The San Francisco call., 1899-12-04
LONG RECOMMENDS THE
BUILDING OF NEW SHIPS
In His Annual Report the Secretary
Points Out Ways Of Improving
the Service.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 3.-The annual re-
port OF Secretary OF the Navy Long,
which has just been made public. recon-
mends that Congress be requested TO au-
thorize the construction OF the following
vessels:
Flrst-Three armored cruisers OF about
| 1900 tons trial displacement. or maxi
mum draught at deep load not 10 exceed
26 feet, carrying the heaviest armor and
most powerful ordnance for vessels OF
their class, 10 be sheathed and coppered
and to have the highest practicable speed
and great radius Of action.
Second-Twelve gunboats OF about 900
tons trial displacement, 10 be sheathed
and coppered.
Third-Three protected cruisers OF about
5000 tons trial displacement. carrying the
most powerful ordnance for vessels Of
their class, to be sheathed and coppered.
and to have the highest practicable speed
and great radius of action.
| The increase in the tonnage OF the last
three named vessels from 5000 tons, as
recommended a year ago, TO 5000 tons is
suggested by the Naval Board on Con-
struction as better adapted 70 the present
needs Of the service. The same board is
also OF the opinion that II any OF the fore
going vessels are authorized. the law
should provide that in case satisfactory
/ bids cannot be obtained for their con-
/ structlon by contract, the department
shall have authority. TO construct the
same in the navy yards.
In the opinion OF the department, the re-
/ port continues, II would be In the interest
/ OF good business organization and econ
/ omy to consolidate the three Bureaus OF
Construction and Repair, Steam Engl-
neering and Equipment under one head
4 Each Of these bureaus has now, during
/ the construction Of naval vessels, It's sep
arate inspectors at each yard. A consoli-
dated bureau could, OF course, be run
much cheaper than three bureaus and
great saving made by a reduction OF the
now three separate working forces, both
| clerical and mechanical, especially IN
navy yards. Fewer naval officers would
/ be needed, there would be but one
staff instead Of three, so that more OIL
GERS would be available for other duty.
Attention IS invited to the recommended
ton of the Chief OF the Bureau Of Yards
/ and Docks that the grade OF assistant
civil engineer be established in addition
/ to that of civil engineer. and that the
( number OF officers in the corps OF Civil
/ Engineers be increased 10 thirty. At pres
/ ent the corps Is composed OF twenty-One
/ This number is not sufficient for the
/ proper conduct OF the work Of designing.
building and maintaining the public works
/ OF the navy. There are at present four
/ craving docks Of the largest size and one
| steel dock under construction, and others
may be authorized. Many new buildings
/ are also in process or contemplation OF
| construction at the various navy-yards.
and a number OF new yards established in
/ our ItGtHlly dCNAlIeu UOSSeSSlOuS Qt-
mand the attention of a civil engineer.
| The duties devolving upon the Bureau OF
Yards and Docks. therefore. have been
greatly increased, and larger staff OF
| civil engineers is necessary II a proper
supervision Is TO be maintained over the
important improvements. which require
| careful watching while IN progress and
| constant attention after completion.
Several OF the foreign built vessels that
the Spanish American War We're after
I ward offered for sale. as provided by
law, and bid upon, but were subsequently
/ withdrawn from sale, owing 10 the fact
that the Treasury Department, acting in
| accordance with an opinion OF the Attor-
ney General, refused, although the bid
istry in such cases on the ground that
the statutes governing such matters ex-
cluded them from the privileges granted
| TO vessels OF domestic build.
Therefore, in order that purchasers OF
vessels of the kind referred TO may be
given the benefits Of the shipping laws,
! II Is necessary that Congress, II II ap-
proves of such action, enact a measure
providing that all vessels hereafter
! Government. no matter where built or
| how procured by II, shall be entitled by
virtue OF such purchase TO all the rights
! and privileges allowed by law TO vessels
| built in the United States.
The department submitted a bill to the
last Congress for the organization. OF a
| national naval reserve. which IL is hoped
| Will be enacted into law during the COM
| Ing session. The navy afioat has in
creased 10 SuCn an extent as to make IL OF
great Importance that there should be a
/ reserve upon which TO call in time OF war
The officer In charge OF the naval militia
In his annual reports makes certain rec
concentrations IN this connection, 10
which attention is invited. It IS deemed
TO be very important that n n reserve
| representing the whole country and re-
lated directly 10 the national naval es-
tablisment, should be fostered and made
| ready for call.
The department approves the recon-
mendauon or the surgeon general that
provision be made to transfer the eighteen
or nineteen volunteer assistant surgeons
who served during the Spanish war and
are still in the service. 10 the regular
navy, without limitation as TO age This
| Increase in the medical corps is made nee
essary by reason OF the large increase in
| the number OF enlisted men in the navy
and marine corps, made at the last ses-
OF new hospitals in the recently acquired
possessions.
Attention is called to the recommenda-
tion OF the chief OF the Bureau of Edu.o-
| ment and the photographer OF that M
reau that the Photographic Office be au-
thorized by Congress TO construct charts
/ OF our own coast on the Mercator pro-
lection. Under the law, as at present
the work OF charting the coasts and wa
tiers OF the United States is performed by
Treasury Department. The department
| believes that the work OF chartinT fhe
wa ers Of the United States should prop
erly be done by the photographic Once
OF the Navy Department
The report declares that the most i'm
portant question pertaining to naval CON
struction al the present time and one
that demands prompt attention Is thai
or the armor for vessels now buiIdIng
and for others authorized but not vel
contracted for on account OF the provision
| In the act Of March 3. 1899, prohibit:ng
| the department from contracting for the
vessels therein authorized until contract
has been made for the armor therefor
within $500 ton. The price fixed is one
for which even inferior armor can NOT
be obtained and the department has
therefore been unable TO invite proposals
| for the three battleshlps and the three
| armored cruisers authorized by the act
| OF March 3. 1899.
1t is urgently recommended that n The
early days or its next session Congress
! enact such special legislation by 1oint
resolution or otherwise. as may be ne
cessary to enable the department 10 make
contracts early in the coming year for
| 1858 tons OF armor OF the best quality
that can be obtained in this country for
the Maine. Ohio. and Missouri and that
the provision of the act of March g. 1899
| limiting the price OF armor 10 500 per
ton and the. restriction preventing the
armored vessels therein authorized from
being. contracted for until the arTnUr
therefor Is contracted for be removed.