The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-23
BUILDING A NARSH|P
Is One of Uncle Sans Most
Complicated Tasks.
He LET'S OUT THE JOB
But Keeps His Eye on 1.-THE
ArmOr-PIate Deadlock

The building of a war-ship is one of the
most complex undertakings with which
the government has to deal, in spite OF
the apprent paradox that the government
does not build any of its war-ships In
former years some of them were con-
structed at the navy-yards, but now they
are practically all let to shlp-building
firms by contract. The process by which
War-ship comes into being stirs the en-
entire Navy Department with its various
bureaus, in addition TO Congress, con-
traitors, manufacturers and thousands of
laborers.
The first step in the building of a war
ship is the annual report of the Secretary
Of the Navy, in which he recommends to
the President the construction of certain
vessels of the definite type and class,
; suited for certain purposes. If these re-
concentrations meet with the Presidents
approval in his message the Secretary
o: some Of his friends confer with the
chairman of the committee on naval af-
fairs of the House of Representa- ves, and
secure the introduction of a bill Drovid-
ing for the construction of such vessels.
1t seldom happens that all the war-ves-
sells asked for by a Secretary of the Navy
are at once authorized, but of late years
Congress has not been niggardly in this
regard. In the bill. the aim is to state the
class Of war-vessel. fix its speed. and limit
the amount of its cost. Formerly the bill
contained an almost exhaustive plan Of
the vessel desired. but this practice ras
been abandoned.
After war-ship is authorized by Cen
gress, the Board of Naval CONSTRUCTION
IS called upon to furnish its pian. This
board consists of the chiefs of the Bu-
reaus of Construction, Steam Engineer
ing, Equipment and Ordnance, and the
Chief Intelligence Officer. The four chiefs
first mentioned, although captains, have
the rank of rear-adriraI, junior grade,
under the naval-personnel bill. The Chief
Intelligence officer has the rank of his
grade only. The present occupant Of the
office is a commander, but Capt Sigsbee
is soon to succeed him. The Chief Intel
ligence Officer reports to the board what
other countries are doing in naval con-
struction, and this is a valuable aid to
the work of the rest. AS is inevitable,
there is much strife between the various
bureaus in regard to the details Of the
plans. For example theChief of the Blu
reaU Of Steam Engineering insists that
steam is better motive power than cleo
tricity, aposition stoutly resisted by the
Bureau of EouipmerH.
In the division of work on the war
ship, the Bureau of Construction and Re
pair draws the plans and superintends
the building Of the ship. It has in charge
the hull as a whole ana the contracting
for the installation of the anchor devices
| steering and ventilating apparatus The
| Bureau of Steam Engineering is consult
| ed chiefly in regard to the propeLing ma
chine from the propeller to the forward
end Of the forward f1re-room. This in
cludes boilers of all descriptions. The Blu
reau of Ordnance has under its care the
guns and their manipulation, ammuni-
ton, and armor. The Bureau of Equip
ment has charge of the electric lights
and other electrical machinery, signals,
anchors. and chains. How these bureaus
work together on the same object may be
shown by the statement that the Con-
! struction Bureau revolves the turret, but
| the Ordnance Bureau supplies the ammu-
milton for the guns in the turret. the Or:
! dnance Bureau tests the armor-plate
while the Construction Bureau applies
that plate to the vessel.
| The length of time consumed IN decid-
| ing upon the plan of the vessel depends
upon whether that plan is entirely new
! or a modification Of an older one. Mod
iicaton is the usual course now, al
though some new types Of vessels have
recently been authorized, But the day
for phenomenon" and freak war-ves-
sells seems to be past. Some of the men,
! bers of the board are so utterly at var
| lance that it is found necessary to sub
nit a majority and a minority report TO
the Secretary. In any case he receives
! the report Of this board and from it de-
| cides the plan of the vessel. Advertise
! ments are then inserted in leading news
| papers, notifying ship-builders that bids
| will be received on a certain day and
that specifications and plans for the new
vessel may be found at the office OF the
Secretary. On the day set these bids are
opened and read in the presence of the
SECRETARY, usually in his outer reception
| room. Representatives of the bidding
! uFillS ana many udNdI officers are present
After the public reading of the bids they
are referred TO the Board of Naval Con-
struction. and it examines all 3nd decides
which bids are the cheapest and best.
1t often has decided also whether it will
accept certain notifications which the
bidder may have proposed. This report is
almost always accepted by the Secretary
who announces the name of the success
full bidder. and the work begins.
The Bureau Of Construction details an
officer to suDerintend the building OF the
vessel. The duties Of this officer are sim
ply to see that the contractor follows the
specifications to the minutest detail ANY
change in the plan or the substitution
of any different material cannot be made
without the consent Of the Secretary,
who LAYS himself open 70 criticism II he
consents to such changes as rule. since
they are almost always in the interest ot
A