New-York tribune., 1901-03-15
BOWLESS FIRST REFORM
DECISION AGAINST SHEATHING AND
COPPERING WARSHIPS MAKES
\ BIG SAVING.
4 BIG SAVING.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.I

Washington, March 14.-Rear- -Admlral bo"ie'
within less than week in his new oihce d'
Chief Constructor of the Navy has been lhsIu-
mental in drastic reform IN the policy OF the
department resulting in the immediate SAVING oI
not less than 81 25oO O00 and the ultimate say
ing of many millions together with the eradlca-
tion from the service of a plan that has peeh
tried abroad and found practically WorthleSS'
This remarkable and far reaching achleVenehI
of the Chief Constructor was slshai%eu W
day when Secretary Long approved the uhanl-
nous recommendation of the Naval Board OH
Construction against sheathing AMI copperhs
the hus Of warships. and not only puttihs IL
out of consideration E the designs OF the lutuie'
but actually emitting it from the five latest
battleships six armored cruisers ana three Pi'-
tectcd cruisers recently placed under contract
To-dav,s cotton of the Navy Department is a
prompt and emphatic reply to the influences
which prevented any naval increase item from
remaining in the regular appropriation Dill OF
March 3 1901 Congress in its last hours having
taken advantage of the controversy over designs
to omit appropriations for new ships, ana To
direct the Secretary of the Navy to submit
plans of batteships and cruisers with dehnlte
recommendations to sheathins and copperlng
and other questions which have arisen and are
now pending among naval architects anu ord
nance experts concerning the construction Oh
battleshirs and cruisers under modern con-
dtions" This clause of the bill closed with the
following words:
And the Secretary of the Navy is hereby au-
thorized to exercise his discretion as 10 the
sheathing and coppering of naval Vesseis mere
tofOre authorized to be built.
Secretary Long sent the matter directly to the
Board on Construction, which had been disput-
ing over the subject for years, Admiral Bowiess
predecessor having led the small faction IN
favor of sheathing, while Admiral Melville COM
manded the opposition. This time the result
was far different. The meeting was most
amicable Arguments We're presented showing
the disastrous and expensive experiences win
sheathing in foreign navies, as well as in this
country: logical reasoning replaced stubborn
antagonsm personalities We're obliterated in a
common effort to reach the best conclusion Tor
the good of the country. and the hnal report
was signed by Rear-Admirals Melville, the En-
gineer in Chief; O'Neil the Chief of Ordnance;
Bradford the Equipment Chief. and Bowes, the
Chief Constructor, and Captain Sgsbee, the
Chief Intelligence officer, completing the board
personnel without dissenting voice or minor
ftv report for the first time in year or so. The
board decided:
First-That the vessels authorized by the act
of MAY T. 1895 the three battleships of the
Maine class G3 800 tons) and the four monitors
OF the Arkansas class $500 tons). should not
be sheathed but should be completed according
10 original contracts.
Second-That the vessels authorized by the
act Of March }. 1s99-three battleships of
the Pennsylvania class. three armored cruis-
ers OF the California class 04.000 tons). and six
protected cruisers Of the Denver class $500 tOns)
were already under contract 10 be sheathed
and coppered. As the construction of the bat
tleships and armored cruisers had not yet be
gun. the clauses in the contracts for sheathing
and coppering them should be annulled but the
hulls Of the six small cruisers being in ad-
vanced state. these vessels would have 10 be
completed according 10 the contract.
Third-That the eight vessels authorized by
act Of June T. l900-the two battleshps Of the
Virginia class 10 800 tons). the three armored
cruisers Of the Maryland class $4,000 tOnsl and
the three semi-armOred cruisers Of the Charles
ton class 10000 tons)-shOuld not be sheathed
and coppered.
The naval authorities are highly gratifed that
the most important board of officers should be
able at i single session and with absolute una
nimity. to settle one OF the most annoying and
injurious controversies that have bothered the
service for years and credit for this salutary
result is given wholly 10 Admiral Bowles and
Admiral Melville.