Evening star., 1896-10-23
N AVAIL EQUIP ENT
Annual Report Of Captain Chadwick, Chief
of the Bureau.
Endeav OrinE to Utilize American Coal
Repairs to the Naval Observa-
tory Building.


retary of the Navy says that all the regu-
lar appropriate tions for the past year were
sufficient except that for contingent equip
ment and for the naval observatory build
ings The former will show a deficiency,
owing principally to the largely increased
expenditures on account of the transpor-
tation Of freight on equipment articles
from yard to yard and to ships on foreign
stations out of the naval supply stock,
and to the increased expenditure of funds
on account of the greater quantity Of ashes
to be removed because of the increased
number and size of ships in commission.
The latter was increased during the last
session of Congress to s12. 800. within which
sum contract has been made for the
buildings and work begun.
During the year the mess outfits have
been extended to the enlisted men with
very satisfactory results.
Homing pigeon stations have been estaD-
lished at Newport. r. l.; New York. Nor
folk, Va: Key West. Fla, and Mare Is
land, Cal, and preparations made for
station at Portsmouth, N. H. Can't Chad
short to do much actual work. but the
whole is on a very satisfactory basis for
future use
Sums Expended.
The sum of $345. 729 was expended at the
several navy yards in equipment.
There was expended abroad for equip
ment supplies the sum of $491 366. OF this
amount s423,3 1886 were expended for I'll, ,741
tons of coal, an average of $6S5 per ton
A total of 116,9O3 tons of COAL costing
$500. 49, was purchased during this year
as against So tons. costing s51S, ,74S, dur
ing the fsca! year 1895: 81, ,741 tons were
purchased abroad in 1896. as against a 1856
tons in 1895. at an average decreased cost
per ton in 1896 of Is cents.
The average cost of all coal in 1886 was
$o.3O+, against 1886 in 1895.
There were purchased at home % 162 tons
of coal. costing s196, ,795. an average of
1857: of which quantity 1851 tons were
purchased on the Atlantic coast at an
average cost of $3.50 per ton, and ,641 tons
CT the Pacific coast, at an average cost of
N.01. decrease in average cost on the At
lantic coast in 1896 over that of 1895 Of %
cents and an increase of q cents on the
Pacific coast.
OF total of $3.50 tons of coal used by
the new ships of the navy, 1921 TONS or
45 per cent was for steaming purposes. and
o0,3S6 tons, or 90 per cent, was for auxiliary
purposes. under which latter head are in
cluded electric lighting, distilling heating,
hushing water closets, cooking. ventilation
and steam cutter service. This percentage
Is 81 less for steaming and S.4 more for
auxiliary purposes than in the previous
year.
Utilizing American Coal,
Capt Chadwick says that the bureau, in
endeavoring to utilize American coal as
much as possible has made a trial Of plac-
ing {. cargo of Pocohontas coal at Honolulu
This has been done at a rate which allows
1t to compete successfully with the Domin-
ion OF Canada coal or that from Australia
1t is of first Importance, he says that we
should use good coal, particularly on the
more distant stations and al ports where
coaling points are distant. The reasons are
OhVi0nS fha,, hot
greater steaming radius, and a thus practi-
Cally greater bunker capacity; a greater
efficiency in motive power, less damage to
boilers and less labor on the part of fire.
men and coal passers.
The Naval observatory.
In an accompanying report Commodore
r. L. Phythian. superintendent of the
naval observatory, says in regard to build
irgs and grounds:
Provision has been made for the erection
OF two houses for observers. 1t is believed
that these will be completed and ready for
occupancy by January 1, 1897.
Congress at its last session appropriated
s1,sOO for repairs to the main building, the
necessity of which was set forth in nv
last report. These repairs will be made
with all prao ticable dispatch consistent
with proper protection to the building while
the work is being done.
Ihe progress In grading and improving
the grounds and roads has been sa;isfac-
tory, and the results are beginning to be
manifest in the appearance of the sur
rcrndngs of the observatory.
Referring to Prof Harkness' remarks
upon the defective construction of the
equatorial building from which results inn
perfect seeing with the twenty-six-inch
equatorial during very cold weather. the
defects are remediable, in part at least
and steps are now being taken to apply
such remedies as are practicable.
These remedies will consist in walling
UP the opening between the basement Of
the dome and Of the offices, and of fitting
double doors to all lines Of communication
on the main floor between the dome and
the office building"