Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-04

| with armor and for the armored vessels
| authorized and not vet contracted for
| His recommendation is as follows
Should Remove Restriction.
ut is urgently recommended that In the
early days of Its next session Congress en-
act such special legislation, by joint reso-
luton or otherwise, as may be necessary to
enable the department to make contracts
early in the coming year for 1855 tons of
armor Of the best quality that can be OBJ
tanned in this country for the Maine, Ohio
and Missouri, and that the provision of the
act of March 3, 1899, limiting the price of
armor to $500 per ton, and the restriction
preventing the armored vessels therein au-
thorized from being contracted for until
the armor therefor is contracted for, be re-
moved.
Whatever may be the future action of
Congress regarding the establishment of a
government armor factory. it can hardly
AFFECT the supply of arrnor for the Maine
ONO ana Missouri as it will under any
circumstances be impracticabe to obtain it
from such source in reasonable time to
complete the vessels above referred to-
Secretary Long refers to the return of
Admiral Dewey to the United States and
his enthusiastic welcome from the whole
country. After speaking of the New York
reception and the swoTd-prescntation in
Washington, the Secretary sums up by say
Ing 1t was the nations tribute"
miscellaneous Matters.
Among the other topics treated are the
fostering of the naval reserve represent
ing the whole country and closely related
10 the national naval establishment: the
construction of barracks for enlisted men:
and the need of additional dry docks and
the change of the League Island and the
Mare Island docks from timber to stone
and concrete. The Secretary SAYS the sur
vey of the trars-Pacitic cable route indi-
Gates that it will be entirely practicable.
1t is intended also to survey cable route
from Guam to Yokohama. The twelve-inch
gun has been so greatly developed that it
has been designated as the best gun for
the latest battle ships, instead of the thir-
teen-lnCh gun. Many improvements in ma
val ordnance are under way, including uni
form caliber for small arms and machine
guns.
Work on the design of gunhoat No 1G. 20
replace the Michigan ON the great lakes,
has been suspended pending negotiations
with Great Britain for modification of the
treaty
Improvement in Navy Personnel.
June 30, 1889 the enlisted force of the
navy numbered 1870 petty officers and TO-
III men and apprentices, a total of IA 501.
The Secretary says it is gratifying to note
the continued Improvement of the enlisted
force and the increase of the percentage
of American citizenship. Eighty-eight per
cent of the petty officers citizens of the
United States and SO per cent of the re-
mainder have declared their intention of be-
coming citizens. SeVenty-fve per cent of
the enlisted men are citizens and As per
cent of the remainder have declared their
Intentions of becoming citizens.
In the case of the apprentices over 81
per cent are native born. The total number
OF apprentices in the service on June 90
was 2,22l: 1t is from the apprentice system
that the department has hoped to gradually
build up the tone of the enlisted force Of
the navy, and to finally make it entirely
American.
Making smokeIess Powder.
On the subject of srnokeIess powder the
report says:
Immediately after the close of the war
with Spain the purchase of brown powder
was discontinued and the manufacturers
were directed to turn their attention exclu-
sivey to the manufacture of smokeless
powder. SO far as their orders for the navy
were concerned. They have made commen-
dab!e progress, and are turning out a salts
factory product in considerable quantities
Il is proposed to supply all new ships with
sm"keless powder and the powder for the
hearsarge, Kentucky and Alabama Is now
ready for them The older vessels will also
be supplied as rapidly as possible.
me government powder factory at In
dian Head is progressing favorably and
will be completed in a few months I'm
aNoldable delays In obtaining materials
nave retarded its progress to some extent
and it Is preferable to do good rather than
nasty work. 1t is neither expected nor de-
sired to enter into competition at these
works with private manufacturers, except
as 10 quality, It being the policy of the de-
partment to foster the commercial industry
upon which the country must largely draw
its supply"
Comparison With the Powers.
In order to show what other great powers
are doing in the matter of naval construc-
ton as compared with our own, the Score
tary gives tabular statements showing the
tonnage laid down by each nation in 1850
and the total tonnage now under construc-
lon, from which ii appears that only Italy
ana Japan laid down less tonnage than this
country during the present year and that
Italy alone has less tonnage under CON
strUctiOn.
As usual. England heads the list in naval
tonnage laid down and under construction,
and is followed in the order named by
france, Russia, Germany United States
Italy and Japan.
Nearly 100000, 900 Expended
The report contains a statement of the
amount expended on the new navy. show
ing in detail the cost of each finished shin
since the rebuilding of the feet began In
1888 with the Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and
Dolphin, and the amount expended to date
on those under construction The total
actual cost of finished vessels was sos, 529-
Oh, and the estimated final cost of vessels
now IN course OF construction is $62, J70, go
consolidation of Naval Bureaus
recommendation is made for the con-
soltdatiOn of naval bureaus On this sub
ject Secretary Long says:
In the opinion of the department it
would be in the interest of good business
organization and economy to consolidate
the three bureaus of construction and re-
pair steam engineering and equipment
under one head. These bureaus have to do
with the construction and fitting out of
vessels; in one word, the material of the
ship 1t Is an integral work. When n con-
tract Is made for the construction of a shin
1t Is made with one builder. 1t is not given
part to Il constructor of hulls, part to a
steam-engne manufacturer and part to an
Quitting firm. Whatever various trades
enter into the work are all under one head
This is the method of private shipyards
which build the largest ships and which are
not left to the administration of three
heads between whom delicate questions of
respective authority and responsibility are
liable to arise. resulting In delays and too
often in friction and lack of harmony IF CO.
operation.
Each of the above bureaus has now.
during the construction of naval vessels
Its separate inspectors at each yard
consolidated bureau could of course. be
run much cheaper than three bureaus and
saving made bN, nf, A.,