The evening times., 1899-11-22
FIGH9ING SHIPS WANTED
Secretary Longs Programme for a
Naval Increase.
Congress to BE Asked to ApprOpri-
and Twelve GunbOats - Changes
Made by Reducing the Tonnage.
To Follow the Departments Plans.

The Secretary of the Navy has adopted
with some slight changes, as to the ton
mage of the vessels concerned, the pro-
gramme of naval increase recommended
by the Board on Construction, and In his
annual report to the President will advo-
cate the construction of the following yes
sells, Congress being asked to appropriate
the necessary amount for use during the
fiscal year beginning July l, 1900:
Three armored cruisers of about 1900
tons displacement each, three protected
cruisers of about 5000 tons displacement
each, and twelve gunboats of about 800
tons displacement each. The statement
that the Secretary will offer this recon-
mendation is made authoriiatively.
The programme adopted by the Board on
Construction which served as the basis of
the Secrstary's recommendations provided
for three armored cruisers of about Is, 500
tons each, three protected cruisers of about
5000 tons each, six gunboats OF about 1000
tons each, and six gunboats Of about 500
tons each.
The only changes made by the Secretary
are in pairing down the tonnage of the ar
mored cruisers and consolidating the gum
boats in one class, splitting the difference
in the tonnage recommended by the board.
Much doubt was expressed in naval cir
cles that the department would decide to
recommend any armored ships. 1t was
generally believed that in view of the
fact that the department had to include
armor clads in its suggestive programme
to the Board on Construction the board s
recommendation as TO armored vessels
would be rejected by Secretary Long.
The twelve gunboats are designed for
service In the Philippines. They were rec
commended by Admiral Dewey. They are to
be of light draft somewhat similar to the
Marietta and the Wheeling with better
speed. The department would prefer to
have vessels of even lighter draft than
these. but the seaworthiness of such ships
was questioned.
The Navy Department has decided to
follow the recommendation of the majority
of the Naval Board on Construction. that
the contracts for the building of the six
new cruisers be awarded on the de-
partments plans. The department has not
+ determined. however, whether it will fol-
low the recommendation of the board that
the contracts be awarded to the six firms
named by the board.
In view of representations made to the
department by the firm of Townsend &
Downey, of New York, that, as the lowest
bidder 1t should be awarded the contract
, for constructing one of the vessels, the
Secretary of the Navy today directed the
Board of Inspection 10 make another ex-
animation of the shipbuilding plant of
{ Townsend & Downey, and report whether
the firm had the facilities for building a
cruiser. The firm Of Townsend & Downey
was omitted from the list of bidders re2-
commended by the Board on Construction.
After the bids were submitted, the Navy
Department sent Lieutenant Commander
Berry, of the Engineer Bureau, and Naval
Constructor Zahm, 10 inspect the plant OF
Townsend & Downey, which had never en-
tered into shipbuiIding competition before.
They reported that there was no doubt OF
the ability of the firm to build cruiser,
but expressed the opinion that it is ques-
tionable whether the Government should
grant the contract as the firm had never
constructed a war vessel, and did not have
all the necessary tools.