The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-16
A NAVY.


battleship Maine was 20 per cent. completed
on Nov. l. Eight vessels have been finally
or Professionally completed since his last
report. Two vessels have been stricken
from the navy list, including the Yosemite,
foundered off Guam. The contracts for a
large number of vessels are set forth In
detail.
A table of naval construction abroad is
given, showing that England and France
will lay down about the same amount In
the next year as in the past. Germany
is following a building programme which
will provide a strong navy in 1905, and
under the law authorizing this programme
its government can replace a lost vessel
by another of the same class, and can also
replace vessels of a certain age by new
ones, this age being for battleSh1pS tWen-
ty-fiVe years and for cruisers from fifteen
TO twenty years. Japan has a further ex-
tension of her navy under discussion, while
Russia progresses steadily with hers"
Regarding ocean and lake surveys he
says: The officers and crews of nineteen
vessels have been employed in hydro
graphic work in all parts of the world in
which we have possessions, the results of
which, as embodied in photographic charts,
sailing directions and other aids TO marin
ers, will prove of great benefit to our mari
time interests. These interests are of such
great Importance that L commend TO favor
able consideration the recommendation of
the chief of this bureau looking TO the con-
struction of a suitable building for use as
a photographic office"
Regarding the needs of the navy in the
matter of construction facilities Mr.. Long
declares: with the necessary enlargement
Of the naval establishment, due to the ma
tional expansion, the duties of this bureau
have been largely increased. During the
past year much important work has been
done in our navy yards. the construction of
authorized dry docks has been pushed and
preliminary steps have been taken looking
to the establishment of new stations in our
insular possessions. Attention is invited to
the details of the annual report of the chief
of this bureau.
I'm accordance with the provisions of the
last naval appropriation act, directing an
examination of the coast of Porto Rico for
the selection of a site for a naval station, a
board was appointed which made an eX-
animation of the coast of Porto Rico. 1t
recommends that the naval station be To-
Gated on the shores Of the harbor of San
Juan, and includes in its 'recommendation
the construction of q dry dock.
The same act contains a provision APP
propriatiug $4,000 for the purchase of land
for a naval station and for harbor and
channel defenses at Pearl harbor, island of
Oahu. Negotiations for the purchase of
land failed, the owners refusing to enter
tain propositions for It's sale. Under these
circumstances the department deemed 1t
advisable to direct the commandant of the
naval station at Honolulu to take steps
looking to the condemnation OF a tract of
land about Pearl harbor sufficient for naval
purposes. Proceedings to that end were
accordingly commenced in the proper
courts in July of this year."
COST AND CIVIL SERVICE.
Appropriations for the fiscal year 1901
were $S7, 913, 4O6. 81. The secretary shows
that s29, 40, 255. 81 were expended, leaving a
balance of 50, las, ISL 6.
Regarding the civil service of the navy
the secretary says:
THE Navy Department bears witness to
the utility of the present system of the
civil service. 1t prevents favoritism and
makes merit the test of entrance into place
and of standin and advance in it, and the
result has been a decided increase in eff
cheney. In some cases where the
tionS of the Civil-service Commission, which
commission this department has always
found most helpful, have not been able
to supply the needs of the department, it
has been permitted to adopt within itself
the methods of that commission, thus
recognizing in local application the gem
eral principle of what is now an approved
reform. For instance, the regulations gov
erning the employment of labor at navy
yards, promulgated in September, 1891, pro-
vided that foremen, master mechanics,
Quartermen in charge, and other men in
charge at navy yards, should be appointed
after competitive examination before a
board of naval officers. The rules of the
United States Civil-service Commission, as
amended by the President May %. 1899. pro-
vided that all special mechanics and civilian
assistant inspectors of work and material
Qncluding armor, armor plate, ordnance,
marine engines, hulls, buildings, dredging.
etc. employed at navy yards. naval sta
tions, and at private shipbuilding and
manufacturing establishments where work
is done by contract for the Navy Depart
ment, should be appointed after competi-
tive examination before a board Of naval
officers, in the same manner as foremen,
master mechanics, etc"
Recommendations for the increase of the
navy are reserved till the last. In con-
nection herewith Secretary Long says:
The navy to-day is a far greater factor
in our relations with the world than ii was
before the recent national expansion which
now includes Porto Rico. the Hawaiian
islands. the vast area of land and sea in the
Philippines. and our obligations TO Cuba.
If we are to have a navy at all it must be
commensurate with these great extensions
greater I'm international even than In terri
torial Importance. This necessarily in
wolves the construction of more naval YES
sells. their manning, exercise. and mainte-
nance"
He reviews the recommendations Of the
General Naval Board and the Construction
ing vessels as beir & in his view necessary:
Three first-class battleships. two first
class armored cruisers. three gunboats,
each of about LOO tons displacement; three
~gunboats, each OF about go tons trial dis
placement, for insular service. three picket
boats, each Of about 650 tons trial displace-
ment; three steel sailing training ships.
each OF about 2.090 tons trial displacement.
one collier of about 1900 tons trial displace-
ment; four tug boats.
The department will submit to Congress
in December next. as directed by the last
naval appropriation bill. a general descrip-
ton OF two sea-going battleships and two
armored cruisers, according TO which the
battleships and cruisers above recon-
mended should be built If appropriation is
made therefor" he says In closing.