Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-07-20
WANTS FOUR WARSH|PS
Secretary Long Will Ask For Two
Battleships and Two Cruisers.
WORK IS GREATLY DELAYED,
Strike Of Machinisis Has Caused Suspension
Of All Work on Many Vessels Under
CONSTRUCTION.

Construction.
Washington, July IL. Two battle
ships aud two armored cruisers will
constitute the program which Seere-
tary Long wiz ask Congress TO au-
thori2e IN its coming session.
In limitingg his recommendation 70
this number and class of ships the
Secretary is influenced by the evil
dent purpose of Congress to grant this
increase of the material, The last
naval appropriation law contained q
provision directing the Secretary OF
the Navy to prepare designs for two
battleships and two arinored cruisers.
In accordance with this decision the
Board OF Construction, under the
Secretary IS order, is considering the
characteristics of the projected ship,.
Because Congress neglected to au-
thorize an armorclad at its last session
the feeling among naval officers is
that there should be large enough
increase at the coming session TO make
up for this failure. Attention is,
however called to the large number
of warships under construction and
the DELAY in their completion. In
order to minimize the opposition on
this latter score Secretary Long
today sent letter to the mr.
NOR manufacturers formally. asking
them TO increase their deliveries. As
the armor companies have announced
their purpose to meet the views of
the Government the department ex-
poets that the delivies will arggreagte
/, 900 tons per month hereafter instad
of 600 tons.
Striking proof is presentd in re-
port presentedto the Navy Department
OF the backwardness of work on oil
ships building and the delays that
will result in completing vessels from
the general strike of machinists
throughout the country. The effect,
of this strike has manifested itself
more strongly ON the West coast than
in the East and has lead to the total
suspension Of Government work on
ships building at the Union Iron
Works, where two battleshps a cruiser
monitor and two destroyers are under
contract. The monthly progress re-
port of work on all types and classes
of vessels indicates that battlships,
torpedo boats and cruisers wilt be
greatly delayed, and vessels that
should have been ready this year may
be several months behind hand.
Nine battleships are under construc-
ton, of which the Illinois Is nearest
completion being within 4 percent of
readiness for sea but this last per-
centage will be difficult to overcome,
and the hopes of the department to
have her commissioned this month
are blasted in the latest report from
Newport News. The Maine building
at Cramps has advanced 55 per cent
while the Missouri. at Newport News
is but 80 per cent, progressed and all
work is suspended. The Ohio which
President Mckinley launched on his
recent Western trip is but 43 per
cent, completed and all work on her
has also been abandoned ON account
of the strike. The five other battle
ships--the Virginia, Nebraska, Geor-
gia. New Jersy and Rhode Island
have just been started and no progress
is reported The same is true OF the
six armored cruisers Of the MARYLAND
type contracted for last December.
Six cruisers OF the Denver type are
from 20 to IS per cent, completed and
little work is being performed on any.
The monitors are proceeding along
leisurely, and all four are within from
Is to 30 per cent of completion. Six
teen destroyers of 20 and 80 knots are,
with a few exceptions, practically
completed and all should be in com
mission, the report states, before the
close Of the year.