The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-05
BATTLESHIPS EXPENSIVE.
II Costs $500 a Day TO Run a Marine
War Machine-The Items
That Enter.
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
What is the average daily cost OF
maintaining a first class battleship on
war footing? One thousand five h0n-
dred dollars. but insignificant when
compared with what the cost might
be in case of action. when the con-
flict of a single minute could sink the
largest ships, with her entire arma-
ment, and require the expenditure of
more than s. 900 900 to replace her.
Reliable estimates cannot be made
when the fortunes of war must be TAX
en- into account, but the cost of MAIN
tanning our navy on its present foot
ing Immediately before the firing of the
first gun in actual conflict is known.
That cost is $4,000 for each day. The
cost for last year was 1891 ,065.60, or an
average of Sl,GS629 per day. The vari-
Gus items that go to make up this to-
tai annual cost will apply for the pres
ent purpose to our armored cruisers and
batttleships, though. of course, vary
ing according to constantly changing
circumstances, and now being increas-
ed by the war footing on which our
navy rests. OF the 1891, ,065.60 spent by
| the New York in 1897. s237 1926 was
for the pay of the officers, crew and
marines; rations cost s35, ,542.60; equip
ment. SG,S3521; navigation, sS.2l6.5S:
ordnance, s1i743.70; construction and
repair. s916@.05; steam engineering.
S?S, ,26l 26. Then there were incidental
expenses, navy yard repairs, medicine
and surgery and similar items.
The records show that the pay of the
officers. crew and marines of the New
York were greater than that of any
other vessel. while the rations, mar
ines and surgery and similar items.
When we add the separate cost of
maintaining all ships in commission.
| for last year, we have total of $685.
549n; or more than $4,000 a day
During each day of last week the cost
was double that amount.
The record of the ill-fated Maine is
closed, though her memory is living
| inspiration, and this record shows that
the total cost of her maintenance for
| 1887 was S962. .4164S. The pay of her
survivors, and of those whose remains
| are yet with her wreck, or have found
burial in Cuba and the United States,
was s159, ,126.6C.
The revolution of recent years in ma
val equipment has entirely changed
sea fighting. adding not only to the
| cost of ships. but of armament and
| particularly increasing expenditure for
| manning and maintaining.
In our previous naval fights the
staunch, oak ribbed ships were ve-
| hicles for carrying men and guns. and
! their very decks We're often fields of
battle, where contending forces strug-
| gled, hand to hand. Today our ships
are veritable fighting machines. They
are guns and movable parts through
| the agency of steam and electricity,
under intelligent direction. They are
not only the work Of the ship build
er, but of the engineer They require
men not only as brave as those who
boarded the enemy's ships in former
| wars, but they require men highly
skilled in their several departments.
These complicated ships need a large
| force of men, and to maintain them at
the very highest standard of efficiency
| requires the great expenditure of
money referred to.
| Consider for a moment the item of
steam on a battle ship and you will
| better appreciate the force of what
has been written. Think of the sixty
nine separate steam engines, and of
the skilled engineers to care for them
twenty-four hours each day. Yes.
there are siXty-nine. Each of the
great twin screws has steering appar-
atus. separate engines for steering ap-
paratus. separate engines for the dyna
mos, for the fire pumps, for bilge, for
Ventilating fans, for ash hoist, for cap
stans. and for the numerous wrenches
| hn ,.-ha H.,
everything that has to be moved is to
| heaVy for human muscle to handle.
| Then there is the coal to furnish
heat to make all of this steam, and a
corps of men to handle it. Take, for
example, the Iowa. If she starts out
to port with her normal supply of coal
she carries 625 tons. If she fills her
bunkers she will start with 1,7SO tons
That means about $1,000
Such a battle ship as this carries
about five hundred officers and men
These must be fed and clothed, and be
paid for their services.
One of these great battle ships is a
floating citadel. 1t is a town of five
hundred inhabitants, more securel,
fortified and far better armed for of.
fence and defence than was any walled
| anu tulIeteu city lndl mas ever existed
Her steel walls can resist any attach
of guns less than her own. When she
meets similar ones then comes the tug
| of war.
If our floating citadel Is the Indiana
for instance we have steel walls 35(
feet long with SO feet between then
at the widest point, holding engines
of war and propulsion of the most ter.
rife power, all under the control ot
the highest human intelligence. This is
a moving city of animate force, con.
trolled energy and inanimate strength
that can be directed at will and its
10,2SS tons moved at the rate of seven.
teen miles an hour propelled by 9,73;
| horse power.
Powerful as 1t is, it must. so near a.
possible, resist an equal power. And
what is necessary in defence is better
realized when we consider that she may