Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-08-21
HObsOn Will Soon Raise Three
Of the Spanish Fleet.
MANY MORE MAY BE SAVED
The nerr 9haC Hero Suggests Large
Dock Yard In the philippines.
Pays High Tribute TO Chinese
Labor, and Predicts That Manila
. Will Succeed Hong hong as fhe
Oriental Shipping riefropolis.

Washington, Aug. 20-Naval Con-
struetor Richmond Pearson Hobson
WAS heard from by the navy dFpart-
ment yesterday for the first time at
any length since he was assigned to
duty in charge of the Spanish ships
raised from Manila harbor. and now
undergoing repairs a. Hong Kong.
His report is unusually Interesting,
dealing in general questions, such as
the need Of large dock yard in the
Orient, the increasing shipping at
| Manila, and the prospect that Manila
Will succeed Hongkong as the empori-
um of the eaS.;, the value of Chinese
labor in all branches of industry. etc.
He also says the three Spanish ships
which are completed, will be worth TO
the government about 500, 900, and he
| contemp-ates trying to raise three
| more Spanish vessels now at the bor-
tom of Manila bay. The letter is ad-
dressed to Rear Admiral Hichborn,
chief Of the bureau of construction and
is dated a. Hongkong, July II. He
says:
In compliance with the bureaus
directions, enclose a special report
on the raising and repairing of the
spanish vessels sunk in Manila bay.
The three vessels under reconstruc-
ton. the Isla de Cuba, Isla de Luzon.
and Don Juan de Austria, are at about
equal stages of completion, which | es-
innate to be about so psr cent. COM
pared with the vessels fitted out ready
for.sea- The batteries and electric
plant, which have nce arrived. will
doubtless D. the last items. 1 estimate
that the time of completion will be
about six weeks after the arrival of ar
mament and electric plant.
4 estimate the value of the vessels
when completed, sSxclusive of arma-
ment, to be about as fellows:
''Isla de Cuba-Hull fittings and ont
fit, $4,000; machinery, $4,000: total
s215, 1000. 80
'1sla de Luzon-Hull. etc. $4,000:
machinery $4,000; total s215,e0O.
Don Juan de Austria-Huu. ETC.,
s125,OOO; machinery, $4,000; StotaI
s1SO,OOO.
Total estimated value of all three
vessels. S61O,O0O.'' ;
He then shows that the raising and
reftting have cost about $780,, ,O0O, max
ing a net gain to the government on
the three vessels of S3O6, 900. He gives
the credit for this rsult to Naval Con-
structOr Capps, who made the con-
tracts. NIr. Hobson speaks of the
general good condition of the vessels.
and says:
This is particularly the case with
parts that remained completely sub
merged Thus the large engine pants
were scarcely injured at all. This
feature has an important bearing upon
the wrecks still in Manila bay which
expect to examine with divers when
he vessels now in hand are complet-
I'd. The longer period that they have
been immersed may not have serious
y injured the principal parts, and
there may be similar advantage TO
he government in further salvage,
as to the Don Antonio de
JHoa and the Velasco, sister ships to
he Don Juan de Austrias, which, from
I'll accounts, suffered less damage than
hose that have been raised
Mr.. Hobson then argues the desiGa-
'l-:y of a well-equipped United States
lockyard in the far east, as. he says,
he cost of private work is very high.
He adds:
There would be great advantage to
he government in the establishment
n the Philippines of a yard thorough
Y equipped with docks and plants
apable of doing all the work of dock
ng and repairing of the navy. The Brit
sh government IS undertaking such
n establishment here, though at great
ost, involving the making and re-
of a large part of the land
equired.
Attention should be called. how
ver, to the fact that the success and
advantage of such an establishments,
S indeed, the success of any industrial
in this part of the ORR
MT, would neceSSitate the employment
f Chinese labor This labor is net on
Y unlimited, but it is equal to practic-
lily all the requirements of modern
Industry. Chinese do all the work in
ide and out, for all the departments
f the shipyard. wl:te supervision be-
ng required only to show what is
wanted. The Chinese have remark
BILE natural aptitude. Their indus
rial capacity is simply marvellous To
he extent CT my observations and in
uiries, there is no place in modern in,
ustry that they cannot ILL.,