The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-16
CONDITION OF
AMERICAN NAVY
Value Of Recent ManOeuvers
Along New England Coast.
USE OF WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY
Captain Slg;h,e Of the Intelligence Bureau
Compare; Strength Of Fleets OF
the Mord.
USE OF WIRELESS TELEGnApHY

Washington. Sept. ls-A splendid re-
sumo of what has been accomplished by
foreign navies during the last fiscal year
Is to be found in Notes on Naval Prog
ress." made public by Capt. Charles ID.
Sigsbee. chief of the Naval Intelligence
bureau.
Treating of the present state of devel-
opment In modern naval ordnance 1; is
declared that there is urgent need for
quick-firing. high-powered guns. well pro-
tected by armor of the highest resisting
quality.
An extended use of quadruple expansion
ana four-cylinder, triple-expans en-
gines abroad Is noted. The question Of
triple screws continues TO be agitated
and. though the great weight of naval
opinion seems TO be against their use, the
principle is gaining advocates, particular
~ In France, where most OF the new
large vessels are three screw, and in the
German navy. where they have been tried
with distinct success
OIL sUPPLANTING COAL AS FUEL.
The experiences OF the Spanish war gave
great impetus TO the solution OF the
problem of coaling at sea, and recently
tue Russian and British navies have been
experimenting with various systems
Much attention also has been paid our
ing the past year to the subject OF LIQUID
Fuel firing for marine boilers, awing 10
the recent great discoveries OF oil Rus
sia remains the leading exponent OF IL
quid fuel, and has exclusively adopted
OIL hiring for her Caspian feet, and parti-
ally for her Black sea fleet France.
italy, Germany. Holland Sweden and
Great Britain all have been making
thorough experiments In this direction.
The engineer officers OF all navies IL is
stated. are watching with keen interest
for decision by the British navy ON n
permanent type of water-tube boiler
Inc last fiscal year was marked by a
general and striking extension of the
use OF electricity In foreign navies. A
great future for electricity on board of
is becoming more and more
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.
The material progress of the year In |
wireless telegraphy." II is stated may |
be said TO be in the matter Of length |
of transmission. In which wonderful ad- !
vance has been made,
Summing up the status Of wireless tel
egraphy today, II Is said that II Is stiIl !
imperfect, offers many obstacles to sue |
cess; Is complex, costly and delicate and |
continues to be uncertain In transmt tssion. |
Yet In spite Of the disadvantages IL Ia |
stated wireless teesraphy offers SO much |
In Its present maritime field that II 10 be- |
Ing vigorously taken up everywhere. Al
the date OF issue there were more than 22o
men -of-war and merchant vessels with
wireless installations, as wen as numerous
coast stations. Special progress was made
during the year In Great Britain. Ger
many. France. Russia. Austria, Denmark.
japan and Spain.
NAVAL MANoEUvREs.
naval manoeuvres conducted Inst year
by Great Britain and France and the
description affords an opportunity for com
parison with those which have just been
brought TO close OFF our New England
coast. The British manoeuvres were on
a larger scale than any before attempted.
no less than 163 ships. large and small
The success OF the British |
war game in its close stimulation OF ao-
Iual strife was attributed to the absence |
Df artificial rules. The object OF the |
panoeuvres was set down as THE attain
nent Of the command Of the sea. with the |
Ultimate object OF destroying the enemy's |
rade." and this theory put in practice. |
( is stated, afforded tactical and
'tretegical exercise superior TO any ever
conducted.
The French manoeuvres brought out |
or the first time a phase Of offensive
ction on the part Of the French fleet. In /
10Th the British and French manoeuvres.
wireless teiegraphy was diligently at
empted. but with small measure OF sue
ess. the instruments proving sensitive
o all messages. and the rival command
RS constantly intercepting and profiting
" the signals OF the others.
The volume sets out In detail the naval
udgets and building programs for each
the important countries. The principal
eature is the great and steady Increase
4 the personnel OF the German navy.