Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-01-27
THE AMERICAN NAVY.
Twice as Many Vessels on the
Rolls

As at Any other Period Since the Civil
War---EIeven Of the ships are First
Raters, and rs are seCOnd-R sters.
Some interesting facts are given in the
new naval register, which Is now nearly
| ready for distribution, concerning the pres
ent strength of the service afloat as well as
the extent of the building program being
carried out. The list Of vessels shows that
the navy contains twice as many as at any
other period since the civil war, which
closed with 623 on the rolls. There are
not so many now, including all classes, as
there we're then, but for fighting efficiency
the fleets are unquestionably superior to
what they ever we're before 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
ia to be accounted for by the liberality Of
Congress last summer in authorizing so
large a number Of destroyers and torpedo
| boats.
The new register changes the classified
ton of some vessels. 1t shows that at
present there are more colliers and steam
ers on special service than there we're YES
sells of all types in the navy ten years ago.
OF the first-rate there are III ships, includ-
ing four first-class battleships lone second
class battleship, the Texas; two armored
cruisers, the Brooklyn and New York !;
two protected cruisers, the flyers Colum-
bia and Minneapolis; the double-turret
monitor,Puritan, which is ranked for fight
ippIability with the Texas, and the flag
shin OLYMPIA, with Admiral Dewey sIcom-
mand. which brings up the tail end Of
first-rate vessels. OF the second-rate there
are IS. to which has been added in the last
wear the Chicago, the largest and most
| formidable of her class. Next TO the Chi
cago are the Baltimore and Philadelphia,
and then come in order of efficiency &C
cording TO the register, the double-turret
monitor Monterey, known as "Black Bet
sy," the protected cruisers Newark, San
Francisco and Charleston, all above 1000
tons displacement, except the last the
double-turret monitors Miantonomoh, Am
phitrite, Monadnock and Terror, the pro-
tected cruisers New Orleans and Albany,
both ACQUIRED for the war, and the Lancas-
ter. Cincinnati, Raleigh, Atlanta and Bos-
ton, the Lancaster being the only wooden
vessel in the list and one of the remnants
of the old navy.
The third.rate vessels show an increase
over last year, there being now AZ, includ-
ing the old monitors, which come under this
classification. Vessels Of the Detroit and
Marblehead type are OF the third rate.
The old Hartford, Farraguts flagship at
Mobile, heads the list with 100 tons more
displacement than the MayhOwer, bought
during the war period. Thlrd-rate vessels
include all between 21O0 tons and 100
tons displacement.
OF the fourth rate there are only six,
with the dynamite hurler Vesuvius at the
81, a n
the bottom. All vessels OF this rate are
now ships except two. Rated behind these
vessels are 81 torpedo boats, the majority
of which are nearly completed, and next
are II navy yard tugs, six old sailing ships,
including the Constellation and James
town, six receiving ships, and 10 vessels
classed as unserviceable, three-fourths OF
which have been assigned TO state militia
organizations for practice drills.
The pending building program presents
the largest array of vessels under construc
ton known since the new navy was under
taken. There are eight frst-class battle
ships under construction, all more power
full than those now in service; one subma
rine torpedo boat, four monitors, sixteer
destroyers, a sailing ship and gunSoat
besides number of tugs.
Forty-fve cruisers and yachts, all o.
which practically were purchased for thu
war and are retained for service, are shown
TO be also part Of the navy. These in
clude such vessels as the Buffalo, Yankee
Badger, Gloucester, Eagle, Hist, Panthe
and Hornet. The number Of colliers anC
steamers for specialIservice is greater thar
the number of vessels of the first ant
second rate. There are 81 Of these, tn,
majority of which are in active service
Three fourths are TO be retained by tn
navy. Every ship of this class was pur
chased for the war.
The register will show that, leaving on
the North Atlantic station, Admiral Dewe.
has more vessels attached to his command
than there are on all other duties com
bined. The Asiatic station is larger nov
than the home feet was two years ago.