The herald., 1898-10-14
THE NAVY OF AMERICA
WILL SOON RANK THIRD AMONG
THE POWERS
FIFTY-FIvE new VESSELS
Five Battleships Of Modern Type Sup
plemented by a Whole Fleet Of
Torpedo Craft
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, Oct. 49, Adispatch to the
Tribune from Washington says:
The remarkable rapidity with which the
naval power of the United States Is being
increased at the present time may be real
lied when 1t is stated that fifty-fve war
vessels are now under contract for the
government, and that their aggregate ton
mage far exceeds that of the vessels building
at any one time in the civil war. This vast
construction program, which has excited
more attention abroad than at home, has
been authorized gradually by Congress un-
til the vessels soon to be completed WIN
place the United States third in rank among
the sea powers. In addition to the enor-
nous feet, including auxiliaries, actually
In commission at the present time, twenty
vessels are In various stages of readiness
and the ship builders are hurriedly gather
ing the material for thirty-five others. OF
the fifty-five vessels eight are first-class
heavily armored sea-going battleships,
thirty-eight are torpedo boats, four are
monitors and one Is a powerful cruiser
Chief Constructor Hichborn has complet-
ed tabulated statement showing the de-
gree of completion of the twenty vessels
now ready for commission or rapidly ap-
preaching that condition, from which 1t
appears that seventeen Of these vessels
have already been launched and that the
others will be afioat before the end of this
year.
the Kentucky and the Illinois. building at
Newport News. Va, are respectively 6S,
66 and 65 per cent completed. The Ala
bama, at the Cramps yard, Philadelphia,
has advanced to 63 per cent and the Wis
consin, which Is to be launched at the
Union Iron Works at San Francisco next
month, is exactly half finished.
i. 49, l. 4. 4 L.
an at Seattle Is rated at 80 per cent and
will have her trial trip before the end Of
this week. The 3O-knot Farragut, the first
of the destroyers to be finished by the
government, has already been tried by the
Scots at San Francisco, and although re-
ally making her guaranteed speed. has had
the misfortune to sustain minor injuries
which may be easily remedied. The Dahl
gren and the Craven, 80 knots, building at
Bath. Me-, are listed at 80 and 81 per cent
complete, but will not be delivered to the
government before spring The 221a knots,
the Davis and the Fox, at Portland, Ore,
are practically ready for trial and the Da-
Wis may have her speed run next week. The
Mackenzie has just been completed by
Hillman & Co., Of Philadelphia, and her
trial has been ordered for the first of next
week. The status OF the remaining three
thirty-knot destroyers Is as follows:
The Stringham at Wilmington, DEL, 4S
per cent; the Goldsborough at Portland,
Ore, Is per cent, and the Bailey at the
works Of the Gas Engine and Power Com
pany of New York, 81 per cent. The sub
marine torpedo boat Plunger at Baltimore
is within Is per cent Of completion and
will probably be put in service next month.
The 12-knot tugboats which are now being
built at navy yards have made rapid pro-
gress in the last month. The Penacock at
New York is rated at 65 per cent, and
the Pawtucket at Mare Island at go per
cent. The sailing ship Chesapeake build
ing at Bath Iron Works, for use as q train
ing vessel at the Naval Academy, is 30 pei
cent ready. She has the distinction of be-
ing the first sheathed vessel designed fol-
the American Navy and the first sailing
vessel laid down for naval purposes in over
twenty years. The last ship under con-
struction. except those whose keels have
not been laid. Is the cruiser Albany, build
ing at Armstrong;, Elswick, England. She
was only 40 per cent completed when pur-
chased together with the cruiser New Or
leans from the Brazilian government Just
before the war was declared and work was
only begun on her two weeks ago. The
contractors have all their material ready
and have promised to complete her within
six months.