The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-15
EQUIPMENT OF THE NAVY.
The Report of Rear Admiral Brad
ford Made sHublic.

Chief OF the Bureau Of Equipment of tt
Navy Department for the fiscal year enc
ing June 80, was made public yesrerda
The report shows that5.he appropriation
available and used amounted to 1914?
1882. OF this total 81, ,4sO was use
for equipment of vessels.
The expenditures at the Washingto
Navy Yard during the year were S17,so5
ei The manufacture of night signals fo
. ships is the only equipment at this yart
During the year signal outfits were SUP
piled for 81 vessels.
Under the head of equipment expense
abroad, the report says:
. Ihere was expended for ships durin
the fiscal year for equipment services an
supplies. not including the purchase Q
coal Tor steamirg purposes, the sum o
33l9.232. So. The necessity for these eX
penditures is largely determined by com
mandeTs-i in chief of fleets and comman
ders of ships.
"A total of 22S.Ss5 tons of COAL costinl
$1.5i2, 652.91. at an average of s6.ss pc
ton, was purchased during the fiscal year
The cost of coal is nearly 81 per toI
greater than during the fiscal year o
1899, and more than 81 per ton greater
than during the fiscal year 1898. The
amount expended for coal and the trans
portation of the same during the last ifs
cal year is S250.006 greater than the en-
tire appropriation for the bureau during
the fiscal year 1897.
There has been during the past yeaI
almost a coal panic in the markets of the
world, with consequence that the prices
have increased about 80 per cent. Until
thn let Nf III
| to purchase Pocahontas coal (. o. b. at
Norfolk for SLIGO per ton. On that date
the price was raised to $3.50 per ton and
| continues at that rate. The above state
ment concerning Pocahontas coal applies
equally to New River coal at Newport
News. Pennsylvania coal was purchased
| at New York, delivered alongside during
| the Spanish war for sl.75 per ton; it is
| now S2.So per ton. Georges Creek coal,
| until the LIST of April last. was purchased
ut Baltimore t. o. b. at SLIGO per ton; it
is now S2.4S per ton. The above-men-
| toned prices have been established by the
Bituminous Coal Trade Association and
are fixed
An appropriation of $4,000 has been
made for the construction of coal storage
buildings at the Washington Navy Yard.
Under the head of the trans-Pacitic sub
| marine cable survey the report says:
THE Bureau, In its last report, referred
| to survey by the U. S. S. Nero for a
transatlantic submarine telegraph cable be-
| tween Honolulu and the Philippine Islands.
An incident of this survey was to discover,
if possible, practicable route for a branch
cable between Guam and Yokohama.
In the prosecution of the above men
toned work the Nero had proceeded at the
time of my last report as far as the coast
of the Philippine Islands on her voyage
to the westward along route 1872 knots
in length, sounding at S5S stations with
Intervals of 10 and knots, respectively. in
Guiding observations for temperature and
for characteristics Of the bottom. AS stat
ed in last years report, this voyage es-
tablished the fact thatsa practicable cable
could be laid across. the Pacific.
In general terms, the result of this
survey may be recapitulated as follows:
An almost level plain of soft mud, at
general depth of about 200 fathoms.
extends from Honolulu to the Midway
ISLANDS on route to the northward of
the line of reefs running about west
northwest from the Hawaiian Islands to
a point beyond Ocean Island. This plain
affords an ideal route for submarine
telegraph cable.
In general. the bed of the ocean be-
tween Midway Islands and Guam is an
other great level plain from 3.10O to !
1900 fathoms deep. 1t is, however, me-
what broken by submarine reefs and |
mountain ranges
Between Guam and the Philippines the |
bed of the ocean is less regular than to !
the eastward. For the first 800 knots of
the route selected the depths vary from
! 400 to 200 fathoms: there are. how
ever, no sharply defined ranges of hills
or valleys, the character of the bottom
being of an undulating nature. After 600
knots had been traversed low noun
tain range was discovered sloping to the
westward. eventually forming a d epar
plain that extends unbroken to III, Phil
ippine Islands. The aforementioned plain |
varies in depth from 5000 to $500 faith
oms, and is also of gently undulating
nature. There is nothing. however to
obstruct the successful laying and work
ing OF cables, and the bottom OF soft mud
and coZe indicates that long life TO
cables may be expected
The route between Guam and Yoko-
lama lies TO the westward of the Ladrone
Stands and to the eastward OF the BONN
Stands. An almost level plain with a
lepth of about 2.l00 fathoms was found
or a distance of 500 knsts from Guam. AT
hat point a submarine mountain range
vas discovered which apparently connects
he range extending from the coast of ia
an TO the BONN Islands with that of the |
.adronc Islands. While crossing this
ange submarine peak rising to within
SO fathoms of the surface was found and
evcioped. which, if il could be seen. ,
could closely resemble the famous vol ,
ano Fujiyama, near Yokohama. Japan.
THE object of the surveying expedition
;as most successfully and expeditiousIy | /
\ satisfactory route for an
IL American cable for the purpose of con- !
Getting the Pacific Coast with the outly- I
lg colonial possessions of the United
tates in the Pacific, and with China and
apan, has been discovered thoroughly
yp!ored. surveyed. and mapped In addi- {
on. great amount of data on ocean cur
ents. prevailing winds. and tidal influ-
noes. in parts of the ocean little known
nat will prove of great value to naviga- {
ion in the future, was collected The &
pecmens of the bottom collected ere {
ow in the hands of the Smithsonian In /;
tuition for examination. Undoubtedly
icy will prove Of great interest to sci
nee" l
The following report is made on the /
avail Observatory 7
THE buildings are in excellent condition Y
he grounds. with the aid of the yearly ap- !
ropriation now made for their improve \
ent, are gradually assuming a satisfac- j
Try condition. Estimates are submitted !
II two additional residences for officers n
tached to the Observatory. Owing to t
ght work they are subjected to much
lrdship if not provided with a residence II
EAR by. f. i
THE usefulness of the Observatory II
oIld be carefully guarded by preventing II
~ Entertainments on the Observatory +
ounds for private purposes. The recon- o
of the Superintendent on this
bject are approved"
The Policy of Hate. u
(From the Philadelphia Record)
Having fastened negro suffrage upon the coun-