The times., 1899-10-16
THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY
Rear Admiral HichborH's Report
Describing Them Is Issued.
Machinery, Buildings. and Docks Re-
uuired in Nearly All Yards-What
Has Been Accomplished During the
Last Fiscal Year-New Vessels and
the Dates of Expected Completion.


the Bureau of Construction of the Navy
| Department, has submitted his report of
the work done in his department for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1899, together
with estimates for appropriations required
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901.
The estimates given for construction and
repairs for the fiscal year 1899 to 1900 is
| 81, 901, ,277, and fort fiscal year ending
June 80, 1901 is $9,148,77O, total of sf7.-
042 047 for this department for the two
years. The Bureau of Steam Engineering
will require for 1s99-1900 So, ,964, and
for 19OO-19O1 s4,64o,97o, a total of $40, 367,-
934, and total for two years of $27, ,4O9,9S1.
The balance in the Treasury is $S,676 $50.
| leaving $1S 733, sol to be appropriated for
1900-1901. The report says:
'fThe increase in the estimate under the
title, Construction and repair of vessels
over the amount asked for last year is re-
quired for the maintenance and repair of
the large number of ships now in commits
sion or about to be commissioned, and for
extensive repairs to the older vessels of the
new Navy 1t has been and will continue
to be found necessary to expend compare
| lively large sums in connection with the
repairs of the older vessels, in making the
alterations necessary for their efficiency
according to modern ideas and practice.
| For instance, the alterations and repairs
| to the Cincinnati and Raleigh, now under
way, will require an expenditure of about
| $500 600 under this bureau.
"This estimate is based upon expendi-
| lures during the last year and those Of the
first two months of the present year, dur
| ing which time it has been found necessary
to exceed the proper proportionate monthly
allowance for the various yards.
| The steam lighter for the Portsmouth
| navy yard is necessary for handling moor
| ings transporting stores, machinery, guns,
| boats. ammunition, and drafts of men, and
| for handling weights or for use as tug or
a water boat"
Condition of the Ynrds.
In regard to the condition of navy yards
the report says:
During the past two years the condi-
ton of the navy yard plants, taken as a
whole, has been much improved by the ex-
penditure of special appropriations for that
purpose. This worw, however, cannot be
regarded as completed, even in the case Of
the yards which have been continuously ae-
tive and thus received most attention,
while the needs of some of the other yards
| are pressing. Every consideration of sound
| policy demands that the existing plants
| now in good condition should keep pace
| in the matter of improvements with out
! side establishments, while defective plants.
particularly those at yards properly situ-
ated with respect to labor and material
markets, should be placed in efficient con-
clifton and so maintained.
There is included in the estimates the
sum of s210,000 for repairs TO and improve
ment of navy yard plants, being $1,000 each
for the Port Royal naval station and Pen
sacola navy yard and $4,000 each for the
navy yards at Portsmouth, Boston, New
| York, League Island, Norfolk and Mare
| Island, and the naval stations at Puget
Sound and Algiers, La.
| THE completion of the additional dry
docks now authorized and appropriated for
| will, to a certain extent, remedy the un-
fortunate condition now arising from lack
of docking facilities particularly with ref
erence to the larger vessels. 1t should be
pointed out, however, that the present
programme does not affect the two most
| important navy yards, viz, New York and
| Norfolk, at each Of which a new dock
capable of taking the largest vessels is
| urgently needed.
THE number of battleships in commits
sion will be double in the near future, and
the time is not very far distant when ex-
| tensiye repairs to the earlier ones may be
required. 1t is important that the yards
capable of handling this work properly in
other respects should not be crippled by
inadequate docking facilities"
Two marine railways are urgently recon-
| So 4lo Ri rd md
one each at Portsmouth, N. H., League
Island. Pa, Norfolk, Va, Port Royal, S.
c., and Mare Island, Cal
Designs for BattIesbips.
The preliminary designs have been pre-
pared for three seagoing coast-line battle
ships, three armored cruisers and three
protected cruisers, but work has been sus-
pended owing to the clause in the act for
bidding the letting of contracts for hulls
until after the armor shall have been con-
tracted for at price within the limit set
by Congress.
The following vessels have been tried
and accepted since the last report: The
composite gunboat Princeton; torpedo
boats Guin, Mckee, Morris, Rodgers. Tai
bot, Mackenzie, Farragut, Rowan, Davis,
and Fox; the practice ship Chesapeake and
tugs Penacook and Pawtueket. The Reina
Mercedes, Don Juan de Austria, Isle de
Cuba, and Isla de Luzon, Spanish ships
sunk during the war, have been raised
and added to the Navy and the following
gunboats and tugboats have been purchased
or captured from Spain. Albay, Belusan
Caliamianes. El Cano Guardoqui, Manil-
emo, Mariyeles, Mindro Pampango, Panay
Paragua. Petrelita, Rapido Samar, Sureste
Urdanet, and Vasco
The following vessels have been dropped
from the Navy, having been either return
ed to those from whom they were charter
ed, sold, or now in the hands of the Treas
ury officials:
st. Louis, st. Paul, Harvard, Yale. City
of Pekin, Arctic, Buccaneer, Free Lance
Algonquin, Calumet, Corwin, Grant, Ores
ham, Hamilton, Hudson, Manning, Nc
Culloch, McLane, Morrill,. Perry, Rush
Thetis, Window. Woodbury., Armenia
Mangrove, Maple, Suwanee. Albatross, Fish
Hawk, Ajax, Comanche, Passaic, Wyan-
dotte, Governor Russell, East Boston, Vul-
can, Niagara, Enquirer Scipio, and Cul-
goa.
More than fifty vessels were surveyed
and repaired during the past fiscal year
several OF them being repaired twice, al
an expense of about 100000.
Following are the vessels being built
their percentage of completion, and proba-
bic date of completion: Kentucky, 80, Feb
ruary, 1900; Illinois, 6S, October, 1900; Ala
bama. SS, January. 1900 Wisconsin. 10, May
|, 1900; Maine, 8, June, 1901; Missouri. /
February, 1902 Ohio, 2, March 5, 1902;
Arkansas, 1, September, 1901; Connecticut
10, March 10. 1901; Florida, 9, April. 1901
Wyoming, u. March 5, 1901; Albany, 80
1 No H.,