The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-15
NAVAL STRENGTH
TO Be INCREASED.
Congress Will Be Asked at the
Coming Session
To Authorize the Immediate Construction
Of Eighteen Warships.

Three Are to Be Armered Cruisers
of the Improved Brooklyn Type,
But Double the Size and For
midableness, Three Improved
Olympias, One-Third Larger.
and Proportionately More Pow
erful, and Twelve Gunboats Of
Type Recommended by Ad-
miral Dewey.
NEW YORK, Nov. IA special IL
the Tribune from Washington says.
The project for further naval ~in-
crease which Congress will be asked to
authorize at the next session for the
immediate construction involves eight
cen warshps, three of them armored
cruisers of the improved Brooklyn
type, but double the size and formid-
ableness of that excellent vessel; three
| improved Olympias, one-third larger
and proportionately more powerful than
the fine flagship that led the way into
Manila Bay, and twelve gunboats of d
type recommended by Admiral Dewey
as essential for the effective patrol OF
the Philippine Archipelago.
The latter class, to use the AdmiraPS
expression summing up the results OF
his experience in Asiatic waters, must
! be quickly built, must be able to go out
to Manila under their own steam, must
draw less water than any gunboat now
in the navy, must Inaneuver ably IN
tortuous channels and, above all, must
have sufficient protection to resist cap
ture if stranded. Such boats, in his
opinion, are needed now and will always
be needed to patrol the numerous chan
nels between the less civilized islands
Such vessels are intended to replace the
smaller gunboats which, in several in
stances, have proved unable to take
care of themselves when attacked in
force, although frequently demon
strating their ability in the prevention
of illicit traffic between the islands
carried on by small native craft.
This is the program now under con-
sderation by the Navy Board of Con-
struction, which was decided by Secre-
tary Long several weeks ago. to study
the needs of the army and to submit
recommendations for required additions
to the fleet. At the meeting of the
board to-day the members were dis
posed to divide the twelve gunboats
equally into two classes-one of 1,5ul
TONS about the displacement of the
Wheeling and the Marietta, and the
other of 800 tons, which will make
them smaller than any of the steel ves-
sells in the regular navy, although
larger than the Gloucester and other
converted yacht gunboats. For both
these classes of gunboats maximum
draught of eight feet is regarded as i'm
perative, which is nearly four feet less
than that of the Helena and the Will
mington, which were designed particu-
larly for river service, and which up
to this time are the hghtest draught
vessels in the service.
The proposed improved Olympias rep
resent a type that was recommended
to Congress last year, but which was
crowded out by the authorization CT
three battleships, three large armored
cruisers and six cruisers of $500 tons
The new cruisers are to be of 5000 tons
each and are to have the bow turret
and battery arrangement, which has
proved so admirable an arrangement
in the Olympia the extra 1000 tons
being devoted to increased coal-carry-
ing capacity and engine space and ra-
dius of action and heavier guns.
The board has shown some hesitancy
about recommending further increase
of armored vessels at the present time.
as six higher powered and larger arm
ored vessels than have yet been built
for the navy were authorized by the inst
Congress, and have not yet been de-
signed, and because 10000 tons of
armor are required for vessels already
authorized, amount which can
scarcely be delivered in less than four
years after its manufacture begins.
The necessity of more first-class
cruisers is, however, fully recognized
and the board to-day favored three of
about 1900 tons displacement. of a
type involving no marked departures
from that of the Brooklyn.
Every member of the board was en-
phatic for sheathing and cOppering all
these vessels to render them compare
lively independent of drydocks.
COST OF MAINTAINING SHIPS IN
SERVICE LAST YEAR.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.-According
to the annual report of the PaymasteT
General it costs ST., 1888, ia to maintain
IN commission Inc SHIPS Ill dSllNC
vice in the navy last year. For con-
struction of ships and purchase Of
ready built ships $9,964, 456 were ex-
pended. while S6,754,974 were absorbed
in repairs to ships.
There is said to be need of more
warehouses at the different navy yards
and stations. including the naval sta
ton at Cavite.
The employment Of refrigerator ships
for supplying fresh meats to the naval
vessels at Manila is declared to have
resulted most satisfactorily. The three
shps now used in this service are not
on1v able to serve the needs of the
navy. but also to provide large quanti-
ties of food for the army in the Philip
pines.
The only recommendations of import
ance in the report look to the extension
ia the navy Of the army privilege or
s,pplying officers through commissary
stores. and to the immediate filling up
If the nav corps to it's lawful strength,
H. order to meet the heavy demands
upon it.
Costly Fire at Liverpool.
LIVERPOOL, Nov. 14.-A fire to-day
DESTROYED the timber yards of H 7.
Ouavle Son, the Creosoting Company
ana r. Eysmond. A quantity OF fit
+inrs for troopships were also burned
;s, cot v,naf ef7 tn hSa f1(10 0O0