Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-10-28
THIRD NAVAL POWER
RATED BY THE NUMBER AND
CLASS OF WARSHIPS.

in That Rank - Fifty Ships
Building-Anerican Marksman.
ship Will Doubtless Raise the
Rating Another Notch or Two
i'll Practical Results.
A Washington dispatch says: The
remarkable rapidity with which the
naval power OF the United States is
being increased at the present time
may be realized when it is stated that
30 war vessels are now under contract
for the government and that their ag-
gregate tonnage far exceeds that of the
vessels building at one time during the
civil war
This vast construction programme
which has excited more attention
abroad than at home, has been author
lied gradually by Congress until the
vessels soon to be completed will place
the United States third in the rank of
sea powers.
In addition to the enormous fleet,
including auxiliaries, actually in COM
mission at the present time, 20 vessels
are in various stages Of readiness and
the shipbuilders are hurriedly gather
ing the material for 35 others. OF the
So vessels eight are first class, heavily
armored, sea-going battleships, 80 are
torpedo boats, four are monitors and
one is Il powerful cruiser.
Chief Constructor Hichborne has
completed tabulated statement show
ing the degree of completion of the 20
vessels now nearly ready for commits
sion or rapidly approaching that con-
dition, from which it appears that II
of these vessels have already been
launched and the three others will he
afloat before the end of this year.
OF the five battleships, the Kear-
sarge and Illinois, building at New
port News, Va, are respectfully 6S, 6G
and Go per cent. completed. The Ala
bama, at the Cramps yard, Philadel-
phia, has advanced to 63 per cent. and
the Wisconsin, which is to be launched
at the Union Iron Works at San Fran
cisco next month, is exactly half fin
ished.
OF the 10 torpedo boats, the 26-knot
Rowan (No. 81, at Seattle, is rated at
SO per cent.
The 30-knot Farragut (No. III, the
first of the destroyers to be finished
by the government, has already been
tried at the Scots at San Francisco
and although readily making her guar.
anteed speed has had the misfortune
to sustain minor injuries which may
be easily remedied.
The Dahlgren (No. 81 and the 7. A
NJ. Craven (No. O, 80 knots, building
at Bath, Me-, are listed at so and 81
per cent. completed, but will not be
delivered to the government before
spring. The two 21A knot boats, the
Davis (No. 12) and the Fox (No. 13) a,
Portland. Ore, are practically ready
for trial.
The Mackenzie (No. ~ has jus,
been completed by Hillman & Co. o
Philadelphia, and her trial has beer
ordered. This little vessel is almost 8
year behind contract.
The status of the remaining three
3O-knot destroyers is as follows: The
Stringham (No. 19) at Wilmington
Del, As per cent. the Goldsborougt
(No. 2O) at Portland, Ore, 2S per cent,
and the Bailey (No. 2l) at the works
the Gas Engine & Power Company o
New York, 81 per cent.
The submarine torpedo boat Plungel
at Baltimore is within Is per cent. O
completion and will probably be pu
in service next month. Two 12-kno
tug boats, which are now being bull
at the navy yard, have made rapit
| progress in the last month. The Pen
nacock at New York is rated at 65 pei
cent. and the Pawtucket at Mare isl
and at GO per cent.
The sailing ship Chesapeake, build
ing at Bath Iron Works for use as
training vessel at the naval academy
is 80 per cent. ready. She has the
distinction of being the first sheathed
vessel designed for the American navy
and the first sailing keel laid down foi
naval purposes in over 90 years.
The last ship under construction
except those whose keels have not
been constructed, is the cruiser Al
bany, building at Armstrong;, Els.
wick, England. She was only 4S per
cent completed when purchased to.
gether with the cruiser New Orleans
from the Brazilian government just
before the war with Spain was declared
and work was only resumed on hel
two weeks ago. The contractors have
all their material ready and have
promised to complete her within six
months.
Thieves entered the slaughter.house
of McGhie Bros, ON the tideflats
about Il mile from Everett, SATURDAY.
night, and stole hides valued at $500
The plumber was placed in small
boat at high tide and evidently taker
to safe hiding place, making detec
| ton impossible.