Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-07


The work OF the navy department
and it's present condition are iully
exhibited In the report Of the secretary.
The construction OF vessels for our
new navy has been energeticalIy
prosecuted by the present adminietrs-
lion upon the general lines previously
adopted, the department having seen
no necessity for radical changes 10
prior methods under which the work
was found 10 be progress in manner
highly satisfactory. IL has been lie.
clded, however, to provide In every
sbipbuilding contract that the builder
should pay all trial expeuses anu 1t
has also been determined TO pay no
speed premiums In future contracts.
The premiums recently earned AMI
some yet to be decided are features OF
the contracts made before this con-
clusion was reached.
On March 4IlS93, there were In com.
mission but iva armored vessels, the
double turretsd Miantopomsh and
Monterey. Since that date OF vessels
heretofore auth ,rized tbereibave been
placed In their INST commission three
hrst-olass and two second-class battle
shlpB, two armOred cruisers, one hatbor
defense ram and i've dGuble-turretted
monitors, Including the Maine and the
Puritan Just completed. Eight new un-
nfmored ciuissrs and two new gun
boats have also been commissioned.
The Iowa, another bat leship, will be
completed about March /, and at least
four more gunboats will be ready for
tes In the early spring. 1t 10 gratifying
TO state that our ahips and their outfits
are believed to be equal to the best
thatscAn DO mapuin ctured elsewhere,
anu that such notable reductions have
been made IN their cost as to justify the
state ment that quite a number of
vessels are inow being con-
structed at rates az low as those
that prevail In European ship yards.
Our manufacturing facilities are at
this time ample for all possible naval
contingencies. Three OF our govern
ment navy yards, those at Mare Island.
California, Norfolk, Va, and Brook
Ign, are equipped for shipbuilding; our
ordna nee plant at Washington Is equal
to any In the world; aud at the torpedo
station we are successfuliy making the
highest graues OF smokeless powder.
Three frat class private ship-ynrds at
Newport NewR, Philadelphia, and San
Francisco, are building battle ships;
eleven contractors, situatrd In the states
New Jersey, MaIylanU, Virginia anu
the state OF Washington are construct
Ing guuboats or torpedo boats. Two
plants are manufacturing large guam
lities OF frat class armor, anu Ameri.
can factories nre producing automobile
torred0 and powder, pro1ectiles, rapid.
fire guns anu everything else neces.
sary for the complete outfit OF naval
vessels.
There have been authorized by Con.
Rress since March, 1898, bve battle
ships, ak light draft gun boats, six.
teen torpedo boats aud the submarine
| torpouo boat. Contracts for the build
| ing OF all of them have been let. Tht
| secretary expresses the opinion that
| we have for the present n sufficient
supply OF cruisers anu gunboaIs, anc
that hereafter the construction VI BATH,
ships and torpedo boats will supply oul
needs.
| Much attention has been given t.
the methods OF carrying on depart
mental business. Important modifica
tions In the regulations have beef
made, tending to uni y the control Of
ebip building as far ss may DO upde
the bureau OF construction and repsi
and also to improve the mode Of pur
chasing supplies for the navy by TIT
bureau Of supplies and accounts. Thu
establishment under recent acts o
Congress OF supply fund, with whiot
to purchase these supplies In larg'
quantities, and other notifications o
me-, b ode, nave tended materially TO
their ch.apening and better quality.
The War College has devslopei int
an Institution which 1t 10 believed
will be OF great value to the navy In
teaching the science OF war as we'll Al
In stimulating professional zsal In tn
navy; and 1t viii be especially usetu
In the devising OF plane for the utilizs
tiop, In case OF necessity, OF all tn,
naval iebC utcss Of the United States
The secretary has persistently adhere
to the plan he found in operation 70
securing labor at the navy yards
through boards OF labor employ mem
and has done much to max
1t more complete ana efficient
The naval tffi GERS who are familiar
with this system and Its operation ex'
press the decided opinion that its re
suits have been to vastly improve tn
character OF the work done at on
| yarue anu greatly reduce Its cosl
Discipline among officers and men o
the navy has been maintained to
nigh standard and the percentage Q
, American citizens enlisted has bee
very much increased. The secretar
Is considering, ana will formulst
| during the coming winter. plan 70
aging up ships In reserve, tnereb.
LARGELY reduc W the cost vi maintain
Ing our vessels pfi oRl. This plan contem
} plates that battIe ships, torpedo boat
. and such OF tue cruisers rs are nc
needel Tor Give service at SEA sha
. DO kept in reserve with skeleton crew
I on board 70 keep them la condition
cIul,ing only enough to insure th
! ,flic ercy OF the ships anu their crew
. iu time OF activity. The economy
e result from this system is too obviou
4 to need comment.
d The naval militia which was 81
J, thonzed few years ago ss an exper
u ment mas low developed into bod
Q OF entetprlslug young men, active an
It energetic in the discharge OF the
u duties and promising great useiuines
10 This establishment has nearly the san
10 relations to our navy rs the nationl
A. guard In the different states bears