The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-16
BUILDING NAVAL VESSELS.
CONDITION OF THE NEW NAVY NOW
UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
Contracts for the Nine Important
Vessels Authorised by law Could
Not He Let Because Armor Cannot

WASHINGTON. Oct iS-In his annual
repor. 20 the secretary az the navy. Chief
Constructor Hiehhorn lays special stress
upon the Importance % continuing the
work OF improving the plants q; the vsri-
GUS navy yards. inviting particular asteD-
lCa 20 those at Boston ana League island.
A plant Is Also recommended 1T Agters,
La. as without II the new dock viii be
worthless when completed.
Under the head OF jrydocks. the report
points out that the present building pro-
sramme does Tot AFFECT the two most i'm
port navy yards. viz. New York and Nor
folk, al which a new dock OF the largest
size is urgently needed in view 81 the
rapid Increase of the number OK ba,ticShips
in commission.
Marine railways also are said 10 be nee
esSary for the economical handling Of tor
pedo boats and two such are recommended
az New York and one each AT Portsmouth.
League island. Norfolk Port Roya. and
Mare island.
Under the head OF new construction, the
report sets out the facts that contracts
FOR the more important ships authorized
hy the last congress could not be let be-
cause Of the limitation placed upon the
cost Of the armor. Nevertheless. com
plete specifications for these vessels have
been prepared and are included In the re-
port. Work on the design FOR gunhoat
No. Is. 10 replace the Michigan. has been
suspended. pending definition % the char
acteristics that viii be permitted under
the treaty with Great Britain. Fourteen
vessels. with the exception OF the Chesa-
peake and Princeton. torpedo boats or
tugs. were added to the navy during the
last fisca. year. four Spanish vessels sunk
during the war were raised and added and
seventeen small gunbcats were purchased
or captured on the lAsiatic station and
placed on the list. On the other hand for
zaxrN =
list. including the American line chartere!
ships. n number of auxiliary vessels sold.
the revenue cutters and lighthouse vessels
turned back to their old service and a
couple of monitors On July there were
building for the navy forty-eight new ves-
sells, In addition 20 those enumerated.
IN view Of the delay encountered In Sc
curing arInor from the new ships at salts
factory prices. the chief constructor teels
that the time is opportune to renew his
recommendation that the department con-
tract with the sh!pbuilder for the ship conn.,
p.eie with armor. instead of making sepa-
rate contracts for the latter
Some Of the lessons OF the war referred
10 in the report is the importance OF
shcathing ships. "a well as restricting the
use Of conbustible material upon them.
and Of fire-prooting such material as must
he used. The severe tests applied by the
warships under trying conditions of climate
resulted satisfactory and little modthcation
Of new designs has been found necessary.
The extended use OF electricity as an
auxiliary is recommended. and the bu-
reau is making great progress In this d.
reciion. The present strength OF the
corps of naval constructors Is said TO he
entirely insufficient and a considerable In
crease is suggested. including an assistant
chief Of the bureau.
The report closes with detailed state
ments from the constructors In charge OF
the various navy yards OF the work per-
formed and the plant necessary.