New-York tribune., 1902-10-13
WORK on WARSHIPS SLOW
ADMIRAL ROWLES'S REPORT OK con
STRTCTION-MANY VESSELS BE
HIND CONTRACT TINE.

Washington Oct 1e-.ProEress upon new vessels
1ln0er construction during the last year has not
been satisfactory SAYS Rear Admiral BoWles.
chief ~ the Naval Bureau OF Construction, in his
annual report 70 the Secretary Of the Navy. All
the larger vessels. he saws. have been delayed 10y
nor-deliverv of structural steel while the vessels
building at San Francisco were set back BY TIA
ten months strike and the hold out OF the work
men al Seattle prevented any actual progress on
the structure Of the hull OF the battleship Ne
braska building there. The delay IN the deliveries
% armor for the hattleships Maine. Missouri and
Ohio and the monitors Arkansas, Florida. Nevada
and Wyoming has retarded the completion of these
vessels. The inability Of shphuilders to obtain a
sufficient force OF skilled workmen also has been.
in many cases. an important factor IN the slow
progress OF the vessels.
table Is submitted showing IN concise form how
the work on vessels under construction has fallen
| behind
For instance the battleship Ohio IS shown to
have been twenty-nine months behind her contract
on July l. This Is not isolated case The bat
tleship Missouri IS over twenty months behind.
the majority OF the battleships and cruisers
over ten months behind. and some OF the torpedo
craft are more than forty months behind the date
OF completion stipulated IN their contracts How
ever. Admiral Bowles saws that the extensive de-
lays on the torpedo boats are being terminated
by the newly modified conditions for their delivery
The contractors delay IN beginning the construc-
uon Of the vessels OF the Virginia the Pennsyl-
vania and the ST. Louis class. the chief con
structor points out, gave 20 hts bureau oppor-
tunity 20 make careful revision OF the general
plans % those war vessels. which. he says. VIII
result IN considerable Improvement IN their mill
tary value and IN their hshitability.
The plans for the turrets of the Virginia class
were developed, entire Encouragement OF the
scheme for the stowage OF ammunition made.
and particular attention was given 20 efficient
scheme for coaling table is given showing the
ships added 10 the navy in the last year They
were the battleship Illinois and the torpedo craft
Decatur. Perry. Preble. Biddle. Thornton and
Wilkes.
Substantial progress IS reported IN the standard
ization OF ship fittings a scheme 10 secure uni
formity in the innumerable types Of ships parts
which has long been fostered by the construction
bureau. Private shipbuil6ers. having contracts
for naval vessels, from time 10 time Do the year
submitted plans for standard fittings and now
forty-four types Of ship fittings have been de-
clared 10 be standard. The bureau also has pre-
pared type plsns for ventilation and drainage for
the vessels Of the Virginia Pennsylvania ST Louis
and Denver classes. ana for the single uurreted
Admiral BoWles says there continues TO be an
urgent necessity Tor an Increase N Tie number
OF officers Of the construction corps. The prin-
number Of ofacers for the performance u regular
duties. This lack OF officers Is particularly hurt
ful just now. view OF the construction OF the
battleship Connecticut at the New-York Navy
mendation for an increase OF his corps from forty
The report saws the advantage Of special in
struction In naval architecture and marine en-
gineering IN the United States became more evi-
In contrast with the foreign technical schools TO
Mhlcn " stuoents hsle oeeh pIs'lo1s!y assigned and
observation OF actual construction which the posi-
snSbled bV co-oDeration with The facufy OF tbe
Massa achusstts Institute OF Technology. 10 regu-
late the technical education appropriately and 10
opportunities FOR observation Of the building and
repair OF all classes OF Vessels both AT private
shipyards and ar the navy Yards Of the govern
: Admiral Bo~les points cut that The policy OF
strucuon OF new vessels in the navy yards. and,
yards IN matters such as quay walls slips location
Of buildings, etc have not been generally directed
aomral Of the opinion that il should be the poll
icy OF The navy Department SO 20 arrange the
shipbuildng, which Is in reality, ne says. one OF
the most important functions they may be re-
An interesting part Of the report Is that in re-
IN which miniature Warships are tried. and it is
stated that the basin has proved OF great value 70
A number OF experiments have been made in the
basin In the last year 10 determine the most de-
cruisers il is due wholly The SIN facilities that
The bureau has been enabled arrive at the salts
ne Tennessee class, displacins 1880 tons may
lot Of armored cruisers of the Ps1ns,.l,aTis Lass
of the same speed, which displaced 1880 tons
similarly. the two l6Og0 ton battleshins Of
IN * S9anssusgt 1s % class viii drive apRreeably easier
IONS Thus an increase of per cent in size
per cent in size in the case OF the srmored erls
sS siS hSs has been aeeompanied with an actual reduc
given speed IN each case.
20 avail themselves of the facilities OF tbe model
.,asih N connection with their commercial work
vate shpbuilders their expense with five models
Viz e IsIinents are under way now, authorized.
WIN your moaes for three private concerns
uiNS SPEFcH To ANTuAIS