Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-12-11


to make contracts early in the coming
year for 1853 tons of armor of the best
quality that can be obtained in this
country for the Maine, Ohio and Mis-
souri,, and that the provision of the act
of March 3, 1899, limiting the price Of
armor to $500 ton, and the restriction
preventing the armored vessels there
in authorized from being contracted
for until the armor therefor is con-
tracted for, be revised. Whatever may
be the future action of congress regard
ing the establishment OF government
armor factory, it can hardly affect the
supply of armor for the Maine, Ohio
and Missouri, as it will under any cir
cumstances be impracticable to obtain
it from such a source in reasonable
time to complete the vessels above re
ferred to-
Secretary Long refers to the return
of Admiral Dewey and his enthusiastic
welcome. After speaking of the New
York reception and the sword presen-
tation in Washington, the secretary
sums up by saying it was the nations
tribute.
Among the many other topics treated
is that for fostering the naval reserve,
the consolidation of the Naval Bureaus
of Engineering and Equipment in the
interest of more harmonious action
and a review of the various bureau
notifications.
He says the survey of the trans
Pacific cable route indicates that it will
be entirely practicable. 1t is intended
to survey a cable route from Guam to
Yokohama. It is proposed to supply
all new ships with smokeless powder.
The 12-inch guns be so greatly de-
VelOped that it had been designated as
the largest gun of the battleships in
stead of the 13-inch gun. Many i'm
provements in naval ordnance are I'M
der way, including uniform caliber for
small arms and machine guns. Work
on the design of gunboat number six
teen to replace the Michigan on the
Great Lakes has been suspended pend
ing modification of the treaty with
Great Britain.
The secretary gives table showing
naval construction going on abroad, as
compared with the United States. From
this it appears that only Italy and
Japan laid down less tonnage than this
country during the present year, and
that Italy alone had less tonnage IN
der construction. The total tonnage
under construction is: England, $751;
$50; France, 255, $685. Germany, 148, 235;
Italy, 120,540; Japan, 100000; Russia,
1886; United States 123, 236.
In reference to the construction of
the navy the secretary says: ''In order
to show the amount expended on the
new navy the department has had pre-
pared in the Bureau of Supplies and
Accounts table which shows in de-
tail the cost of each finished ship since
the rebuilding of the fleet began in
1883 and the amount expended on those
under construction. A recapitu1ation
follows:
For hull and machinery SOL PIT ,562.1O
For armor and armament 1921 08200
For equipment Bureau of
Equipment ........... 2,439, 628.00
Actual cost Of finished yes. SO, 529, 511.85
Estimated final cost YES
sci now in course of
construction ........... 62,570, 61023
Secretary Long says that the de-
partment has accepted nine vessels
which have been constructed, five tor
pedo boats, one practice boat, two
tugs and the battleship Kearsarge.
The secretary then says that in addi-
ton to the new warships, four Span
ish meats, namely: Reina Mercedes. |
Don Juan de Austria, Isle de Cuba and
Isle de Luzon, sunk during the war
with Spain, have been recovered and
made serviceable for the navy. The |
total cost of raising and repairing
them is estimated at $305,000, while
their value is computed at twice the
amount.
The secretary then says: "SOme de- |
lay has occurred on vessels under con-
struction through the inability of the
contractors to procure armOr and other
material and the lack of experience on
the part of some of them in building
COIp6uO CIdAC, d1u Cue udC6o VI Gull
pletion in somes cases have been some
what postponed from those given in
my last report.
Work on the design of gunboat No.
Is, to replace the Michigan on the
great lakes, has been suspended await
ing the notifications of the treaty with
Great Britain.
TEE EHDADuiH TINKC