The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-09-04

be pushed.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT
YEAR.
|. Although Secretary Herbert has not yet
begun the preparation of his annual re-
port, it is a we'll known fact, as has been
stated that the Secretary will recommend
the construction of two training ships
for the Naval Academy. 1t is further re-
ported that the Secretary intends to ask
Congress to authorize the constructio
of two battle ships, two cruisers and six
torpedo boats. The Secretary is strongly
struction, and he hopes that Congress
will do something for the service at the
coming session.
The training of a force of specialists
among the enlisted men is the suplectOf an
addition to the navy regulations, which
reads thus: He (the captain OF any
sh1p) shall cause special instruction and
his command who evince marked in
clination or aptitude for any particular
branch of their profession Every in
centlve shall be given to develop and
maintain the professional qualifications
of such men, and opportunities shall be
aQOrQ6Q UQ6Ln 1Or Improvement III UAAtto
branch for which they are best fitted.
ARMOR PLATE SPECIFICATIONS.
The specifications for the manufacture
of armor plate for the new battle ships
will differ but in "details, it is now
expected, from the specifications issued
| for the last lot of this material. The
15-inch belt is to have mean.deptho OF
seven feet, six inches.
| The transverse armor at the after end
of the belt and just forward OF the boilers
will be not less than eight inches thick.
| To protect the 13-inch guns the turret
armor will be fifteen inches thick, excopt
in the rear, where it will be reduced to
tive I've inches, and in the port plates,
where it will be increased to seventeen
inches in thickness. Steel armor not less
than five inches thick will protect the
ships side from the armor belt to the
main deck from barbette. An armOred
deck. which is to extend throughout the
length of the vessel, will vary in thick
ness from two and three quarters to three
| inches. The coming tower will nave
protection of armor ten inches thick. and
an armored tube seven inches IN thick
ness will permit the officers in the tower
| to communicate with the armored deck.
For the S-inch gun tureets, which are
to be superposed upon the 13-inch gun
turrets, the armor will be not less than
eleven inches thick on the port plates and
nine inches elsewhere. Continuous armor
six inches thick is to extend between the
turrets in the wake of the 5-inch guns.
| Altogether it is expected that the total
weioht of armor required for the two
ships will be something like seven
thousand tons. There will be no increase
| in the severity of the ballistic test for the
acceptance of the armor, 1t being the
opinion of Captain Sampson that the
nresent requirements are all that can be
desired While it may be that no clause
will be placed in the specifications requ1r-
ing that the double forging process be
| followed. it is understood to be the lnten-
| tion of the authorities to take under con-
sideration the advisability of making in
ducements to the armor firms to follow
| this process in turning out arnor 1or the
government
A CONSUL'S COMPLAINT.
The State Department has just received
a communication from the United States
consul at Hamburg, Mr.. w. ID. Robert
son, protesting against the alleged failure
of Rear Admiral kirkland, commanding
the European squadron, to extend 20 nj m
official courtesies during the klel Canal
| festivities.
Consul Robertson referrs particularly
to what he seems to think is courtesy of
the naval commander in chief in not in
viting him to go through the canal on
board the Marblehead when the canal was
| formally opened, notwithstanding the
fact that he had letter of introduction
to Rear Admiral Kirkland from the
Secretary of the Navy. Another COM
plajnt is that the Admiral failed to notice
| him in any way at the banquet given by
the German Emperor during the inaugu-
ration Of the waterway. which was at
tended both by the Admiral and himself.
Consul Robertson shows that he con-
siders he was snubbed numerically by
the Admiral.
Secretary Herbert told me tonight that
the matter had not come to his attention.
There is no doubt, however. that it will
be referred by the State Department. to
the Navy Department
Zero ulsters and overcoats at red hot
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