The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-28

Washington, ID. c.. March 27-Ncws
OF the successful docking OF the Indiana
at Port Royal to-day was keen re-
lief to the naval administration, which
had been so scnndalizcd for the past
ten uayS over the spectacle of the finest
ship in the navy lying heplcssly at the
mouth of new dock unable to get to
sea in an emergency and TO all practical
purposes worthless for naval uses How
serious the affair really was has been
carefully concealed during the pendcncy
of the naval bill in Congress- which
makes appropriations for four addition
nj vessels Of the battlcship type, but
now that the danger has been luckily
aNcrted. the facts are apt 10 gradually
come to the surface
The only Official mention of the In
diana's cost is that made in the last
annual report of the Navy Department.
%'.o26,OrO, which was the contract price
Tor null and machinery. Ter armor
cost about Sl,Ho0, 900: her guns onc-third
"t that amount, ANA the total cXpendi-
turc OF the Government in making her
ready for sea WAS over S5,500,OOO. Her
maintenance in commission. neSlecting
all other expenses than pay OF officers
and men, ana coal burned is put at
something over $1,000 Il day. On this ac-
count alone from her arrival ut the
dock entrance at $50 Il. M, March l4th,
until this morning, the expense incurred
was $1,000. which was practically
thrown away.
There being no equipment of work
men and tools at the Port ROYAL sta
tion. they had to be furnished from
Norfolk. Va. Material for any needed
rcrairs to machinery, With the skilled
machinists had also To BE- dispatched
from some distant point and altogether
II is conscrvativcly estimated that the
present docking Of the big vessel is GO
n
docking our battleships Is a serious one
TOR consideration. The only dock on
the Pacific coast which a battlcship may
enter has been located at Port Orchard.
Puget Sound. and will lie opened If con
ditions are favorable, by the Monterey
in few days. No shop tools or work
men are nearer its site than Mare Is
land. IoU miles away. Not until the big
dock at Brooklyn is completed, posi-
bly, year hence. will il be possible to
repair and care for The big battleshlps
on the Eastern station.
Naval officers criiicisc the Port Rov-
nj dry dock. which they declare can
only be reached by Il tortuous channel.
having hard phosphate rock bottom
calculated to ruin Il heavy war vessel
which might touch it,
such channel with sand hottnIn
they declare. would not be so danyrrous
Grave doubts are also expressed at the
accuracy OF measurements as 10 the
docks entrance. The contract called
for depth over the entrance sill of
twcnty-siX feet at mean high water.
Suspicion has now been directed against
the fundamental marks and data upon
which the mean high tide was calcula-
ted. and doubt is expressed whether a
series of observations may not disclose
mean depth at high tide summer and
winter. of not over twenty-five feet.
All the hattlcshps. while having mean
designed draft of twcnty-four feet. have
an extreme draft astern of twenty five
feet with 400 tons of coal aboard, and
therefore could only get into the dock
only under exceptionally favorable cir
cumstanceS.