The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-14
Third IN RANK.
Position OF the United States Among the
Sea Powers of the World.

~" VWsfs " INV WoEto.
New York Oct. ia dispatch to the
Tribune from Washington says: The
remarkably rapidity with which the ma
val power OF the United States is being
Increased at the present time may be
realized when IL Is stated that So war
vessels are now under contract for the
government and that their tonnage far
exceeds that of the vessels during the
time OF the civil war. This vast con-
struction programme, which has ex-
cited more attention abroad than at
home. has been authorized gradually
by congres until the vessels soon To
be completed will place the United
States third I'm rank among the sea
powers.
In addition to the enormous feet. in
Guiding auxiliaries. actually in com
mission at the present time. 20 vessels
are In various stages Of readiness and
the s~hipbuilders are hurriedly gather
Ing the material for 30 others. OF the
50 vessels, eight are first-class heavily
armored s~ea-going battleships. 30 are
torpedo boats. four are monitors and
one is a powerful cruiser.
Chief Constructor Hichborn has COM
pleted a tabulated statement showing
the degree of completion of the 20 YES
sells now nearly ready for commission
or rapidly approaching that condition,
from which IL appears that IL of these
vessels have already been launched and
five others will be ready before the end
OF this year.
OF the five ba~ttleships, the Kearsarge.
the Kentucky and the Illinois. building
at Newport News. Va. are respectively
6s. &c and So per cent. completed. The
Alabama, at the Cramps yards. Phila-
delphia, has advanced to % per cent,
and the Wisconsin. which is to be
launched at the Union Iron Works at
San francisco next month. is exactly
half finished.
OF the 10 torpedo boats. the 26-knot
Rowan mo. - at Seattle. is rated at 80
per cent. and will have her trial trip
before. the end OF this week.
The 3O-lxnot Farragut mo. ID. the
first of the d~estroyers to be finished by
the government. has already been tried
at the SCOTS at San Francisco. and al
though readily making her guaranteed
speed, has had the misfortune to sus-
tain minor injuries which may be easily
remedied.
The Dahlgren (No - and the r. A. !
NJ. Craven (No. -. 80 knots. building at
Bath, Me-. are listed at 80 and 81 per
cent. completed. but will not be del.v-
cred to the government before spring.
The two 221a-knot boats. the Davis mo.
12). and the Fox mo. 49,. at Portland.
Ore. are practically ready for trial and
the Davis may have "A speed run next
week. The Mackenzie tNo. % has Just
been completed by Hillman d Co. of
Philadelphia. and her trial has been
ordered for the first of next week. This
little vessel is almost "a year behind
contract. The status of the remaining
three 30-knot destroyers is as follows:
The Stringham tNo. 49, at Whining
ton. Del. Is per cent; the Goldsborough
tNo. 20). at Portland, Ore. 2S per cent,
and the Bailey mo. 21), al the works
OF the Gas Engine and Power company
OF New York, 81 per cent. The subma-
rine torpedo boat P%lunger, at Balti-
more. is within Is per cent. OF compile
ton and will probably be put in service
next month.
Two l2-knot tug boats which are now
being built at navy yards have made
rapid progress i'm the last month. The
at New York. Is rated at 65
per cent, and the Pawtucket. at Mare
Island, at 60 per cent. The sailing ship
building at Bath Iron
Works, for use as a training vessel at
the naval academy. is 30 per cent.
ready. h a the distinction OF being
the first sheathed vessel designed for
the American navy n the first sailing
vessel laid down for naval purposes in
over 20 years.
The last ship under construction. ex-
those who's keels have not been
laid. is the cruiser Albany. building at
Elswick. England. She
was only 40 per cent. completed when
purchased together with the cruiser
New Orleans from the Brazilian gov
eminent just before with Spain was de-
and the work was only begun
on her two weeks ago. Tn contractors
a V all their material ready and have
promised to complete her within six
months