Arizona republican., 1899-03-13
Greatest Showing Since Close
 of Civil War.
HOW SHIPS ARE CLASSIFIED
Admiral Dewey Has Larger Number OfVeSSeIS Under His Command Alone Than There Was in inc Home Fleet Two Years Ago. Over Fifty New Ships Being Constructed.

Washington, March 12.-Some in-
 teresting facts are given in the new
 naval register concerning the present
 strength of the service afloat as well
 as the extent of the building pro-
 gramme' being carried out. The list
 of vessels shows the navy contains
 twice as many as at any other period
 since the civil war. which closed with
 G23 on the rolls. There are not so
 many now, including all classes. as
 there were then but for fighting efli-
 ciency the fleets are unquestionably
 superior to what they ever were be-
 fore in the history of this country.
 The building list shows also that never
 before have so many ships been under
 construction at once; but this is to be
 accounted for by the liberality of con
 gress last summer in authorizing SD
 large a number of destroyers and tor
 pedo boats.
 The new register changes the class.
 lfication of some vessels. It shows that at present there are more coIIiers and steamers on special service than
 there were vessels Of all types in the navy ten years ago. Of the first-ratc there are eleven ships, including four hrst-class battleships; one second-cIass
 battleShip, the Texas; two armored cruisers, the Brooklyn and New York: two protected cruisers. the flyers Co., lumbia and Minneapolis: the double turret monitor Puritan. which is rank fol,
 and the flagship Olympia. with Ad- mlral Dewey's command, which brings up the tail end of first-rate vessels. or the second-rate there arc eigktean. tr which has been added in the last year the Chicago, the largest and most formidable of her class. Next to the Chicago are the Baltimore and Phila- delphla, and then come in order of efficiency, according to the register. the double-turret monitor Monterey. known as Black Betsy" the protected cruisers Newark, San Francisco and Charleston, all above 4,OO0 tons dis placement except the last; the double turret monitors Miantonomah. AmpIli- trlte. MonadnOck and Terror, the pro 4 bany, both acquired for the war and the Lancaster, Cincinnati Raleigh. Atlanta and Boston, the Lancaster be ing the only wooden vessel in the list | and one of the remnants Of the old | navy.
 The third-rate vessels show an in crease over last year, there being now forty-two, including the old monitors | which come under this classification | Vessels of the Detroit and MarbIehead | type are of the third rate. The old | Hartford, Farraguts flagship at Mo- bile, heads the last with 100 tons more | displacement than the MayHower. bought during the war period. Third rate vessels include all between /. TOO [ tons and 1000 tons displacement. or | the fourth-rate there are only six With the dynamite hurler Vesuvius at the head, the Petrel next and the old Pinta at the bottom. All vessels of this rate are new ships except two Rated behind these vessels are thirty seven torpedo boats, the majority Inf which are nearly completed, and next are twelve navy yard tugs, six old sail ing ships, including the Constellation and Jamestown, six receiving ships. and fifteen vessels classed as unservice able, three-fourths of which have been assigned to state militia organizations for practice drills
 The pending building programme presents the largest array of vessels under construction known since the new navy was undertaken. There are eight frst-class battleships under con struct1on, all more powerful than those now ln service; one submarine torpedo boat, four monitors, sixteen destroyers, a sailing ship, a gunboat and a number or tugs, besides the twelve new shins just authorized by congress
 Forty-five cruisers and yachts, all Of which practically were purchased for the war and are retained for service. are shown to be also a part of the navy. These include such vessels as the Buffalo, Yankee, Badger, GIouces- | ter Eagle, Hist, Panther and Hornet The number of colliers and steamers for special service is greater than the number of vessels of the first and sec Ond-rate. There are thirty-tvo of i these, the majority of which are i'll I active service. Three-fourths are to ( be retained by the navy. Every ship ' of this class was purchased for the j war l The register will show that, leaving . put the North Atlantic station, Ad- t niral Dewey has more vessels attached l to his command than there are on all c