The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-12-09
WANTS MORE SHIPS.
Secretary Long Urges Further ln-
crease of Our Navy and Makes
other Suggestions.

| Washington, Dec 4.-The annual report
OF the secretary of the navy. Just made pup
| lie, is a document of unusual interest, deal
| ing not only with the work OF the navy
| during the past year and important recon-
mendations for the future. but also dis
| cussing the more important questions re-
| lating to the navy, including the authori-
| cation of Is new warships, the imperative
need OF special legislation in the early
| days of congress for armor of the best
| quality that can be obtained and the prop
| osition that the thanks OF congress DC
| given to the commandments OF inc
! North Atlantic squadron and to the oih-
GERS and men under his command for the
| part they took In the naval operations at
! Santiago.
| The secretary urges President Mckinley
| TO call congress attention to the valorous
| deeds of the North Atlantic squadron TO
| the end that Rear Admiral Sampson and
| the men under him may have at least equal
| honor with Admiral Dewey and his sup
porters at the battle of Manila. He sug-
| gests presentation Of medals OF honor; 10
| the brave men.
| These larger items of the report receive
| extended attention at the hands OF Sec
rotary Long. AS to the increase OF the
navy he says:
THE number of large. swift and power
| full armored cruisers of great coal endur-
| ance in our navy is largely disproportionate
| to the rest of the naval establishment
| The experience of the last year has also
| shown the need of several smaller vessels
| usually classed as gunboats. 1t is there
| fore recommended that congress be re-
| quested to authorize the construction OF the
| following vessels:
First. Three armored cruisers of about
| 1900 tons displacement OF maximum
draught Of deep load net to exceed rs feet,
| carrying the heaviest armor and most pow
| erfu ordnance for vessels OF their class,
to be so sheathed and\coppered as to have
the highest practicable speed and greatest
| radius of action.
Second. Twelve gunboats of about 900
tons trial displacement to be sheathed and
coppered.
And. third. as recommended a year ago,
three protected cruisers of about 5000
tons trial displacement. carrying the most
powerful ordnance for vessels of this class,
to be sheathed and coppered and to have
the highest possible speed and great radius
| of action"
The secretary adds in this connection that
! the S,0O0-ton protected cruisers are consid-
cred better adapted to the present needs
of the navy than the 6,0O0-ton ships rec
commended last year. He also asks that II
satisfactory bids cannot be obtained for
the new ships authority be given to build
them at the United States navy yards.
Concerning armor for warships the Sec
rotary says: The most important ques-
ton pertaining to naval construction at the
present time, and one that demands prompt
attention, is that of the armor for vessels
I now building and for others authorized but
not yet contracted for on account of the
provision in the act of March 3, 1899 pro-
hibiting the department from contracting
for the vessels therein authorized until
contract has been made for the armor
therefor within $500 ton. The price fixed
is one for which even Inferior armor can
not be obtained, and the department has
therefore been unable to invite proposals
for the three battleships and the three
armored cruisers authorized by the act of
March 3, 1889" The secretary then shows
that 1853 tons of armor are needed for the
battleships Maine, Ohio and Missouri,
about 5000 tons for the new battleships not
yet begun and about 100 tons for the ar
mored cruisers already authorized, a total
Of about q 45S tons He says that $500 a
ton probably will buy armor made by the
ordinary process Of face hardening, which,
though good, is not the best, and the de-
| partment does not therefore consider II
suitable for vessels of the Maine class
| After pointing cut the features of the new
process of making armor and its adoption
by leading maritime nations except the
| United States, the secretary says: THE
department desires to make use of such
| armor for the vessels now building which
are yet unsupplied with armor. and for the
| armored vessels authorized and not yet
| contracted for"
His recommendation is as follows: 1T Is
| urgently recommended that in the early
| days of It's next session congress enact such
| special legislation, by joint resolution or
| otherwise, as may be necessary to enable
the department to make contracts early in
| the coming year for 1855 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 per ton, and the restriction prevent
ing the armored vessels therein authorized
| from being contracted for until the armor
therefor Is contracted for. be removed.
Whatever may be the future action of con-
gress regarding the establishment of gov
eminent armor factory, 1t can hardly affect
the supply of armor for the Maine, Ohio
and Missouri, as II will under any circum-
stances be impracticable to obtain 1t from
such a source in reasonable time to COM
plete the vessels above referred to-"
Secretary Long refers 10 the return of
Admiral Dewey and his enthusiastic well
come from the whole country. After speak
ing of the New York reception and the
sword presentation in Washington the Sec
rotary sums up by saying 1t was the ma
TONS tribute.
Among the many other topics treated Is
that for fostering the naval reserve, the
consolidation of the naval bureaus of con-
struction, engineering and equipment in
the interest of more harmonious action: the
construction OF barracks for enlisted men,
and review of the various bureau recon-
mendations, the desirability of changing
the material OF the League Island and the
| mare lsidEu CRY uOcks from TIMBER TO stone
and concrete. The warships claiming
bounty and prize money from their cap
lures and engagements during the
war are set forth in detail. He says
the survey Of the trans-Pacifc cable
route indicates that it will be en-
tirely practicable. 1t is intended also to
survey a cable route from Guam to Yoko-
| hama. 1t is proposed to supply all new
ships with smokeless powder The Pinch
gun has been so greatly developed that IL
has been designated as the heaviest gun
| for the latest battleshps, instead of the
13-inch gun. Many improvements in naval
ordnance are under way, including uniform
caliber for small arms and machine guns
| Work on the design of gunboat No. 16 to
replace the Michigan on the great lakes
has been suspended pending negotiations
| with Great Britain for a modification of
the treaty. Secretary Long reviews also
the various. naval incidents of the last
| year.
The secretary gives table showing naval
| construction going on abroad, as compared
| with that In 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 under construction. The total
| tonnage under construction Is: England,