmouth, n. H.; Boston,
Mass; Mare Island, Cal, and Norfolk, Va.
Until the indefinite time in the future,
when the big drydocks at New York,
Puget Sound and Port Royal are available
for deep-draught vessels, the new battle
ships must remain unlocked.
Chief Engineer Melville and Constructor
Hichborn concur in the estimate that
5,S95,679 must be provided for Disbursement
next year on account of the vessels author
lied by the last Congress, for which, how
ever, no appropriations were made. For
repairs on the Chicago $30O,O0O is required
and for the Hartford $4,000. Constructor
Hichborn renews, with emphasis, the re-
quest he has frequently made to Congress
for an experimental tank, to cost about
$100, 900, which 1t is proposed to use to test
models of ships before the vessels them
selves are built.