Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-07-17
COSTLY BATTLESHIP.
II TAKES $500 A DAY TO RUN
ONE or THESE VESSELS.

THESE haFins WeE nsehinos Cost No
Much 10 Maintain.
What Is the average daily cost Of
maintaining first class battleship on
a war footing? One thousand Ave
hundred dollars. A large sum Of
money. but insignificant when COM
pared with what the cost might be
In case OF action, when the conflict OF
a single minute could sink the largest
ship, with her entire armament, and
require the expenditure Of more than
100000 to replace her.
Reliable estimates cannot be made
when the fortunes OF war must be
taken into account. but the cost OF
maintaining our navy on It's present
footing Immediately before the firing
OF the first gun In actual conflict Is
known. That cost is $50. 900 for each
day.
For an interesting example OF the
cost OF maintaining a battloship In
time Of peace. when war Is not even
threatening. have procured from the
records Of the War Department the
rost OF maintaining the New York. the
most expensive ship 10 our navy. The
cost for last year was g39l 0C5G0. or an
average Of $l.0S629 per day The va
rious Items that go 10 make mp this
total annual cost will apply Tor the
present purpose 10 our arm0red crul-
sers and battieships though. OF course,
varying according 10 constantly
chaug.ng circlm Haueoa. and uow be-
Ing increased by che war footing on
which our navy e az the gg4t.-
065.60 spent by ,tl Naw Yors Do 1891.
SZ31162.76 was Cos TIE pay oi The om-
GERS. crew and marines. uIous cost
$35.5i2.00. equipment. S6S352i; nayi-
cation. }3ZlGis. ordnance. tlf7i31O.
construction and repair. f9I6L05.
steam engineering. S2825l.26. Then
there were Incidental expenses. navy
yard repairs. medicine aud surgery and
similar items
The record show .h1. DE pay OF the
officers. crew and marines of the New
York were greater than that OF any
other vessel while the ruu0ns. mcdi-
cine and surgery and coal accounts
were very much less.
The record OF the Inflated Maine
Is closed. though her memory Is a lly-
ing inspiration. ani this record shows
that the total cost OF her maintenance
Tor 1897 was 1892 ilGiS. The pay OF
her survivors. and OF those whose re-
mains are yet with her wreck. or have
found burial IN Cuba and the United
States. was $3.50 1860.
One OF these great battleships Is
floating citadel. Il is a town OF i've
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
ANANANN NAAf NNH va WNAs
II our floating citadel Is the Indiana.
for instance. We have steel walls $50
long with 90 feet between them az the
widest point. holding engines OF war
and propulsion Of the most terrific
power, an under the control OF the
highest human intelligence. This Is
a moving city OF animate force. con-
trolled energy and inanimate strength.
that can be directed al will and lts
l0.2ss tons moved at the rate OF seven
teen miles an hour. propelled by 9.73s
horse power.
Powerful as Il is. II 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 10 cope with guns that,
By the explosion OF 300 pounds Of pow
der. can throw a single shot. weighing
nearly a ton. az the velocity OF 1000
feet per second. This shot has a strik-
Ing energy OF $4,000 foot tons. One
foot ton is the energy required 10 mise
2.2i0 pounds one foot against gravity.
that energy by $1,000 and
comprehend the result II you can.
No wonder that the maintenance OF
n single ship 90 accomplish all that Is
desired OF &c costs 81 500 each day.