The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-09-15
f|F1Y-FOUR SHIPS.
Now Building for United
States Navy.
Eleven Battleships. Four Monitors
and Three Armovsd Cruisers Are
Included In the List.

WASHINGTON. August 3l.-The
Secretary of the Navy has directed
that all estimates for requirements for
the naval service next year shall be
submitted by tomorrow, september !.
thus giving him three months for CO.
ordinating them for submission to
Congress. Accordingly the several
naval bureaus have been active Oh late
preparing their final figures. and all
the estimates, with the exception OF
those relating to armor and ordnance,
will be on hand tomorrow. They show
In general considerable increase all
along the line, owing to Che rapid ae-
velopments Of the navy. the unprece-
dented amount Of naval shipbuilding
now in progress and the enlarged de-
mands growing out Of the war and the
acquisition of new territory.
The largest. item is $1S.OOO,0oO. un-
der the head Increase OF the Navy"
which is 100000 more than any pre-
vious estimate under this head. 1t is
due to the unusual number of war
ships now in course OF construction.
aggregating ffty-four in all classes. a
total much in excess OF the number
under construction at any previous
time in the history Of the navy. These
include eleven battleships, four mont
tors, three armored cruisers. six pro-
tected cruisers, thirty-three destroyers
and torpedo boats and several miscel-
laneous craft, submarine boats, etc.
The item of Increase Of the Navy"
covers the work already authorized
and now in course OF construction,
both in engineering and structural
branches, and is concurred in by Ad-
mirals Hichborn and Melville, chiefs
of the construction and of the engin-
eering bureaus, respectively.
Admiral Melville will also make es-
Inmates for new engineering plants,
equipment, tools, buildings, etc, at
Norfolk, Port Royal, Port Orchard and
Mare Island, Cal. The plants are old
and the requirements now made on
them induce the chief engineer to
recommend the most modern appli-
ances and such remodeling Of build
ings as will bring them up to date.
Admiral Endicott. chief of the bu-
reau of yards and docks. will recon-
mend two more large drydocks on the
Atlantic seaboard, one at New York
and the other at Norfolk, The estim-
ate will be about 81 $500 each.
Admiral O'Neil's estimate on armor
and ordnance will be held until his re-
turn next Monday, as he has been CIV
ing much personal attention to this
item. The>price Of armor-plate will
have to be settled by Congress and a
large quantity Of armor authorized.
The armor concerns refused to bid on
the $500 fixed as the limit of cost by
the last Congress, so that further leg
islation is necessary In order to pro-
vide for the many ships now nearing
ccmpletion.
Aside from the bureau estimates the
Secretary Of the Navy will prepare
such estimates as he deems expedient
for the new ships. There Is no intima-
ton thus far as to what new ships
will be recommended, but the impress
sion prevails in well informed naval
quarters that the Secretary will con-
fine his recommendation to three 60OO-
ton protected cruisers, to cost about
81 100000 each. These were recon.
nended last year and were the only
ships not authorized by Congress, SC
that it is thought likely the need OF
them will again be presented.