Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-10-14
When the Warships That Are Now Being Built Are Finished She
 Will Take That Position.
FIVE OF THE VESSELS
 ARE EMPHASIZES.
All of the Fifty-Five Warships Are Now More Than Half Finished, and :. Some Are Ready For Thelr
 Trial Trips.

Washington, Oct. 1.-The remark able rapidity with which the naval pow CT of the United States Is being increased at the present time may be realized when 1t Is stated that 55 war vessels are now under contract for the government and that their aggregate tonage far ex- ceeds that of the vessels building at any one time in the civil war. This vast construction programme, which has ex- cited moro attention abroad than at home, has been authorized gradually by congress until the vessels soon to be completed will place the United States third in rank among the sea powers. In addition to the enormous fleet, including auxiliaries, actually in commission at the present time, 90 vessels are in vari- ous stages of readiness and the ship builders are hurriedly gathering the ma terial for 35 others. or the 55 vessels eight are first class heavily armored sea- going battleships, 36 are torpedo boats, four are monitors and one is powerful cruiser.
 Chief Constructor Hichborn has com. pleted Q tabulated statement showing the degree of completion of the 20 ves- sells now nearly ready for commission or rapidly approaching that condition, from which it appears that IT of these vessels have already been launched and that the others will be hoated before the end of this year. Of the five battle. ships, the Kearsarge, Kentucky and the Illinois, building at Newport News, are respectively 68, 66 and 55 per cent complete. The Alabama, at the Cramp yards, Philadelphia, has advanced to 63 per cent and the Wisconsin, at the Union Iron works, San Francisco, is ex- actly half finished.
 Of the 10 torpedo boats, the 26.knot Rowan at Seattle, is rated 99 per cent. and will have her trial trip before the end of this week.
 The 8o.knot Farragut, the first of the destroyers to be finished by the govern ment, has already been tried by the Scotts at San Francisco, and although readily making her guaranteed speed, has had the misfortune to sustain minor injuries which may be very easily rem. edied.
 The Dahlgren and the T. M. A. Ora. ven, 90-knot boats, building at Bath, Me, are listed 90 and 8l per cent con- plete, but will not be deliverable to the government before spring.
 The two 2216-knot boats, the Davis and the Fox, at Portland, Or, are prae- tioally ready for trial, and the Davis may have her speed run next week.
 The Mackenzie has just been complet- ed by Hillman & Go. of Philadelphia, and her trial has been ordered for the first of next week. This boat is almost 8 year behind contracb.
 The statutes of the remaining tbree. 3O- knot deatroyers are as followss sThe Stringhau, at Wilmington, Del, 48 per cent; the Goldsborough, at Portland, Or, 2s per cent, and the Bailey, at tho works of the Gas Engine and Power company of New York, S7 per cent.
 The submarine torpedo boat Plupger is also within 15 per cent of completion and will probably be put into service next month.
 Two 12.knot tug boats which are now being built at the navyyards have made rapid progress in the last month, the Penrock at New York being rated at 65 per cent and the Pawtucket at Mare Is. land at 60 per cent.
 The sailing ship Chesapeake, building at the Bath Iron works for use as g training vessel at the naval academy, Is 30 per cent ready. She has the distinc- tion of being the first sheathed vessel de- signed for the American navy and the first sailing vessel laid down for naval purposes in over 20 years.
 The last ship under construction, ex- cept those whose keels have not been laid, is the cruiser Albany, building at Armstrongs, Elswick, Eng. She was only 40 per cent completed when pur- chased together with the cruiser New Orleans from the Brazilian government just before war was declared with Spain, and work was only begun on her two weeks ago. The contractors have all