New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-13
NAVAL ACADENY'S NEED OF REP4IRS.
A CLAUSE RECOMMENDED FOR INSERTION IN THE
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL

A CLAUSE RECOMMENDED FOR INSERTION IN THE
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL
Washington. Jan. u (SpeclaD.-In the report on
the diIapidated condition Of the buildings at the
Naval Academy which Secretary Long has sent to
the Senate and House committees on Naval Al
fairs he says:
ON November % last the Bureau Of Navigation
superintendent of the Naval Academy setung iorth
d }hHt Inc oo, ,wo hundred and y cadets was
liable to collapse at any time and recommending
that immediate action be taken with view 70
preventing some terrible catastrophe" The De-
partment Immediately, by telegraph, directed me
superinten lent of the Academy to discontinue the
use OF tho recitation hall reported unsafe and to
provide for Rotations elsewhere. civil Engineer
Endicott of the bureau of Yards and DOCKS was
directed 10 make athorough inspection Of the build
inrs referred to in the superintendent report. As
talon hail was condemned. not only upon the
ground that It unsafe TO use 1t as such but for
the further reason that It's dilapidated condltion
and threatened collapse endangered nelgnDorlng
structures The recitation hall was torn down IN
then presented to the Committee on Appropriations
Of the House reqnes, i3r an fd Pro OF OF
constructing a temporary structure OF sufficient
Precipitation has been made. and the work Is now IN
progress. . ,.. ,,. -
made with the condemnation OF the recitation nal
attention directed 70 the conditions OF thc
was found that many Of them are regarded by
officers well acquainted with the matter as very
either by Of original unfitness In design or
brcause the requirements Of the Academy have
outgrown their capacity; that others IN dally use
are In a dila pidated II not unsafe. condition ana
that the work Of the institution has been ana Is
now being carried on at a disadvantage because or
an insufficient and unsuitable equipment In this
II thus appearing from incidental examina tion
Of the subject. that the condition Of the buildings
nj the Naval Academy was such as to demand
serious attention. the matter was given consdeTa-
ton by the Assistant Secretary Of the Navy who
found that the various structures now IN use there
have been erected from time 10 time as required.
without any fixed or we-dcincd plan, ana that
certain of them must Of necessity be replaced at
an early date. - .,-, -,
nortant buildings have been surveyed and found
unsafe The armory which was abandoned until
along the western wall; the boathouse which was
declared unsafe for many OF It's original purposes
and unworthy Of repairs and the main recitation
hall now being demolished IA menace 10 lfe
Inasmuch as il has become necessary to replace
certain OF the buildings at the Naval Academy,
and I'm view Of the general unsatisfactory condition
the work at that institution. some reDuildlng must
be done any case. ana II seems clearly desirable
that a coherent and well-consldered plan should
be adopted in any work or reconSructloh or re-
building which may be authorized. Such plan
has been formulated. and Is set forth IN some detail
in the report o. the Matthews Board rms pan
IS earnestly commended by the Superintendent and
in its general features. at least. meet the approval
OF the Department. He recommends the insertion
OF the following clause IN inc naval ApplOIIidtIoh
bill, being prepared;
And the Secretary OF the Navy Is authorized 10
construct or contract Tor the constrnct on Al tne
an armory "A cost not 10 exceed 10000; a boat
house. not to exceed 5000; power house, at a
cost not to exceed 10000 four double houses for
officers quarters cost not to exceed $4,000 and
for grading elcctrc-liRht wiring removal Of old
buildings and preparing plans at a cost not ex-
cced!ng 800 600 and the sum of 800 coo Is hereby
Appropriated toward the construction OF the public
works herein authorized"