The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-02-07
STATE OF OUR NAVY.
EXPERTS POINT OUT SOME OF THE
CCFlClENClES.

Vessels Need leaning to Increase Speed.
Modern Tools and Guns Needed.
The navy in its present condition is a
weak arm for the government to depend
upon to meet possible enemies. The
president appreciates that this is true.
He had a long talk with Assistant Sec
rotary of the Navy Roosevelt a few days
ago, and that official assured him that
there are many important things in
which the navy is deficient.
While some of the ships, such as the
battleships Indiana, Massachusetts and
Iowa, the armored cruiser Brooklyn
and q few others are fine vessels of
their respective types, they can hardly
be effective against a force of modern
vessels such as a foreign nation would
send against us in time of war. If the
navy We're equipped with the battle
ships Kearsarge, Kentucky, Alabama,
Illinois and Wisconsin, the service
might be in condition for an emergency.
but the first two ships will not be ready
for service until the latter part of next
year, and there is no telling when the
Alabama, Wisconsin and Illinois will be
available. Congress authorized these
.hree vessels, but failed to make provi.
sions for their armor.
One of the worst faults Of the navy
IS it exists today is its lack of dry
docks. In case of wal the battleships
would be badly crippled as a result Of
the absence Of these structures. Dry
dock No. 5, in Brooklyn, is a failure;
the Port Royal drydock will not be
used ty the department. for fear that it
may give way, and there is nc other
dock on the Atlantic coast that can be
used by a battleship. In case of war the
problem that would confront the navy
would be, Where can battleships be sent
to be docked?
1T is a mistake to think that a dock
can be built in a day, said a naval Off
Ger Of high rank with whom | talked re-
Gently. 1T takes a year TO build a float
ing dock and two years to build a sta
,ionary structure. The battleships Mas
sachusetts and Indiana have not been in
dock for the last seven or eight months.
The battleship Iowa has not been clean
ed since she left League island months
ago, and the bottoms of many Of the
other large ships are il D foul condi
ton.
Their speed is materially reduced,
they cannot maneuver III the manner
that naval tactics require and are con
seGuently pretty badly off. OF course.
in case CT war, England's position as {
neutral would prevent her from permit
ting the United States to use her docks
Manifestly the result would be mos
disastrous"
The navy yards are also in a bad con
dition for making repairs to vessel
which might be damaged i'll battle O
collision. Chief Naval Construct.
Hichborn declared that most Of tn
yards were without many modern tool
which We're absolutely necessary. Sec
rotary Long declares that some of tn
work buildings at the League islan'
navy yard are in a wretched condition
AS showing the condition Of the plants
il is only necessary to state that the es
Inmates for improvements submitted b.
~ SciI11lt&AcoLt &c vi CIV janus W IA
chief of the bureau of yards and dock
amounted to more than IS. 600, O00
Secretary Tracy appreciated the need
Of a new steel fleet, for in his repor
made to the president in 1891 he calle'
attention to the condition Of the yard
and stated that great Improvement
would be urgently needed when the ney
steel feet now building has been for
time in commission, or if in the mean
while the country should suddenly b
called to put forth its naval strength
The warning given by Mr.. Tracy ha
not been needed. Each successive yea
secretaries Of the navy in their repor
have recommended that appropriation
be made for improving navy yard plants
Congress has paid no attention to thes
recommendations. and Mr.. HichbOrn, il
explaining his estimate on this point t
the committee several days ago, spok
very plainly and showed what folly j
was to expect the vessels to be kept il
good condition when the navy var,
plants Were not equipped with tn
proper tools with which to properly eX
eCuto the work.
Engineer in Chief Melville has re
pcatedly called attention to the condi
zion Of tie steam engineering plants a
the various navy yards. 1t is propose
to commence within g short time tn
construction of q modern machine plan
at Key West, where, according to a re
port, Sin a wooden building a littl
better than a shed are a number of pow
CT tools and a small cupola. None Q
them is Of large size, and all Of then
are old pattern, having been in thei
present location for many years. Tn
shop is we'll cared for, and the tools ar
always in condition for immediate use
but the outfit requires Improvement.
1T is true we have no submerged
torpedo tubes, " said an ordnance exper
recently. "There was some talk Of pIac
ing them on board the battleships kear
sarge, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama ant
Wisconsin, bat this is impossible now
because there is not sufficient space re
served for the purpose. It is recognized
shat il is desirable that all Of the YES
sells should be thus equipped, and it i
too bad that soIne steps have not alrcad,