The morning times., 1896-10-29
ALABAMA AFL0AT AGAIN
One of the New Battleships
Given That Nuted Name.
NEW VESSELS CHRIsTENED
Illinois and wisconsin Also HOnOred
With Big Namesakes-Six Cum
boats Are Supplied With Names.
Annual Report Of tie Naval
Bureau of CONSTRUCTION Submitted.

Secretary Herbert yesterday announced
that the unnamed ships now under COLI
struction will he named as follows: Bat
'leships Alabama, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Gunboa,s Annapolis, Marietta, Newport,
Princeton, vicksburg and Wheeling.
The Alabama is the name given to the
vessel heretofore designated as battleship
No. 8, building at the Cramps, Phiia-
delphia. II is a curious coincidence taat
290, which is the sane as that used for
The rebel cruiser Alabama when she was
under construction in England.
1he other newly naIneu vessels are dis
tributcd as follows: No. Z, at Newport
News, Va, the Illinois; No. 8, at Union
Iron WORKS, San Francisco the Wisconsin
The gunb1ats are No. 10, at Nixon's Eliza
beihport, n. j., the Annapolis; No. IL, at
Bath, Ne, the Vicksburg; No. 12, at the
Saline place. the Newport; No. l3, at Dia
logue's, Camden, N. j.; the Princeton; No.
II, at Union Iron Works, San Francisco
the Marietta. and No. 10, at the same
place. the Wheeling.
lie AIaban!', Is aiightly more formidable
than the Kearsarge, building at Newport
News, and is named for Secretary Herhert'S
adopted State. II is Eencved the sclee ton
WIS made by tie President In Compliment
I" the secretary just as President Har-
risen WIS understood to have named the
Brooklyn for Secretary Tracy's adopted
city.
NAMES OF GUNBOATS.
TIE Suntoat Marietta is raped for the
Ohio toT'n of that name and not for any
otter Marietta. The Wheeling is for the
West Virginia city, the Princeton and Wick $
burg FOR battles OF those names and the
a lii. nd No, f,,r
tons III Maryland and Rhode Island.
Chief Constructor Hichborn's annual
report shows "A total OF 10 vessels in
the Navy, or which thirty are armored,
Including Eight battlcships, two cruisers,
one ram. six double turrc;ed monitors. all
or which are In active service prepared
for offensive or defensive operations, and
thirteen single turrct monitors, which
might be utilized in the hart ors in which
they now lie. Three other armored bat
tlesDips are ROW under construction.
There are twenty-five new steel cruisers
also III commission, in addition 10 the
three special class vessels OF the new
Navy-the Bancroft, Dolphin and Vesu-
vius. These are unarmorcd. as are the
sixteen iron and wooden cruisers aud
six wooden sailing vessels still carried
on the lists. Three torpedo boats are
III use and fifteen under contract.
The other vessels building are six
gunboats, che submarine boat, and fif-
teen torpedo boats. Twelve tugs are
also included IN the Naval force. and
fifteen old ships unfit for sea which.
however, are utilized for various pur-
poses, such training vessels, Naval
reserve rendezvous and receiving ships.
MONEY FOR NEXT YEAR.
In compliance with law for the increase
of the Navy. Enginecr-n-Chicf Melville
ana the chief constructor unite IN a
statement that S5,925,359 must tie ap-
piopriated for 1893, which with SS,2s1,-
5O2, the balance in the Treasury, is re-
quireG for existing contracts.
The only new vessels which Congress is
asked 10 authorize are two composite sail
ing vessels OF 100 tons, costing S5uu 900
as practice cruisers for the Naval \ cademy
to take the place OF the Bancroft, but these
do not conflict with the recommendation
for three additional battleships, which
Secretary Herbert is confidently expected
Ia make III his annual report
During the fiscal year nine vessels, the
Indiana, Massachusetts. Oregon, Maine,
Texas, Terror, MOnadnock, Katalidin and
Ericsson, were added TO the effective force
of the navy, and during tie current year
the Brooklyn, Iowa, Nashville, Wilmington,
Helena, Puritan, SIX gunboats. seven tor
pedo boats and one tug are to be added
Constructor HichbOrn Cecla red that the
naval stations and DOCKS at POrt Royal.
S. c., and Port orchard, Wash. cannot
be, properly utilized without the erection
of shops, for which he urges authority
RESERVE SUPPLY SYSTEM.
The major part OF the report is devoted
to exposing the sior:s 1llingsor the reserve
supply syssem, whicJ renters IL exlcnSisc
ana tedious 10 repair vessels. Practice
has shown the frequent necessity OF open
market requisition for this WORK ana : rang
arGum ments are presented for an increase in
the supply funu 10 1,50o,o 200. The idv,s-
bili'y OF sheathing the bottoms of cruising
vessels is reiterated as well as former
Recommendations Tor building adGitiOnaldry- Il
docks. To keep the ships in !, high state
of efficiency.
During the past year the bureau pre-
pared plans for converting several classes
Of ships, which are enterel in the Naval
reserve list, into effective auxiliary
cruisers. These include the Oswego and
Hudson classes on the Great Lakes, and the
Ell Sol AMI Ell Dorado classes of ocean going
vessels. 1t is Row PROPOSED to prepare the
outfits and keep them ready for immediate