The evening times., 1897-07-01

Beginning with today the Navy Depart
ment will have at its disposal the appro-
priation for the fiscal year ending June
50, SOS, and departmental, construction
and all other work will now be hurried
along as rapidly as Will be consistent. In
the matter of construction, the most i'm
portant item in the appropriation, she de-
partment now has under way the five
battleships, Kearsarge, Kentucky: Illinois,
Alabama and Wisconsin. The first three
are being built at Newport News, the Ala
bama at CTamp x Sons, aad the Wisconsin
by the Union lion Works at san Fran
cisco.
There are nine gunboats TO be com
pletea, five of which viii be in commission
before September 1 f, and the others PROD
ably next spring Tie department Is also
building fifteen torpedo boats, one OF
which, the Foote, is practically ready tor
commission. but il viii be several months
before all of them are completed There
is also being constructed by the Columbia
Iron Works at Baltimore submarine tor-
pedo boat, which will be completed during
the year.
The Department will also begin the con-
struction OF three new torpedo boats, TO
have a speed of not less than thirty knots
an Hour and to cost in all not more than
$500, 600 new training ship for the
Naval A cademy, to ocostnotmorethanS S250,-
coo, win also be built; the old frigate, Con-
stitution, viii be repaired at a cost OF
SO, 900; the repairs to the Hartford and the
Chicago viii be completed at a cost, re-
spectively, of $4,000 and $4,000
A steam tug for the naval station at
Port Royal and another for the station at
Puget Sound will be built, each TO cost
not more than $50, 900: steam lighter for
service at the New York navy yard, TO
cost $4,000; and the completion of he
model tank at the Washington navy yard,
at a cost of So, 800, are among the things
to bc accomplished during the fiscal year
The Navy Department has now imine-
diately available, S7,220,79G, for the pnr-
chase OF armor for the battleships now
under construction The contracts for this
armor will probably be awarded 1t S425
per ton Bids viii be advertised for at IN
early date
The bureau of navigation win eXpend
SIS, 900 in target practice, use $4,000
recruiting for the navy. he Navy is short
OF inen and every effort to obtain a full
quota viii be made
In addition to the customary ordnance
supplies, a modern battery for the Hart
ford VIII be purchased at cost OF not
more tnan 81 so, 600, and a reserve sup
ply of ammunition will be provided at a
cost OF $500 GOO Reserve guns for aux
Hilary practice viii also be purchased by
the Secretary Of the Navy at cost Of
$3.50. 900. The department. VIII take good
care Of the naval militia, and to encourage
it viii expend $4,000
The bureau OF equipment will spend
Sl,45s,117 in supplies for the department
during the year, and 5000 copies of the
book, Flags of Maritime Nations VIII
be ordered printed by the Secretary Of the
Navy. New swinging gates Will be built
for the Boston dry dock and Wollahout
channel at Brooklyn is to be dredged New
coping win be placed on the dry dock al
League Island, and 100000 VIII be ex-
pended in dredging the fresh-water basin
there for the laying-up OF vessels out of
commission.
The water in front of the sea wall at the
Washington navy yard viii be dredged
and q new scale house viii he built. The
quay wall at Mare Island will be ex-
| tended at cost Of $50, 600.