The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-11


dore Philip HichIborn, chief of the
bureau of construction and repair of
the navy, has completed his report for
the year. The report includes esti-
mates for appropriations for next year,
the most important of which is $780,
$40, to be expended on vessels author
lied by Congress for the increase of
the navy. He also asks for $1,500,0O0
for the general repair of vessels and
the purchase of stores and machinery,
$52S, 600 for continuance of work al
ready authorized on the Hartford, the
Chicago and other vessels, and 100000
for two composite sailing vessels. He
dwells especially upon the necessity
of adequate money for the repair Of
vessels covering modern steel ships,
because their extreme subdivision and
elaborate systems of ventilation, drain
age and mechanical auxiliaries of all
kinds require much greater care, both
when in commission and in ordinary
than was formerly the case with the
old wooden ships.
1t is now more than nine years since
the first vessel of the new navy was
put in commission, and the necessity
for general repairs and renewals of
more and more pressing.
The policy Of extreme economy has
about reached its limit, and unless
more ample appropriations are made
for the care and preservation of ships
and the general maintenance of the
yard plants, the efficiency of the fleet
will be diminished and government
property will suffer serious deteriora-
ton.
Commodore Hichborn notes the COM
pletion and acceptance during the year
of the Marblehead, Columbia, Olympia
and Minneapolis; gives the status of
other vessels which are almost COM
pleted and also states the fact in con-
nection with contracts recently let and
specification made under the authority
of the last naval appropriation bill.
He suggests the Importance of appro-
priations sufficient to put the navy
yard plants at Portsmouth, N. H.
Boston, Mass, New York, League
Island, Norfolk, Va, and Mare Island,
California, in a. condition to meet the
demands Of the immediate future. He
thinks $125,000 necessary at Norfolk;
$4,000 at New York and $40, 600 at Mare
Island. He also renews the recon-
mendation of last year for the appro-
priation of S75. 900 for each of the new
stations at Port Royal and Puget
sound. This money as, he says. neces-
saTy to equip the stations with tools
so as 70 enable them to cover the
ordinary repair work.
Probably the most important part of
the report is that devoted to the neces-
sity Of Increased cry dock facilities
Mr.. HichboTn notes the fact that there
was no dock, government or private,
in the country sufficiently large to
dock the Indiana preliminary to her
trial trip.
If" he says, ''such condition con-
fronts the department in time of peace
it is easily realized how serious a de-
feet it would prove in time of war
when the casualties of battle and
necessity of keeping the Bottoms of
might develop their highest speed
would largely increase the demands of
our docking facilities"
The chief constructor endorses the
recommended ton of the constructor at
Boston for a dock there sufficient in
size to take the largest vessel, as he
does also similar recommendations
from the constructors at Norfolk and
Mare Island.
MIR. Hichborn also recommends that
i'm order that the plants at our naval
stations may always be kept in a high
state of efficiency for the performance
of the general work of repairing and
fitting out, il is earnestly recommended
that in future appropriate provision
be made for having at least one YES
sci in course of construction at each
of the three principal navy yards"
Explaining the reason for the sug-
gestion he says the completion of the
vessels building at New York and Nor
folk navy yards has necessitated the
discharge of large proportion of the
skilled force hitherto employed at
those stations, and it will be exceed
ingly difficult to maintain the efficiency
of the construction and repair plants
at those yards unless early measures
are taken to give regular employment
to small force of skilled mechanics
Sn each of the principal yards.
The reports renews the recommen-
dalton previously made Of an expert
mental tank in which carefully con-
Quoted experiments could be made
with models in such a way as to an
ticipate the performance of the COM
pieced vessel, these results not being
capable of attainment in any other
way.
Several of the foreign governments
have already preceded us in this direc-
ton and have had constructed elaibor-
ate experimental stations, the British
taking the lead. One hundred thousand
dollars is asked for this purpose and
il Is believed with such a station, pro
perly equipped and differed the de-
partment would be i'm condition to
make original researches, instead of
being compelled TO rely upon the ex-
periments and deductions of others.