The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-27
THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
DRY DOCKS REQUIRED TO AocoM-
MODATE THE BATTLE sHIPs.

pedo boats ana Torpedo iioat Dcstroycrs.
WARRINGTON. Nov. 26.-In his report of the
yearly operations OF the Navy Department,
which has Just been submitted to the President,
Bscretary Long recommends that Congress at
she approaching session limit It's authorization
OF now warshlps to one battleship for the Poetic
coast and a few torpedo boats and torpedo boat
destroyers. He indicates cmphaticnlly his be-
lief that the money appropriated to increase the
navy should be used at tho present time In pso-
viding docking facilities. "Thc necessity Is
imperative,' he says, after pointing out that
the docks now in service are inadequate, and
that 1t was necessary to send the battlcship In
diana to Halifax. Nova Scotia. last summer, thus
compelling the United States to resort to n for
otgn Government to furnish docking facilities
20 an American man.of.war.
An increase OF docking facilities is the most
urgent need OF the naval service, he says. OF
the three docks built to accommodate battle
ships of the first class-one each at New York,
Port Royal. S. c., and Bremerton. wash.-the
dock at New York has been for six months,
and Ia likely for three months more to be. un.
d~ergoing repairs, and at Port Royal there is
not only an insufiiciency OF water, but tho
cross.section OF the dock Is too small to safely
admit battleships with bilee keels affixed. As
Tor tho Bremcrton dock, it Ia 900 miles from
Ban Francisco, and access to 1t Is through q mar
row channel twenty miles long. lone side OF
which is In possession OF a foreign country"
The Secretary recommends that tho plan for
the location Of additional Government docks
recommended by the special board appointed in
August last should DO substantially carried out.
"when completed" he says, "it will give the
necessary facilities demanded by the extern
sive coast line OF our country" He sketches
briefly the seven strategic divisions of
the coast OF tho United States, each of
which, he says, should have docks and
repair shops. These" the Secretary adds.
"should be placed, as far as possible, at great
commercial and industrial centres, not only be-
cause workmen and material can be obtained
moro readily and moro reasonably at such
points, but also because such points require and
will have, from their Importance to the country,
a strong land defence; and, as the docks also re-
quire u strong defence, one set OF notifications
will cover both civil and military property. In
the great commercial centres also, from which
ply large trans-ocean Gamer the Government
will DO able to derive some revenue from accom-
modating them in Its docks"
Consideration OF the two reports submitted by
the special board decided the Secretary to rec
ommend that action be taken by initial appro.
priations-at a total ultimate cost for the several
improvements recommended less than that OF
one additional lrst-class battleship, which he
49, AsaiANN NAui
docks-to start at once the works proposed by
the board. The plan which Secretary Long de-
eires Congress to authorize and provide for is
set forth as follows:
fecommended by the board, adopted to the dock
Ing Of the largest ocean-going vessels.
the enumerated requisites the board does not in.
Giuds t3rtsmonth, n. IL. IN is list OF recon-
AL, except u WORKOUT floating wooden dock
built in 1851. so far worthless that its lifting
capacity is reported to be only 1900 tons, a
dock should be built there commensurate with
the use of the yard. II there 10 a navy yard.
THAT at New York, MS soon as timber dock
NO. D, which Is now under repair. is ready for
use, probably some time in March next. so that
timber dock No. . can be spared, the latter,
which Is now deterioratihg, DO fitted with u
accommodate our largest batt.eships.
That the present timber dock at, League
Island. COMPLETED only six years ago, which is OF
sufficient length 900 fcet), but too narrow for
naval vessels of the largcst size, be widened and
provided with a concrete entrance, SO as to meet
THAT at Norfolk the short dock be heightened
i50 feet as recommended by the board, which
will enable it TO accommodate all except the
very largest ships. In the near future, unless
the suggestion below of the Newport News Ship
Building and Dry Dock Company be adopted,
the long dock there should also be widened and
lifted with u concrete entrance, in which case 1t
will be large enough for our largest ships,
THAT at Port Royal, as recommended by the
BOARD, q proper wharf be constructed adjoining
THAT at Algicrs. New Orleans, a steel floating
dock, with necessary wharf and mornings, be
THAT at Mare Island the new frst-class dock
recommended by the board be provided as soon
as the depth of water. which is now only twenty
feet, shall be increased. as it ought to be, to the
Tin this connection 1t should be sald that at
Newport News are all the requisites for a dock
9 1.-THE largest size. There is no lack g of water, as
in the approaches 10 Norfolk. The Newport
News ship Building and Dry Dock Company
dock Of the very largest capacity. and to be gov
erned by the department as to it's construction.
work at once and completing 1t In a year, pro-
ytded ~ can be assured of some agreement for
Also tho international Dry Dock and Con-
otructi9n, Company OF New fork-and it 10
claimed that the nature Of the soil at the navy
tenance OF a dock for vessels OF great weight
propose to construct and also maintain "a steel
by the board, $50 feet long, Of over $4,000 tons
capacity. costing, they estimate, a million and a
Tor service in nine months. il Insured by the
S0Uernment 9 per cent: interest on the
this remuneration they propose. in addition. to
allow the use OF the dock for 100days each year,
S 9es. az their ne own expense to dock and Discharge
Their propose. includes the free use and posses.
aion OF the dock by the United States for 100
failing that, to be fixed BY arbitration.
~ ptopooitlOHb VI tutbC w CuluHdIllco u
submitted for consideration. as they offer the
government an opportunity to enter upon the
plan OF constructing docks in cooperation with
private establishments, IL Congress- shall deem
such a course desirable. II is possible that the
same thing can be done at San Francisco. where
the low water at Mare Island is q present en-
barrassment in the way of constructing at the
hayy yard there a dock of sufficient size for ouI
policy which Secretary Long has adopted
IN regard TO the naval service Is explained nj
isnglh under, the caption Increase of the
navy He gives his rensons for believing thai
aaditionni docking facilities are more desirable
Lhan additional vessels at the present time, and
does not neglect to refer to the declaration OF
the st; Louis platform in favor of a powerful
Hitherto for more than a decade the increase
OF the navy has very properly been in the line
o1new ships, and wisely so, rs this has hith
Srto been the vital need. In The opinion OF the
department, the time has now come when thai
increase should be on adjunctory lines in order
70 bring our naval facilities up TO tho same line
OF advance. As heretofore indicated, the prir
cipai need to-day Is that of sufficient docks, OF
which there is a deplorable lack; of a~dequat,
supplies OF the munitions OF war, which should
never be at the hand-to-mouth stage; of al