The record-union., 1899-12-04

rear Admiral II. l.. 1OW1SOH Was oo-
signed to the command of this station
on March Both, and was directed TO
proceed with his flagship, the Chicago
to his station by way of the Meditef-
ranean. En- route the Chicago stopped
at Tangier where the COMMANDMENT
Chief joined with the American Consul
in a request upon the Government Oh
Morocco for the payment of long
standing claim of certain of our citl-
zens against that Government, and sue
ceeded in collecting the amount Rear
Admiral HoVison was relieved from
duty on October 2, 1899, and Rear Ad-
miral w. S. Schley was assigned to the
command. and raised his flag on the
Chicago on November 18th.
RETURN OF ADMIRAL DEWEY.
| Admiral Dewey, returning, arrived at
New York September 10Th, and was re-
| ceived with a most enthusiastic wei
come from the whole country. On his
arrival in Washington the sword voted
by Congress was presented to him III
accordance with the provisions of the
Act authorizing that ceremony. 1t &C.
Cured October Sd, on the steps of the
Capitol, in your presence, in the pres
and House of Representatives, of the
Supreme Court, of the Diplomatic Corps
and of vast assembly of citizens. 1t
was the nations tribute.
PROGRESS OF CONSTRUCTION.
Since the last annual report of the
department the following vessels, which
were then building under contract,
have been conditionally or finally &C
cepted: Davis, Mackenzie, Farragut'
Rowan and Fox, torpedo boats; Chesa-
peake, practice ship; Penacook and
lPawtucket, tugs; Kear sarge, battleshlp.
In addition to the new construction
added as above, the following vessels,
which were sunk during the war WITH
SPAIN have been recovered and added
to the navy: Reina Mercedes cruiser;
Don Juan de Austria Isle de Cuba and
Isle de Luzon, gunboats.
These, with the exception of the
Reina Mercedes, are at Hongkong FOR
the repairs and changes necessary to
fit them for service on the Asiatic sta
ton, and it is estimated that the total
cost of raising and repairing will be
about $305,000, while their value when
completed will be double that amount
In addition to these a considerable
increase in the small craft on the
Asiatic station has been made through
the purchase or capture of the follow
ling vessels: Albay, Belusan, Calam anes,
Ell Cano Guardoqui Manileno, Mart
veles, Mindoro, Pampango, Panay ana
Paraqua, gunboats; Petrelita and RAJ
pido. tugs; Sanar, Urdaneta and Vase.
gunboats; Sureste, tug.
| COST OF NEW NAVY
In order to show the amount ex-
pended on the new navy the depart
ment had prepared in the Bureau of
| Supplies and Accounts a table which
F! shows in detail the cost of each fin
| ished ship since the rebuilding of the
| fleet began in 1883, and the amount
expended on those under construction
The estimates as to unfinished work
| We're prepared in the respective bu
reaus. A recapitulation of the amounts
appropriated: For hull and machin
cry. $1O1, 217 ,562. 10; for armor and ar
mament, SOL, 521 ,0S2; for equipment
bureau of EquipmenD, 2439, CPS;
actual cost of finished vessels, sos, 529,
511.S5; estimated final cost of vessels
now in course of construction, &c.,,
570,61023.
| SUBMARINE bOAIS.
On November f. 1898, the depart
ment, recognizing the Importance of
submarine construction, directed the
| Board of Inspection and Survey to
make an inspection of the Holland sub
marine boat, built and owned by pri-
vate parties. A trial of this boat was
made on November II, 1898, in the
presence of the board, which report
ed to the department that the Hol-
land Company, by reason of want of
practice in handling the boat and the
torpedo in connection with it, was not
prepared to comply with the require,
ments of the board, and recommended
| that a further trial be made under
| systematic conditions, with a trained
crew, with all the preparation for the
trial properly made beforehand.
A further trial of the Holland SUBJ
marine boat was made by the Board
| of Inspection and Survey on Novem-
Der &, 1899, and the board reports that
| the requirements above outlined were
fulfilled
The department at present has a
submarine boat under construction at
the Columbian Iron Works, at Balti-
more, which was reported on Novem-
Der LIST as 50 per cent. completed.
1t is believed that the results thus
far obtained, as above reported, are
Indicative of the very important posi-
bilities of this type of naval war YES
| sci.
PERSONNEL.
| Upon the ratification of the treaty
| of peace between the United States
and Spain all the volunteer officers
commissioned for the period of the war
were discharged, with the exception of
! the volunteer assistant surgeons, who
were appointed under a special enact
ment which permitted their retention
| The services of the retired officers
| who were assigned to active duty dur
ing the war with Spain, and of which
| ninety-nine remained on the active list
at the date of the last annual report,
| have also been dispensed with.
On June so, 1899, the enlisted force
of the navy numbered 1870 petty Off
| GERS and 10,131 men and apprentices,
total of 14,501. OF this number,
$500 were serving under continuous
service certificates.
! 1t is gratifying to note the continued
| improvement in the enlisted force and
| the increase of the percentage of Amer
lean citizenship. Eighty-eight per cent
United States and 65 per cent of the
remainder have declared their inten-
ton of becoming citizens. Seventy