The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-08
NAVY DEPARTMENT.

!
The work Of the navy department and
| its present condition are fully exhibited
in the report of the secretary. The con-
struction of vessels for our new navy
has been energetically prosecuted by the
| present administration upon the general
! lines previously adopted, the department
| having seen no necessity for radical
changes in prior methods under which
| the work was found to be progressing in
| a manner highly satisfactory. 1t has
| been decided, however, to put into every
shipbuilding contract that the builder
| should pay all trial expenses and it has
also been determined to pay no speed
! premiums in future contracts Premiums
recently earned and some yet to be de-
cide1 are features of the contracts made
| before this conclusion was reached.
GROWTH OF THE NAVY.
On March 4, 1893, there were in COM
| mission but two armored vessels, the
| double-turreted monitors Miantonomah
| and Monterey. Since that date, OF YES
sells heretofore authorized, there have
been placed in commission three first
class and two second-class battleships,
two armored cruisers, one harbor-de-
fense ram, and five double-turreted
1
Puritan, just completed. Eight new un-
armored cruisers and two gunboats have
also been commissioned. The Iowa, an
other battleship, viii be completed about
March l. and at least four more gun
| boats Will be ready for sea in the early
| spring.
CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES.
1t is gratifying to state that our ships
and their outfits are believed to be equal
! TO the best that can be made elsewhere
and that such notable reductions have
| been made in their cost as to justify the
statement that quite a number of YES
seis are now being constructed at rates
as low as those that prevail in European
ship yards. Our manufacturing facili-
ties are at this time ample for all possi-
Bile naval contingencies. Three of our
government navy yards. those at Mare
Island, Cal, Norfolk, Va, and Brook
lyn, Y. Y, are equipped for Shipbuild-
ing, our ordnance plant in Washington
is equal TO any in the world and at the
torpedo station we are successfully MAX
ing the highest grades of smokeless
powder. Three first-class private ship
yards, at Newport News, Philadelphia
end San Francisco, are building battle
| ships. Eleven contractors, situated in
the states of Maine, Rhode Island. Penn
ginia and the state of Washington, are
constructing gunboats or torpedo boats.
Two plants are manufacturing large
quantities of first-class armor and Amer
ican factories are producing automobile
| torpedoes, powder, projectiles, rapid-fire
guns and everything else necessary for
the complete outfit of naval vessels.
BATTLECRAFT AUTHORIZED.
There have been authorized by con-
gress since March. 1896, five battleships.
six light-draft gunboats, 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 present
sufficient supply of cruisers and gun
boats and that hereafter the construc-
ton of battleships and torpedo boats viii
supply our needs.
DEPARTMENT METHODS.
Much attention has been given 10 the
methods of carrying on departmental
business. Important notifications in
the regulations have been made tending
to the control of shipbuilding. as fast as
may be, under the bureau of construc-
ton and repair and also TO improve the
mode of purchasing supplies for the
navy by the bureau Of supplies and ac-
counts. The establishment under re-
cent acts of congress of a supply fund
with which TO purchase the supplies in
large quantities, and other notifications
OF methods, have tended materially to
their cheapening and better quality.
The war college has developed into ths
institution which X is believed will be OF
great value 10 the navy in teaching the
science ot war as well as in stimulating
professional zeal in the navy. and il will
be especially useful in devising Of plans
for the utilization in cases Of necessity.
OF n; the naval resources OF the United
States
NAVY YARD LABORERS.
The secretary has persisteniy adhered
10 the plan he found in operation for Sc
curing labor at navy yards, through
boards of labor employment, and has
done much 70 make IL more complete
and efficient. The naval officers who are
familiar with this system and its opera
| ton express the decided opinion that its
results have been 10 vastly improve the
| character OF the work done at our yards
| and greatly reduce its cost
Discipline among the officers and men
of the navy has been maintained TO n
high standard. and the percentage OF
American citizens enlisted has been very
much increased.
LAYING UP SHIPS.
The secretary is considering and viii
| formulate during the coming winter
plan for laying-up ships. Thereby ,arge-
| IL reducing the cost Of maintaining our
vessels afioat. The plan contemplateS
| that bat;Ieships, torpedo boats and such
| of the cruisers as are not needed for ae-
| tive service at sea shall be kept inreseTve