The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-07
WoRK "a lie NV.
It Has Been Determined to Pay No
Speed Premiums


Speed Premiums
The work of the navy department and
it's present conditions are fully exhibit
ted in the report of the secretary Ihe
construction 0f vessels for our new
navy has been energetlcauy prosecuted
by the present administration upon tine
general lines previously aQOpfsd- ll1
Department having seen no necessity FOR
radical changes in prior methods under
which the work was found to be pro-
crossing in a manner highly satsIae-
tory. 1t has been decided however, 10
provide in every ship building contract
that the builder should pay all trial eN-
pcnses and it has also been determined
to pay no speed premiums IN future
contracts The premiums recently
earned and some yet to be decided are
features OF the contracts made before
this conclusion was reached
on March T. 1898, there were in COM
mission but two armOred vessels. the
double turreted monitors Miantonomoh
and Monterey. Since that date, of yes
sells heretofore authorized, there have
been placed in their first commission
three first-class and two secOnd-class
battleships, Two armored cruisers, one
harbor defense rams and 8 double tur-
reted monitors, including the Maine and
the Puritan just completed
Eight new unarmOred cruisers ana
two new gunbOats have also been COM
missioned The Iowa, another battle
ship win be completed about March /,
and at least four more gunDOats viii be
gratifying to state that our ships and
their outfits are believed to be equal TO
the best that can be manufactured else
where. and that such notable reductions
have been made in their cost. as to JUS
tify the statement that quite number
of vessels are now constructed at rates
as low as those that prevail in Eur
Opean ship yards
MANUFACTURE OF NAVAL ORD
NANCE.
Our manufacturing facilities are at
ali ~
CONTINGENCIES Three of our govern
ment navy yards those at Mare Island.
California, Norfolk Virginia and Brook
Ign. New York, are equipped for ship
building our ordnance plant in Wash
ingtOn is equal to any in the world and
at the torpedo station we are success
fully making the highest grades OF
SmOkeleSS powder Ihree nrsI-ciass pil-
VaUe ship yards at Newport News, Phl-
adelphia and San Francisco, are build
ing battle ships, eleven contracts situ-
ated in the states of Maine. Rhode Is
land, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mary
land Virginia and the state OF WASH
ingtOn are constructing BunDoats OF
torpedo boats. Two plants are manu-
faofnrine- large quantities of drst-class
arrnoi and American factories are pro-
ducing automobile tOrpedOes powder.
projectiles. rapid fire guns and every
thing else necessary Tor the complete
outfit of naval vessels
There have been authorized by con-
gress since March, 1896, five battle ships
six light draft gun boats. sixteen torpe-
40 boats and one submarine torpedo
boat Contracts for the building of all
Of them have been let. The secretary
EXPRESSED the opinion that we have for
the present q sufficient supply of cruisers
and gun boats and that hereafter the
construction of battleship and torpedo
boats viii supply our needs.
Much attention has been given to the
methods Of carrying on departmental
business. Important notifications in
the regulations have been made tending
If afrf Irlf
fast as may be under the bureau OF
contraction and repair, and also to i'm
prove the mode of purchasing supplies
for the navy by the bureau of supplies
and accounts The establishment un-
der recent acts Of congress of supply
fund with which to purchase the sun
plies in large quantities and other mod
ificatiOns Of methods, have tended ma