The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-08
hospitality and indicative of our apprc-
citation of the event.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.

its present condition are fully exhibited
In the report of the Secretary.
The construction of vessels for our
new navy has been c1ergetically prose-
cutsd by the present administration
upan the general lines previously
adopted, the department having seen
no necessity for radical changes In prior
me. hods under which the work was
found 20 be progressing In a manner
highly satisfactory. 1t has been decided.
however, to provide in every shlpbu!ld-
Ing contract that the builder should pay
/ al trial expense, ana II has also been
determined TO pay no speed premiums IN
future contracts. The premiums recent
ly earned and some yet 20 be decided,
are features of the contracts made be-
| fore this conclusion was reached.
On march 4th 1893. there were in COM
mi:siCn but two armored vessels. the
double III. retod monitors Mianton0n'oh
and Monterey. Since that date of yes
sells heretofore lu horized. there have
been placed in their first commtss on
three first class and two second class
battlcshrs, tND armored cruisers. one
harbo. defense ram. and five ublc tur
reted monitors. including the Maine and
the Puritan. just completed Eight new
unaimored cru! crs and ;wo new gum
boats have also been commissioned. The
Iowa, ano, her ba:tieship. VIII he COM
ple;cd about March 1st, and at least four
more Runboa;s VIII be ready for sea In
the ga ly spring.
1t Is gratifying to state that our ships
and their outfits are believed 10 be equal
10 the best that can be manufactured
elsewhere and that such notable reduc-
tons have been made in their cost as TO
justify the statement that quite num-
Der Of vessels are now blng construct
ed at ra.cs as low as ;hose that prevail
in European sh!pya:ds. our manufac-
turing facilities are at this time ample
for all possible naval contingencies.
Three of our government navyyards-
those at Mare Island. Cal, Norfolk, Va,
and Brooklyn, n. y. are equipped for
shipbu!ldirg: our ordnance plant in
Washington is equal TO any in the world,
and at the torpedo station we are sue
cessfuliy making the highest grades of
smokele;s powder. Three iirst-class pri-
vate shipyardS-at Newport News, Phil
adelphia. and San FranclscO--arc build
ing bat,le:h hips; eleven contractors, stu
ated in the STATES of Maine. Rhode Is
land, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mary
land, Virginia and the State of Wash
ing;on. are constructing gunboats or
torpedo boats; two plants are manuflc-
turing large quantities of first class ar
NOR, and American fac .or!e: are pro-
duc.ng au. omohlle torpedoes, powder
projecti'es, rapid-lire guns, and every
thing else necessary fcr the complete
outfit of naval vessels. There have been
authorized by Congress since March,
| 1899, five bat,lesh.ps SIX light draft gun
| boats. sixteen torpedo boats, and one
| submarine torpedo boat. Contracts for
| the building of all of them have been let
| The Secretary expresses the opinion
that we have for the pre- cnt sufficient
| supply OF cruiser: ana Gunboats, and
| that hereafter the construction Of bate
ships and torpedo boats will supply our
! needs.
Much attention has been given to the
| mn !, Oi Of Iar 80 .l
business. Important notifications III
| the regulations have been made. tend
| ing to unity the control of shlp-b building
| a far as may be under the Bureau OF
Construction and Repair and also 10
| improve the u,ode of purchasing supplies
| for The navy by the Bureau of Supplies
| ID Assounts. The est bill hment, under
ecent acts of Congress OF a supply fund
! with which II purchase these supplies
! in large quantities. and ether mod!iica-
| tons of me,hnGS, have tcnd5d ma .erially
| to their cheapening and better quality.
| The war cOllece has developed into an
| Institution which II Is believed VIII be of
! great va,uc to the navy. IN teaching the
| science Of war, IS we'll as stimula ting
professional zeal in the navy and it will
| be especially useful in the devsng of
| plans for the utilization in case of ne
cess!ty Of all the naval resources of the
| Unl.ed States. The See etary has per
| sisten.ly adhered to the plan he found
| in operation for securing labor at navy
| yards through boards Of labor employ
| ment, and has done much 10 make 1t
more complete and efficient The nav a.
| officers who a!e familiar with this sys-
TEN and is operation express he de-
| cided opinion that lis result; have been
| 70 vastly improve the character of the
work done al our yards and greatly re-
| ducc its cost.
| Discipline among the officers and men
| OF the navy has been MAIN aimed 10 n
high standard. and the pc. centage of
| American citizens enlisted has been
very much increased.
| The Secretary IS considering and will
| formulate during the coming winter a
| plln for laying up ships in reserve
| thereby largely reducing the cost of
| maintaining our vessels afloat Thi:
! plan con:empla;es that ba;tleships, tor
| pedo boats, and such Of the cruisers a
! are not needed for active service at sea
| shall be kept IN reserve, with skeleton
crews on board 20 keep them in condi-
| ton, cruising only enough to ensure
| the efficiency of the ships and their
crews in time OF activity. The economy
| TO result from this system Is too obvious
| 10 need comment.
THE NAVAL MILITIA.
| The naval militia which was au:horiz-
| ed few Years ago as an experiment.
| has now developed into n body of en-
| terprising young men. active and ener-
| gctic in the iii charge OF their duties and
promising great usefulness. This esiab-
| llshment has nearly the same relation TO
! our navy as the national guard in the
| d;ffe;en States bears 20 our army: and
4 NJ 1-n.y - fn n,t,-