The times., 1898-11-18
NAVY YARDS and DOCKS
Mordecai I. Endicott Submits
His Annual Report.
RAPID COALING PROBLEM
Facilities as They Now Exist Are
Crude and Slow In Many Cases-
Marines for Guard Duty-The New
Naval Station Mt San Juun-Na-
tionaI Defense Expenditures.

An interesting chapter on coalins facili-
ties for the navy forms part of the annual
report of Mordecai T. Endicott, chief of
the bureau of yards and docks, which
has just been given out for publication
by the Navy Department. In this con-
nection the report states:
THE assembly of large numbers OF the
vessels belonging to the h.,.y at various
points before and during the war with
Spain emphasized the Importance Of hav-
ing large supplies of coal available for
quick delivery TO them.
THE coaling facilities at the navy yards
and stations, as they now exist, are rnea-
ger in capacity and crude, expensive, and
slow in the methods of handling"
Reference is made to the ample and
efficient plants being constructed at Key
West and Dry Tortugas, and it is stated
that for the purpose of being well ad-
vised upon this subject the department has
constituted naval coal board, making
it its duty to examine, report, and rec
ommend as TO what facilities should be
provided upon the Atlantic coast from
Port Royal, S. G., north. This board made
an exhaustive and valuable report upon
the subject and its conclusions and rec
concentrations are regarded as of great
value.
Chief Endicott believes that marine
guards should replace the watchmen at
navy yards and naval stations wherever
practicable. principally on the score of
economy on this subject, he says:
AT all yards and stations of the coun-
try, with a very few exceptions an eff
cient and ample guard is maintained by
the marine corps. The bureau is of the
opinion that IL would be greatly 10 the
advantage of the naval service in the mat
tiers of efficiency and economy if the po-
lice duty at the yards were done by the
marine corps. and the watch force under
the bureau of yards and docks at these
stations disbanded.'
Steps have been taken toward the con-
struction upon the United States property
at Pago-Pago. island of Tutuilla, Samoa,
of a steel pier and coal sheds and other
improvements to provide facilities for
storing and handling 5,G99 tons of coal and
other supplies for the navy. Accompany
ing charts show the lands at Swimming
and Observatory Points purchased by this
Government as the site for the coaling
station al Pago-Pago.
The new naval station at San Juan,
Porto Rico. is thus described by the re-
port:
'.Since the close of the fiscal year the
Government of the United Safes has
come into possession of Porto Rico, and
in the port of San Juan a naval arsenal
which IS located on the northwest shore
of the bay. containing about ! L. acres.
This arsenal was founded in the year
1900 Works have been added from me
To time. and approaches to it were built
in lS47. 1t contains a number OF substan-
tial concrete buildings and three pie
two of which are of wood and one of
stone II has two quarters and offices.
THE station has been used chiefly as
base of supplies for coal. provisions etc.
The buildings generally are in fair con-
dition. with the exception of the resi-
dences and storehouse. which are s )me-
what deteriorated. The total valuation
of the buildings and grounds is about
Slo1.O00. of which $4,000 represent tke
value of the buildings and piers and $40,
0o0 the value of the ground.
"A plan accompanies this report. show
ing the harbor and situation of the
senal: also a plan of the arsenal grounds
Steps have been taken to make us of
this property as naval station. An Off
Ger has been detailed to its command, and
subordinate officers have been detailed to
duty there preliminary to its being
availed of for the purposes of the navy
The expenditures OF the bureau for 1885,
'9S, including $40 H. IS for national de-
fense. amounted to l,772 1910. The esti-
mates for 1S99-lsOO are given as s6,3i7, i2l 2}