The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-02


The system OF gun construction adopted
when the reconstruction of the navy was
undertaken remains unchanged In Its gems
eral features, and IL considered fully equal
IL not superior to any that has since been
tried here or aroad- OF the 539 guns-from
finch to 16-inch caliber-thus far ordered
fS3 are wholly or In great part completed
and 3os are afioat- The extension of the
Tapid-fre principle TO the 6-inch caber
having been decided upon, the gradual con-
version OF the older guns OF this caiber
Will be undertaken, the cost of conversion.
being inconsiderabie- Even If the expense
Of the change were much greater, the IN
dertaking. The wonderful efficacy of rapid
fire guns was strikingly Illustrated In the
battle off Yalu In 1894 between the japanese
and Chinese fleets. A boat and landing guf.
of 3-inch caliber, using fixed ammunition.
has been decided upon, and number or
these guns will be at once manufactures i
The department has fixed upon the lS-inch
caliber- for the main battery guns or the
new battle ships. tests at the naval provins
ground having conclusiveiy demonstrated
the superiority OF this calibre over the Il
inch and the necessity for the higher power
in. order to meet recent improVelmen's IN
armor. The wisdom OF this decision mas
already been fully demonstrated in the test
of the 14-inch side armor of the Iowa.
LABOR AT NAVY YARDS.
4 Large norton of the Secretarys report
Is a repetision of reports of subordinate off,
ce-s most of which has already been pub
l:shed. Mr.. Herbert says he Is endeavoring
10 reform the business methods OF the
bureau-in other words, he is eliminating
some of the red-tape methods long in vogue.
In regard to labor at navy yards. he says:
-Four years ago the registration system
of employing laDorers and mechanics at
navy yards was inaugurated, and 1t has
come TO be generally understood by ap-
plicants that II Is necessary TO register with
the labor boards in order TO be employed;
that after registering workmen are taken
on In the order OF registration; that poiltl-
cal or other influence plays no part in Sc
curing employ ment as laDorer or me-
chanic. and that the department does not
interfere in the matter of employing or dis
charging workmen at navy yards unless
the rules have In some way been violated.
AS result there are few requests made
upon the department for the employment
St and i at navy
In hearing and answering applicants and
their friends.
"The rules governing the employment OF
labor at the navy yards were devised and
put in force by my predecessor four years
ago. That the work was we'll and faithfully
done sufficiently appears from the fact that
very few important changes or amendments
have so far been found necessary. 1t APP
peared. however, during the last summer,
when work running short in the sew
eral yards. that the rigid enforcement, al
ways insisted on. OF rules preventing trans
fers from one trade even to another allied
trade or occupa ton, and some other kindred
provisions. were so operating as TO render
1t exceedingly difficult TO keep together such
a force of skilled workmen as every bust
ness establishment finds IL important to
maintain. To remedy these and certain
other defects which experience pointed out,
1t became necessary TO make somewhat
| have done after visiting the yards ard
consulting carefully with the commandments
at Washington. Norfolk and Brooklyn.
fne several amendments made. though
none of them. are radical. it is hoped
and believed will tend to the betterment
OF system which has so far met with gen.
In inn hr. xvIr he orx-iro
10 give an idea of the extent and impor
lance OF the work done. II may be stated
that from Sept. l. 1894. to Aug. 81 1895, there
were 3.seS mechanics and laborers employed
through the boards OF labor employment at
the various navy. yards. The number OF
appointments made through the. United
partHentai, railway mail Indian, customs
and postal services. as shown in the last
annual report OF the commission, was 1872.
NAVAL CONSTRUCTION ABROAD.
THE present status of the principal for
eign navies is shown in tables. giving the
number of vessels. armored and unarmored,
by classes. in service. or AUTHORIZED or build
ing. These tables show that armored yes
sells constitute A.4 per cent of the whole.
the remaining 56.6 per cent consisting of
unarmored vessels. OF which a very large
proportion NEARLY "a per cent? are pro-
tected cruisers.
in the number and strength of ships in serv-
ice and in building programme with IA
ships in service, not including torpedo
boats; she has forty-two vessels now under
construction, OF which ten are battle ships
In accordance with Englands policy of
placing her first line of defense at the en-
emy,s coast. no coast defense vessels are
building for that country. The displace-
ment OF the first-class battle ships i'm her
present programme Is 1890 tons; that of the
n tons
France, with III effective vessels in sery-
ice, exclusive of torpedo boats, has a build
ing programme calling for an increase of
cruisers.
Russia has eighteen ships building, Of
which fifteen are armored; in service, one
hundred.
Italy has in service seventy-one vessels;
the number building Is. armord eight (six
battle ships) and unarmored seven.
Germany has seventy-four efficient ships
and Is building four armored and four unar-
mored.
Spain is showing increased activity and
is building ten additional vessels, OF which
one-half are armored which will make
total effective strength of fifty-two
the Dutch navy numbers ninety two
effective vessels The additions are TO be
three armored and four unarmored vessels.
chile have. all told, ordered abroad six
armored and nine unarmored vessels
building '1n n fnsandp @ there are now
Japan. and third will probably be com
menced soon. These are of the English
Royal Sovereign type, of over 1900 tons
displacement and IL is proposed to submit
to the Diet programme looking toward
further increase. which. with the addition
Of the vessels captured from China in the
lare war. Will place Japan among the inn
portant naval powers of the world. 1t is also
rumored that China is looking toward the
navy as soon affairs become settled and
the money available.
Activity In building auxiliary coast de-
tense craft r>maips about the Same as in
my last report. France leads in the possess
sion OF torpedo boats. with 21S in service
and hfty-four building. Great Britain has
lS9 in service and sixty-two under con-
struction- Spain is doubling her torpedo
boat force. and Japan, taking lesson
from her experience I'm the late war and
having already with those captured from
building seventeen more. While the fifteen
other countries have altogether Los tor
pedo boats in service (Argentina with the
smallest number. showing twenty-one) the
United States has only two. The average
number building for THESE other countries
- fourteen and fraction. We have author
lied and building seven.
PERSONNEL OF THE NAVY.
In my previous reports have urged the
necessity for early action In reference to
the personnel OF the line OF the navy. and
have pointed out the pressing need for
legislation upon this subject. I beg leave
to refer to the statements made In nv
last report and to the specific recommended