The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-11
GROWTH OF THE
AMERICAN NAVY
Indicated in Report Of Rear Ad-
miraI Bradford.
GREAT AMOUNT OF COAL USED
DISCUSSES PACIFIC CABLE AND
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.
GREAT AMOUNT OF COAL USEI

washington, D. c., Nov. 1O.-A strik-
ing Illustration Of the growth of the
American navy is presented in single
statement in the annual report Of Rear
Admiral r. 3. Bradford. chief of the
equipment bureau Of the navy, that he
spent s.. 2s7 III last fiscal year for 324,-
los tons of coal. at an average cost Of
S7.O1 per ton. The report says that
this was nearly 95,S1S more tons Of
coal than was used during the preced-
ing fiscal year. Ten years ago the coal
consumption was $4,000 tons per annum.
The domestic coal costs $3.50 per ton,
and the foreign coal, of which there
were used 105,066 tons, cost $S5O per
ton.
Rear Admiral Bradford has scattered
American coal all over the world wher-
ever suitable storage could be found.
He has placed 1890 tons at Yokohama
and 5000 tons at Pichilique, Mexico,
and ne has sent large quantities to
Guam and to the Philippines. He car
ried 5000 tons by water from the At
Iantic coast to Mareisland, CAL, where
it came into competition with English
Cardiff coal. They have averaged the
same in cost, viz: S9.29 per ton, but al
present. owing the scarcity of American
freight vessels, the best Cardim coal IS
considerable cheaper at Mare island.
It is recommended that two large steam
1O.O0O-to Golfers be built to keep de
pots supplied in time Of peace and 20
accompany the fleets in time OF war.
Summarizing the work accomplished
at various coaling stations during the
year, the report takes up CaVlte, ana
says that the bureau is about 10 open
bids for a 45.00O-tOn cOaling station
Efforts have been made to obtain
site for a coaling station at Cebu, but
thus far without success.
Coaling Stations Located.
CoaIing stations have been located
at Port Isabella. Bassalin island and
at Polloc. Mindanao. 4 complete sta
J ton has been established at Yokohama
Japan, and it is now fully stocked with
coal. The same statement Is true at
| Pichilique, Mexico where, through the
courtesy of the Mexican government,
our coal and Golfers have been ad-
mitted to the station without port du-
| ties or customs of any kind
In the West Indies little work has
! been done at San Juan on the cOalIng
station. but Admiral Bradford expresses
regret that little progress has been
made in securing sites for other coal
depots in the West Indies. 1t is par
ticularly essential that some of the
| deep water ports of Cuba should be
made available for this purpose, as the
entire waters surrounding Cuba are
most important in a strategic sense
and supplies of coal should be near
at hand. Estimates are submitted FOL
improvement OF coahng stations al
most of the Atlantic ports, including q
J complete modern plant at Norfolk. Ad
miral Bradford specifically says:
Gas the department is aware, efforts
are being made to establish other nava
depots at important localities, which
it is deemed unwise to discuss in re
port of public character
Trans-Paciic Cable.
Admiral Bradford says very little
about his favorite project Of Trans
Pacific submarine telegraph cable, con
tenting himself with the statemen
/ that the bureau is now in possession
of all the data required, so far as sur
veys are concerned, to lay the cable
In the same connection he renews hi
recommendation for careful examina
ton OF the Pacific ocean, west of tn
Hawaiian Islands, to locate dangers t
navigation. He recommends that ad
ditional photographic offices be estab
lished at Manila, and at Pensacola
Fla
The report says that the subject o
wireless biography has been followe'
carefully during the year, but it doe
not appear advisable TO adopt any par
ticular system at present, or TO acquir
any more apparatus than necessary 70
purposes Of instruction. 1t is clear tina
no system as yet has passed beyOn
the experimental stage. Though mos
of the principal powers have adopte
some form of wireless. teiesraphy 70
their ships. it is believed from the re
; ports received that none is safisfaetorl
: It was clearly shown during the inter