Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-08
Report Of the Secretary Of the Navy.

The New Navy Has Already Cost over
0I,OOO,OOO, aud an Increase of
25,OOO,OOO Is Asked in the Appro-
pristIOns OF the Coming Fiscal Year.
The annual report of John D. Long,
secretary of the navy, deals with routine
and technical matters. On Nov. / there
were 4S vessels of all kinds under con-
struction for the navy. The battleships
Kearsarge and Kentucky, completed with
in the year, are the only ships of their class
on which there has been no excess Of speed
above the required contracts.
Four battleships should be finished early
next year and one in October. The three
others under construction should be avail
able. one in 1901, and the other two early
in 1902. The cruiser Albany, now build
ing ip England, and most of the 33 torpedo
craft should be available during the coming
year, the four monitors in 1901.
Little progress has been made with the
designs for the three battle ships and three
armored cruisers authorized under the act
Of March 3, 1899, owing to the provision
prohibiting the department from contract
ing for the hull of any vessel authorized
therein until contract has been made for
the armor within the limit of a cost of 5000
a ton The designs for the six cruisers
authorized by the same act we're duly COM
peted, advertisement for proposals made,
and the bids which were opened November
have been referred to the board of con-
struction for consideration. Work on the
design of gunboat No 16, to replace the
Michigan on the great lakes, has been
suspended awaiting the notifications of
the treaty with Great Britain, which are
now under consideration.
Elaborate tables are given showing the
cost of the new navy since the first modern
ship was authorized in 1888. The total
actual cost of the finished vessels has been
sos, 529 511, and the estimated total cost
of vessels now in course of construction is
| $62. $40, $40. The total cost, therefore, of
all finished and partly finished vessels
for the new navy amounts to 1851, 100, 1872
The naval estimates for the coming fiscal
year 1901 reach the total Of $74, $50, 800,
being an increase of $25, OPS 800 over the
appropriations of the present fiscal year.
While this increase is large, it is to be
found in the three items of public improve
ments, the construction and repair Of
vessels, and increase of the navy-con-
struction and machinery. 1t is to be re
membered that the naval establishment
has greatly increased in the past year or
two and it is necessary to maintain it in
an efficient condition.
The secretary makes the following rec
ommendation in regard to new warships:
First-Three armored cruisers, Of about
200 tons trial displacement, of a maxi
mum draft at deep load not to exceed 20
feet, carrying the heaviest armor and most
powerful ordnance for vessels Of their class,
to be sheathed and coppered and to have
the highest practicable speed and great ra-
dius of action. Second-Twelve gunboats,
of about 900 tons trial displacement, to be
sheathed and coppered. And, third, as
recommended year ago, three protected
cruisers of about 5000 tons trial displace-
ment, carrying the most powerful ordnance
for vessels of their class, to be sheatbed
and coppered, and to have the highest
practicable speed and crest radius of ac-
| ton.