New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-26

amply repaid for the money expended in their
instruction and training
The Secretary commends the officers and men
OF the auxiliary naval force that patrolled the
coasts and the work OF the Coast Signal Ser
vice He gives a list Of auxiliary vessels bought
for the Government. the former owners. and the
prices paid The force OF enlisted men allowed
by law prior to the outbreak Of the war was
70 500 on August -. when the enlisted force
reached its maximum. there were ALB In the
service.
NO BLOT ON THE RECORD.
Mr. Long concludes that section Of the re-
port entitled THE War" thus:
The Department feels. in contemplating the
vast amount Of work necessary 70 the success
ful operations Of the Navy during the last year.
that the country. as we'll the service, mas
cause for congratulatOn in the results when
have followed and which have been so generally
approved and in the further fact that no per-
sonal feeling has arisen to mar the glorious VIC
tories and magnificent work Of the service
The Secretary then gives abstracts Of the work
OF the bureaus of the Department having charge
of yards and docks. equipment, navigation, the
Naval Academy. ordnance. construction and
repair steam engineering. supplies and accounts
and medicine and surgery.
sMOKELESs POWDER A NECESSITY.
Under the head Of ordnance. the Secretary says
Of smokeess powder:
Smokeless powder is a necessity not only on
account of the absence Of smoke but because or
the greater veOcities obtained by its use ana
the freedom from residue which facilitates rapid
firing While a satisfactory smokeless powder
y, has been adopted and is manufactured IN con-
siderable quantities, it was, owing to lack OF
time and lack Of facility for manufacture on a
large scale impossible to introduce 1t generally
into the Navy during the recent war Never
| theless several vessels were given a complete
outfit. and large quantities We're dlstriputeu'
Steps have been taken to give all VesseIS mere
after fitted out complete supply, ana II Is
| proposed to accumulate a large amount. Con
| gress at its last session appropriated a sum OF
| money for the erection Of Government FACTORY
| for the manufacture Of smokeless powder, ana
plans therefor have been prepared, land mas
| been cleared at Indian Head Md, and the work
| Of construction Is now in progress
NEW VESSELS AND ARMAMENTs
| Or the armament Of new vessels. he says:
In the armament Of the three battle-ships re-
! Gently authorized the Department has deter
! 1o-nch gun for the 13-inch pattern 10 be In
! stalled in the Illinois and sister ships me
| main batteries Of the new ships VIII consist OF
four Pinch rifles In two turrets' ana OF sixteen
| improved 6-inch quick-hrng guns In classmates.
! in place of four 13-inch and fourteen b-incn
| guns in the Illinois class. The maximum thlcK-
! ness Of armor to be employed In the new vessels
| will be II inches for the main belt In place OF
/ 161a inches heretofore used, improvements IN
1
! the manufacture Of armor warranting this re-
ducton.
list Of all the vessels under construction is
given. The battle-ships will probably be com
pleted on the following dates:
Kearsargs August 1899 Wisconsin sept. l s9s
Van,urkv 800 August, 1900 Maine June !, lso!
Tlinos .... April 1850 Missouri ......J nne H. iEi
Alabama 49,. . Sept "a 1899 Ohio .........June o. leol
with the exception Of the three battle-ships
and four monitors last authorized" the Score
tarv saws every vessel in the list Of those
under construction should be completed by the
end of the year 1900 49,,
The performances OF the Oregon on her trip
! around the Horn is praised The report in
dealing with the National defence and emerg-
,o.+ed n the Navy Department S61S,44I II Is
not obligated and will revert to the Treasury
ESTIMATES AND APPROPRIATIONS.
A comparative statement of estimates and ap-
rr;at,ons 1S99-l9OO naval establishment, is as