The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-11-26
REPORT OF COMMODORE MEL
VILE, CHIEF ENGINEER OF
THE NAVY.
NARSH|PS IRE IN GOOD CONDITION
Generally Speaking-Evidence That Val
liable Engineers Are Being Over
worked-Annual Report of the
Agent of the Treausry.

Washington, Nov. 19.-The report of
Commodore Melville, chief engineer of
the navy, was made public today and
gives q detailed statement of the condl-
ton of all warships so far as their ma
chinery and mechanical apparatus are
concerned. AS whole, it shows that
all the modern ships are in good condl-
ton except in a few minor instances, in
which the machinery is being overhauled.
The old-time ships are as usual reported
as antiquated, but most of them are said
to be serviceable, considering their age.
The report says that during the year the
bureau has prepared plans and specitica-
tons for the machinery of battleships
numbering ), 6, I, s and for the Hart
ford and for tug No. 5, for the League
Island navy yard and plans for the ma
chinery of the 20-knot and 22-knot tor
pedo boats and for the Encouragement
of the machinery of the Atlanta, due TO
the fitting of new boilers in that vessel.
Work at the New York navy yard on
the new machinery for the Chicago is
progressing as rapidly as the apprOpria-
ton for that purpose will permit. The
completion of the boilers has been de-
layed owing to failure to obtain the nickel
steel plates originally ordered and to
further delays consequent on the failure
of the manufacturers to deliver within
reasonable time enough shell plates of
,,inl -nl ctn Of SntI Fn nj nrN HpISh IN
complete one of the cylindrical boilers.
The department having decided that
entirely new machinery should not be
built for the Atlanta, the bureau has
prepared a plan for fitting her with new
boilers and other alterations in her pres
ent engines, which will probably make
her more economical cruiser; but as
the engines of this vessel are not of any
thing like modern design, the process of
patching will probably prove an expen-
sive one in the end, as the changes con-
templated are only such as will be nee
iessary to make the engines suit the boil
ers and render her engine room more ac-
cessible.
The bureau has expended S6I5,096 dur
ing the past year.
The New York navy yard has done the
largest quota of work, the expense of
vessels being S346,927 and the yard ex-
penses $130,537. The Norfolk navy yard
discussed S122,320 on vessels and S49,-
AL on the yard. The Boston navy yard
spent $602 on vessels and S1O,O15 on the
yard. The Mare Island, Cal, yard dis
bursed $123,362 on vessels and SS3,4ol
on the yard.
Commodore Melville points out in clos
ing that large number of valuable en-
gineers have been retiring during the
year for physical disability. owing to the
strain in this branch of work and an in
crease of the force is urgently recon-
mended. He says: THE personal ele-
ment is one which must enter largely
into the result of any naval engagement
and if we had the swiftest navy. at1oat
it would be valueless to us i'll time OF
war if we had not sufficient number
of trained men to see that the machinery
of this fleet is in condition good enough
to keep going.
"The guns would be powerless without
the machinery and other things being
equal. That fleet will give the best ac-
count of itself which has the best equip
ment of trained men in the engine room,
as well as at the guns. To sacrifice the
one is merely inviting disaster to the
whole country