Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-12
COSTLY BAT1yLESHIP
1T TAKES $1,000 A DAY TO RUN
ONE OF THESE VESSELS.

ONE OF THESE VESSELS.
A"e Da'iy Expenses of tho Navy Foot Up
$4,000 Facts Which Explain Why
These Marine War Machines coss So
| Much to Maintain fS$S
What is the average daily cost OF
maintaining a first class battIeship on
war footing? One thousand fveS
| nunared dollars. A large sum OF
money, but insignificant when COM
pared with what the cost might he
IN case Of action, when the conflict 81
single minute could sink the largest
snip, with her entire armament, and
require the expenditure Of more than
So.OOO.O0O to replace her sssEss
Reliable estimates cannot be made
when the fortunes OF war must be E
taken into account. but the cost OF II
maintaining our navy on Its present
footing Immediately before the firing
or the first gun in actual conflict Is
known. That cost is $4,000 for each
day.
For an interesting example Of theSi
cost OF maintaining battieship IN
time OF peace, when war is not even!
threatening, have procured from the \
records OF the War Department the
cost OF maintaining the New York, the
most expensive ship in our navy. The
cost for last year was 1891, 0656O, or an;
average Of sl0S6.29 per day. The va
rious items that go to make up this
total annual cost will apply for the
present purpose to our armored cruz
sers and battleships though, OF course,
varying according to constantly
changing circumstances, and now be-
ing increased by the war footing ON
which our navy rests OF the $751;
065.60 spent by the New York in 1899. II
1927, 762.76 was for the pay Of the Off
GERS, crew and marines; rations cost
S33.5426O; equipment, $6,S35.21; navi-
cation. S3,2l6.5S; ordnance, S14,743.70;
construction and repair, 9,163.05;
steam engineering, $2S,26l26. Then
there were Incidental expenses, navy
yard repairs, medicine and surgery and
similar items
The records show that the pay of the
officers, crew and marines of the New
FL
other vessel, while the rations, medl-#
cine and surgery and coal accounts
were very much less Sc
The record OF the Inflated Maine
Is closed, though her memory Is a liv-
ing inspiration, and this record shows
that the total cost OF her maintenance
Fer Ell 1eSaR7v W5F s2aS Hd 81 those Mhose rs
mains are yet with her wreck, or have
found burial in Cuba and the United
States. was $3.50 1860 0 s
One OF these great battleships is a
floating citadel. 1t is town Of FIVE
hundred inhabitants, more securely
fortified and far better armed for Of
fence and defence than was any walled
and turreted city that has ever ex-
listed Her steel walls can resist any
attack of guns less than her own.
When she meets similar ones then
comes the tug of war.
II our floating citadel Is the Indiana.
for instance, we have steel walls $50
long with 50 feet between them ait the
widest point, holding engines 81 war
and propulsion OF the most terrific
power. all under the control Of tha
highest human intelligence. ThisEt9
moving city OF animate force, con
trolled energy and Illuminate strength.
that can be directed at will and It's
1928 tons moved at the rate OF seven
teen miles an hour. propelled by s.738
horse power
Powerful as 1t is, 1t must, SO near
as possible. resist an equal power.
And what is necessary in defence is
better realized when We consider that
she may have to cope with guns that,
by the explosion OF 900 pounds of pow
der, can throw single shot, Weighing
nearly ton. at the velocity OF 1000
feet per second. This shot has striE-
ing energy OF $4,000 foot tons. One
foot ton is the energy required to raise
2,240 pounds one foot against gravity.
Multiply that energy by $4,000 and
comprehend the result IL you can.
No wonder that the maintenance OF
q single ship to accomplish all that is
desired OF 1t costs 81, 500 each day
The Bomb in jon Daviss Desk.
T~d%