The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-10-14
FIfty-Flye New War Vessels Are
Now Under Construction for
the United States.
THE THIRD NAVAL POWER
This Great Addition VIII Bring Amer.
lea up In the Rank Eight First.
Class BattlsshIps.

NEW YORK. Oct IA dispatch 10 the
Tribune from Washington says:
IN remarkable rapldhy with witch
the United Btetes II being increased al the
present time may be- realized when Il IL
stated that nifty hye war vessels are now
unGcr contract for the government and
that their aggregate tonnage far exceeds
that Of the vessels building AT one time
during the ciyil war
This vast construction program. which
has excited more attention abroad than at
home has been authorized gradually by
congress until tho vessels soon 10 be com
plcted will place the United States third
In rank among the SEQ powers.
In addition to the enormous feet inciud.
INK auHillHries. actually In commission AZ
tho present time. twenty vessels in var
ioua stages Of readiness. and the ship.
builders are hurriedly gathering the ma
torinl for 70 others OF the IS vessels.
eight are hrst class sea going battleShlps.
heavily armorcd. o are torpedo boats.
four are monitors and one II a powerful
cruiser.
chief Constructor Hichborn has com
plcte' a tabulated statement showing the
degree Of completion Of the twenty yes-
sells now nearly ready for commission or
rapidly approaching that condition. from
which Il a"Dears that II Of these vessels
have already been launched and i've
others will be aHoat before the end OF the
year.
or the i've battle ships the Kearsarge.
tho Kentucky and the Illinois. building at
Newport News. Va. are respectively s.
% and 6 per cent completed.
The Alabama AZ the Cramps yard, Phil
adelphla. has advanced TO GO per cent, and
the Wisconsin. which II TO launched at
the Union Iron Works al San Francisco
next month. Is exactly half finished
OF the ten torpedo boats. the % knot
Rowan. tNo. 81 at Seattle. Is rated at 30
per cent. ana will have her trial trip be-
fore tho end Of the week
The % knot Farragut go. IL the drst
Of the dcstroyers to be- finished by the
government. has already been tried at
the SCOTS at San Francisco and although
readily making h6r guarantee speed
has had the misfortune 10 sustain minor
Injuries which m0y be- easay rcmedied.
The Dahlgrcn no - and the T. NJ.
Craven NO. - % knots building az Bath.
Maine are listed at 20 and 81 per cent
completed. but will not be- delivered 10
the government before spring. The two
2zia knot boats the Davis (No. l2l and the
Fox no. ~ al Portland. ore, are prac-
ucally ready for trial. and the Davis may
have her speed run next week. The
Mackenzie (No. 10 has just been com
pleied by HillmaR 4 Company Of Phila-
delphla. and her trial has been ordered
Tor the first OF next week. This little
vessel Is almost year behind contract
The status OF the remaining three 3)I
knot destroyers Is as follows:
Th- Stringham .(No, l9 at Wilmington,
Del. ts per cent; tho Goldsborough (No.
~ at Portland, ore, y per cent. and the
Bailey jNo. 20 az the works Of the Gas
Engine and Power Company OF New
York. 81 per cent
The submarine torpedo boat Plunger a,
Baltimore Il within Is per cent OF com
pletlon and will probably be put into ser
vice next month. Two u knot tug boats
which are now being built at navy yards
have made rapid progress in the last
month. The Pennacock at New York Isl
rated at 6 per cent and the rawtucket
at Mare Island at 90 per cent The sail
ing ship Chesapeake, building al Bath
Iron Works for use as training vessel
at the naval academy Is % per cent COM
pleted. She has the distinction Of being
the hrs, sheathed vessel designed FOR the
American navy and the nrsl sailing YES
sci laid down for naval purposes In over
% years.
Tho last ship under construction, except
those whose Reels have not yet been laid,
Is tho cruiser Albany, building at Arm
strongs, Elswick. England, She was only
40 per cent completed when purchased,
together with the cruiser New Orleans,
from the Brazilian government just be-
fore the war with Spain 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.