New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-09
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sent of as feet to any Ho, ds's 1N@ r6Hcn TO
The F b way ye%s braap one result Of the
experiment was that the sailors could scarcely sur
S OF b tho par
uary valuable for defences but that II Is the
6stance i He SPOKE especially Of the Kearsarge
which. he informed the committee, would nave
could discharge their fire five or six times minute;
These guns. ne said, are accurate Tor distance "a
project.le from any OF these guns or from the
heavier machine guns could sink a torpeu1t -p "a
s fllS from Snp'S the I Kearsar HSa'' &c ~
The Secretary made practical illustration He sup
posed that the Unitel States was at war with Greal
Britain and that the superior naval power Oh Eng. pd
have fleet Of ships fifty or one hundred miles OH
Ncw-York so as to intercept vessels coming IN or
s Gd Se creaP would Sn be sve ' il
United States had big fleet OF torpedo-boa's oreat
night. She would nave her torpedo boats also but
she would have to bring them across the AtMnrc Oh
4 member OF the committee asked the Secretary
this question: Suppose you had enough power to
need at present. n navy that would not have to be
increased except under most extraordinary cor con-
HE DOES NOT WANT A LARGE NAVY.
The Secretary replied: That Is a difficult ques-
ton TO answer | do not believe in a very large
Navy ] 60 not think 1t necessary. II had
fifteen batte-ships which were OF the first
class. or sixteen at the outside that would be a
reasonable number. We should probably have to
build coast defence vesse:s In time. and tor
pedo-boats. OF which very much In need. l
think ought to build We can. new ships OF
the class constructing. To fight
a battle you should have line OF battle-shps tnat
OF the class and about the same speed
and the same strength and offensive power 80
that one point Of your line will not be weaker than
another point. In the history of naval warfare the
battle ships based upon the idea OF strength.
that line Of battle-shps In action should be equa-
Sons gRt at Traagar and ' the Baile Of the Nile
The speed Of fleet is the speed OF the slowest ship
In IT, II the vessels are OF the same size and can
manoeuvrc together. and have the same offensive
ard defensive power. you have a lighting feet and
hat T9St II Santgd We have not reached the
The Secretary added that 1t was his opinion that
bedrock prices in the matter of naval construction
hal been reached. and that the present Is good
go s n "pe Of the nnmber of
shpbuding firms In the country which could now
c1nstrur; large and small vessels and said that
when the Indiana and her class were provided for
by Congress there were only two firms In the
S go %"fn an '0V WoE 1a Of sam Ere No%
there are the Newport News Company. the Bath
Iron Works. Dialogue & Son. Louis Nixon, the
Columbia Company. OF Baltimore. and Roach's old
Relative to dryaocks. Mr.. IIerber; informed the
committee that the country has completed at
Port ROYAL anl another near.y completed at New
York. which VIII accommodate the largest vessels
OF the Navy. The dock at Norfolk and the COM
pleted ono At New-York viii take in all ships ex-
constructed at Puget Sound into which the bissesf
bitile-s1ip can safely 80.
LIBERAL APPROPRIATIONS JUSTIFIED
Chairman Routele called Mr.. Herbert's attention
to the fact that the President IN his annual
saEc counseliod Congress to consider the depleted
condition OF the Treasury before increasing naval
supplies lie asked the Secretary TO state his views
to how fif the conditions OF the revenues had I'M
prove! IN REGARD to justifying considerable
thorzauon 0, now shlTd at this session OF Congress
sad the Secretary:
There seems o. be reason TO be drawn from
the cor ltou and prospects OF the Treasury against
II liberal appropriation for new vessels. The Secre-
iary q! the Treasury estimated IN his last annual
report that there would be deict OF about $1,000
I 40 az the end Of the fiscal year. He thinks
the deficit VII be less than he then estimated He
alsp estimated the basis OF existing laws the
revenues OF is9i. HIS conclusion was that there
would be surplus for next year OF something over
/ Ettp"p. outside OF this revenue to in the
81 binary way. which tho Treasury Department has
estimated a. more than sufficient TO the ex-
/ lcndtures Their" will be In the Treasury on July
| J next. excluding 100000 which the Government
attempts always to hold for redemption purposes
fi51oV'o" over and above the amount required for
inaiurei OBLIGATIONS. Therefore, In my opinion, the
condition OF the Treasury justihes liberal an APP
proprluon for new ships as have asked for"