The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-07
Figures Showing
Our NaVy's Cost
Washington Letter in the Sun.
r. VIEW Of the Iarua in1raoca In ,

Washington Letter in the Sun.
TN VIEW of the large increase in the
navy of late years, involving a great
sum of money for new construction
there is a general impression that
there has been q Correspondingly
large increase of the cost of maintaining
the service, and that the new vessels, in
Proportion to their value, are far more
expensive than the old type. Even the
average naval officer is inclined to be-
lieve that the modern ships require
more merely to keep them going than the
wooden craft whereas the figures COM
piled by the navy department of the an
nual expenses, including the cost of re-
pairs, crew, stores, pay and coal, show
that the new navy does not cost the gov
ernment so very much more than the old
and considerably less If the strength and
fighting efficiency is compared with that
of the fleets seven years ago In 1890 the
displacement of cruising vessels in COM
mission of the whole year was 47,6n tons.
The cost per ton for pay OF crew was S52
and total cost per ton $S3. Eeven years
later the cruising displacement had
jumped to three times that, or 1886, S39;
the cost per ton for pay of crew was $Sl.
and the total cost per ton had dropped
TO S52. 1t is to be noted, therefore, that
the pay of crews of the new ships is
nearly a constant proportion of total
cost, being 62 per cent. of 1t in 1890 and
60 per cent. in 1897.
An increase of 1S7 per cent. in cruising
displacement, with only Il per cent. in
crease in pay of crews, and rs per cent. in
total cost, would seem to be satisfactory,
but as q matter of fact the real in
crease has been much less than these
figures would seem to indicate. The ap-
preparation for the pay of the navy was
| ST. $50, 900 in 1890 and only SS,l00S7S seven
s,,op 80
! in the fighting strength of the fleets. In
| 1890 but 81 per cent of the appropriation
! was spent for the pay of cruising ships
| in commission for the whole year. In 1897
| 50 per cent. of the appropriation was so
| spent. Sixty per cent. more officers and
| 80 per cent more men spent the year
| 1897 cruising on ships than in 1890, yet
the appropriation for pay of the navy
| was increased but ll1a per cent. The ,g-
| ures of the experts show that in 1890 there
| were but three ships attached to the
| home fleet, of which one was new Ves-
! sell the total representing a tonnage of
| but 1886, carrying seventy-two officers
| and G22 men and costing TO maintain in
| service S52O,39S. Seven years later there
! We're twelve vessels on the station, all
| modern ships, with tonnage of 60, $50,
| manned by 3l2 officers and 1861 men, and
costing to maintain in service for one
| year $2,G71, ,S95. Three-fourths of the ves-
| Sels nuu IL BTtulGI lplliltbt IMAM lHt
| combined four had seven years preyions
| ON the same station.
| O..
On the Pacific station in 1890 there
were seven old ships in service, with a
tonnage of $500, manned by J09 officers
and 9O2 men, and costing a little more
than half a million to keep in service.
| Now there are six modern ships and two
| old ones on the station, with a tonnage
that has risen TO 2S,69l, manned by 1856 Of
| hcers, 1,7Sl men, and costing to keep in
| service for the year 81 ,S92, 1856. 1he
| Asiatic fleet had five old wooden vessels
| In 1890, with a total tonnage of but 1890,
with 81 officers and SAP men, This month
| IL has fve new ships and one old one,
representing a displacement of 1926 tons,
| carrying 10 officers, 1873 men. and cost
ing to maintain 81, 900, 900. The cost of
| maintenance of the same station seven
years ago was about 100000 and all the
| ships were of the wooden class. on the