The Washington times., 1901-10-21
SHIP CONSTRUCTION DELAY
Steel Strike Retarding the Com
pletion of War Vessels.
Rear Admiral BowIes' Rcport-Usc of
Fircproof wood Discontinued-
Havana Floating Drydocls to he
Se,t to Subir Bay for ssintic Fleet

The annual report of Rear Admira
Francis r Bowles Chief of the Bureau
of Construction and Repair, to the Secre
tary of the Navy, for the fiscal year end
ing June so. 1901 has been made public
The most important statement made IN
dicates that progress upon new vessels
under construction has been delayed dur
ing the past fiscal year by strikes ahI
by delays in the delivery of armor ant
steel forgings, so that all ships and tor
pedo boats being built are more or less
behind their contract time Of completion
A tabular statement is given, showing the
degree of completion on July l, 1901, Of al
! vessels under contract. and also the prob
able delay in completion in excess of con
tract time.
The Departments attention has been
specifically called. by Admiral Bowles. to
| the probability of two years delay in
the completion of the five battleships OF
the Virginia class and the six armored
cruisers of the Pennsylvania class. whose
| construction has just begun, from the
fact that the capacity of the manutac-
turers of armor is insufficient to provide
the amount of armor required for these
| vessels within the period of time allotted
for their construction in the terms of the
| contracts. Under the present system of
| purchase of armor, the responsibility for
| such delays rests with the Government
| and renders it liable to suits for damages
| by the ship contractors on this account,
| and because it is uneconomical and poor
| policy to unduly extend the time of con-
| struction, it is of Importance that the de-
| livery of armor should be adequate to the
most prompt work of which the shipbuild-
| ers are capable.
,l,n Of
| constructors at the works of the various
ship contractors. appended to the report,
| show in detail the condition Of each yes
sci under construction.
The Yosemite, the report shows. found
cred off Guam on November 13. 1900, while
the gunboat Belusan, stricken from the
Navy Register on February II. 1901, has
been purchased by the War Department.
After careful consideration of the needs
of the training service, the bureau recon-
mends for construction six sailing yes
sells of about 1860 tons displacement, two
for the Pacific Coast and four for the
Atlantic Coast tc be used in the training
of apprentices and landsmen for the naval
service. The designs for these vessels,
already submitted to the Department are
based upon those of the most successful
sailing frigates. They are to be full
rigged ships, built of steel, with double
bottom, enough water-tight subdivision
for safety, with sufficient boiler power
to distill water and provide for ventila-
ton and flushing of sanitary appliances
and with sufficient room to comfortably
carry a crew of 300 The battery will con-
sist of six four-inch guns and four six
Founders. The estimated cost is $3.50, 900
each, complete, except armament. The
bureau ventured the opinion that the con-
struction and use of these vessels for the
purpose indicated will prove not only the
most efficient. but certainly the most Geo
nomical, method of training boys and men
for the seaman branch of the enlisted
force.
1t may be pointed out that the enlisted
force consists, essentially, of two main
divisions: First, the artificers. who should
begin their duties oil board ship ) trained
mechanics. learning by experience on reg
uiar vessels such qualities of the sailor as
are necessary; second, the seaman branch,
Hho should be, primarily, sailors Learning
by experience in the effective fleet such
mechanical aptitude may be necessary
in general service.
In line with this recommendation, to
meet the necessities of the training sery-
ice at the training stations, the bureau
small wooden sailing brigs to be used for
exercise, one at the training station,
Newport, K. l., and one at the training
$50. .0V0 each
The additional naval stations author
lied and the completion of he new dry
docks under construction will require the |
use OF four additional tugs for the serv- |
ice, and the recommendation for their |
construction is made in order that the |
tugs may be built and ready for the |
service at the proper time.
The bureau" states Admiral Bowles |
mas of late made considerable progress |
toward the standardization Of ship fittings,
and has secured toward this desira ble. !
Gf hl oh fNIail dare
having contracts with the Department, |
who realize that the use OF standard fit |
tings will decrease delays in the construc- |
tion of a vessel and reduce its cost. Their |
use will also simplify, reduce the original |
cost, and decrease the expense of main |
tenance of vessels of the navy.
The bureau having conducted an eX- |
haustive investigation of the qualities of !
hreproofed wood produced by two differ !
ent processes, has found that the products
OF both possess desirable qualities in rem
dering wood uninfammable, yet fail to
show all the desiderata of a fireproof |
wood. which include the permanent re-
tention of the ingredients under all eli
matte conditions freedom from corrosive
durability. The experience OF vessels in
commission fitted with freproofed wood,
as well as the tests conducted by the bu-
reau, showed that there was no practical
gained by the use of fire
proofed deck planklng. or by the use of
wood below protected decks,
and also that owing TO the aDSUrptiNe
qualities OF this wood its use was OBJ
jectionable in those locations. Hence the |
Department has. upon the recommenda- |
tion OF this bureau. dispensed with the |
use of freproofed wood in the navy, ex- |
cept for such necessary joiner work as
may be used above protected decks and |
on torpedo boats.
Upon the recommendation of this bu- |
reau, the Department has exercised the |
discretion authorized by Congress and
dispensed with the sheathing and copper
ing of three battleships of the Virginia
class and three armored cruisers of the |
Pennsylvania class. The saving in first
cost effected thereby will be about 81 000-
coo and, in the opinion of the bureau. the
dura bility of the vessels will be increased. |
For the efficiency of the navy on the
Asiatic station it is essential that the |
Government should be in possession of a
drydock in the Philippines at the earliest
possible moment, both on account of |
strategical and economical considerations
The number of vessels on the Asiatic sta
ton has made IL necessary to dock one |
of them once about every ten or twelve |
days throughout the year. Outside of the
the marine railway at Canacao, our ships |
must be doCked in neutral ports-DIaces |
where no competition is available and
where the cost OF work is excessive. The
bureau Is strongly of the opinion that |
only such repairs should be - de on for
eign stations as are essential to the main |
tcnance of the feet, and that all exten-
sve overhauling should be done in home |
ports.
THE maintenance of the Asiatic
ieet requires the use of drydock |
under the control of the United |
States, and the location and CON
struction of naval station in the
Philippines. with suitable craving docks |
IS a matter necessarily involving consid- |
srable time, this bureau recommends Tn, |
lse for the present of a capeci0us floating |