The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-18
YARDS ANDDOCKS
Chief Endicott's Report to
Secretary Of Navy.

report to the secretary of the navy,
Chief Endicott of the bureau of yards
and docks, makes a strong point of the
necessity for ample docking facilities
not only for small vessels, but also for
the battleships upon waters near Key
West.
He says that place was during the
war and may be in the future, an i'm
portant base of naval operations, able
stragetists having pronounced Key
West and Dry Tortugas the key to the
Gulf of Mexico therefore it is held
that careful study should be given to
the subject, to determine some point al
which the very best docking facilities
shall be provided.
Had the war with Spain continued
many months more, the absence OF
docking facilities il, those waters would
have been most seriously felt, and
might have affected ITS fortunes. The
small showing we make in dock accom-
modations is very marked as compared
with the other naval powers of the
world, and although the experiences
for dry docks by the United States
viii be large in the next few years,
Chief Endicott says he cannot fail to
ask continuance of the liberal pol
icy in this particular until the depart
ment is we'll fitted for handling its fleet
IN dock yards without compelling YES
sells to perform long sea voyages to
reach docking ports.
The estimates submitted for the next
year provide for only one new dock,
which is to be of the largest type, con
structed of granite and concrete. To-
Gated at the Norfolk navy yard.
Phe report tells what has been done
toward building GOAL station at Page
Pago, on the island of Tutulla, Samoa,
showing that out of the general appro-
priation of s250,000 made by the last
congress for such purposes, the United
states has acquired Is acres of land at
Swimming Point and Observatory
Point and has contracted for a steel
pier, coal shed and other improvements
necessary to store $4,000 tons of coal
and other supplies The report states
that the United States has come into
possession at the port of San Juan of
naval arsenal containing number of
substantial concrete buildings and three
good piers.
The total value of the buildings and
grounds is about $1O0, 900.
The estimates for the various navy
yards for the next fiscal year are as
follows. Portsmouth N. H, $500. 900;
OoolOtl' @ooi WV view LONDON, CT, S26,
GOO New York, 1912 ,062: League Island
Pa, 500, 1871; Washington. d. C., S2o5.
0OO Norfolk, Va, $2.0O0,OO0 Isl, SOC, 600
being for a new dock); Port Royal. S.
G., $145,000; Key West, $112.520; Mare
Island, Cal, 1851, 1850; Puget Sound.
Wash, $5S, 500
The report comments upon the fact
that no battleships or heavy draught
cruisers have yet approached the
wharves at Mare Island, and saws it re-
mains TO be determined that this pre-
else location as a navy yard was a for
tunate one. Attention Is called to the
fact that the Oregon was compelled to
go 800 miles north of Puget Sound to
be locked because of risks of naviga-
ton in getting to Mare Island. While
the government could construct the
amplest dock facilities on San Francis
co bay, this would still be $50 miles
north of the southern boundary of the
United States. where it is quite as i'm
portant to have a naval station as on
the northern boundary at Puget Sound
Therefore it is recommended that a
board of experienced officers be direct
ed to give attention to the establish
ment of such a station near the south
ern limit of the Pacific coast
The total estimates of the bureau for
the next fiscal year aggregate Sc, 347 ,121.
While detailing the needs and matters
of Importance of the New York navy
yard, Chief Endicott complains Of the
bad policy shown in the sale of a large
part Of the grounds of the Brooklyn
navy yard to the city. by authority of
congress, but in opposition to the rec
ommendation of the bureau.
He says that although only four years
have passed since the sale, the yard
does not afford facilities in matter of
room for the work to be done, For lack
of room, the greatest navy yard in the
country probably will be limited to four
craving docks, when it should have an
area for three times that number, to-
gether with all the structures neces-
sary for repair and equipment, with
expectation of the largest fleet likely to
assemble in New York harpor. An en-
largement of the yard by the purchase
of a 12-acre tract is recommended.