The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-16
WORK OF IMPROVING The NAVY
ANNUAL REPORT BY CHIEF CON
sTRUCToR HICHBoRN.
Many New Warships of Various De-
signs to Be Added-Trouble Over
Securing Necessary Armor.

Washington, Oct. 15.-In his annual
report to the secretary of the navy,
Chief Constructor Hichborn lays special
stress upon the Importance of contfnu-
ing the work of improving the plants
at the various navy wards, inviting
particular attention to these at Boston
and League Island. A plant is also
recommended at Algiers, La, as with
out it the new dock will be worthless
when completed.
Under the head of dry docks, the re-
port points out that the present build
ing programme does not affect the two
NEST important Layy yards, viz, New
York and Norfolk, at which a new
dock of the largest size is urgently
needed, in view of the rapid increase
of the number of b2ttleGhips in COM
mission.
Marine railways also are said to be
necessary for the economical handling
of torpedo boats, and two such are
recommended at New York and one
each at Portsmouth, League Island,
Norfolk, Port Royal and Mare Island.
Under the head of new construction,
the report sets out the fact that con-
tracts for the more important ships
authorized by the last congress could
not be let because of the limitation
placed upon the cost of the armor.
Nevertheless, complete specifications
for these vessels have been prepared
and are included in the report. Work
on the design for gunboat 16, to replace
the Michigan, has been suspended,
pending definition of the Characters
tics that will be permitted under the
treaty with Great Britain. Fourteen
vessels, with the exception of the Ches-
apeake and Princeton, torpedo boats or
tugs, were added to the navy during
the last fiscal year; four Spanish yes
sells sunk during the war were raised
and added, and seventeen small gun
boats were purchased or captured on
the Asiatic station and placed on the
list.
On the other hand, fortv-one vessels
were dropped from the naval list, in
Guiding the American line chartered
ships, number of auxiliary vessels
sold. the revenue cutters and light
house vessels turned back into their
old service and a couple of monitors.
On July l there We're building for the
navy forty-eight new vessels, in add
ton to those enumerated.
In view of the delay encountered IN
securing armor for the new ships at
satisfactory prices, the chief con-
structor feels that the time is opDor-
tune to renew his recommendation that
the department. contract with the snip
builder for the ships complete with
armor, instead of making separate con-
tracts for the latter.
Among the lessons of the war re-
ferred to in the report is the import
ance of sheathing ships. as well as re-
sstricting the use of combustible mater
ial upon them, and of fireproofing such
material as must be used. The severe
tests applied by the war TO our ships
under trying conditions of climate re-
suited satisfactorily, and little modifi-
cation of new designs has been found
necessary The extended use of cleo
tricity as an auxiliary Is recommended,
and tae bureau is making great prog
ress in this direction. sThe present
strength of tine corps of naval con- N
structors is said to be entireiy lnsaH +
c;ent and a considerable increase is
suggested. including an assistant chief
of the bureau
The report closes with detailed state
,,,ay,fe. frnrr, the constructors in charge
of the various navy yards of the work
performed and the plant necessary.