The Washington times., 1902-10-13
|SH|PBU|LD|NG DELAY
EXASPERAT|NG navy
Admiral Bowles Reports to
Secretary Moody.
TROUBLE DUE TO STRIKES
In Addition to Labor Difficulties at
Yards Is the Non-D Delivery
of Steel. :,

| TioSiesS upon new vessels under
construction during the past year has
not been satisfactory" says Rear Ad-
mirai F. T. Bowles. chief OF the Bureau
of Construction and Repair. in his an
nual report to the Secretary OF the
Navy. "All larger vessels nave been
delayed by non-delivery of structural
steel. the vessels building at the Union
Iron Works. San Francisco. by strike
| beginning May, 1901, and ending in
March. 1902. and the battleship Ne
braska. by strike which has as yet
prevented any actual progress upon the
structure of the hull
Admiral Bowles says that the delay
In the delivery of armor for the battle-
ships Maine. Missouri, and Ohio. and
the monitors Arkansas. Florida. Ne
vada. and Wyoming. has retarded the
completion Of these vessels concurrentIy
with other causes. He cites the in
ability of shipbuilders to obtain a suf-
fcient force of skilled workers as an
important factor in many cases in the
slow progress of the vessels.
torpedo Boats Completed.
The extensive delays previously ex-
listing on the torpedo boats and festroy-
ers, authorized under the naval act Of
May 4. 1898. are being terminated" says
Admiral Bowles. "by the satisfactory
delivery of these boats under modified
conditions approved by the Navy De-
partment. The submarine boars under
construction have not been offered for
trial by the contractors, although they
have been reported practically COM
pleted for several months. with the ex-
ception of those being built ct ;he Union
Iron Works, which were delayed by the
strike there
Admiral Bowles includes in the report
estimates Of the probable date of COM
pletion of the larger vessels under con-
struction. and a statement of the num-
Der of months they were behind the con-
tracts on July I. 1902, as follows:
Delay on Battleships.
Battleships-Maine, to have Been COM
pleted June 1. 1901, will probably be
completed November Is, 1902, or 1T.5
months behind the contract time. Mis-
souri,. August 80. 1901, and May. 1903. or
20.6 months; Ohio, June 5, 1901, and No
vember 5, 1903 or 90 months; Virginia.
February Is, 1904, and March 81, 1905. or
1873 months; Nebraska. March Z. 1904,
and February 1. 1905. OF 1913 months:
Georgia. February IS, 1904. and March
J. 1905, or 12.5 months: New Jersey and
Rhode Island. February Is, 1904. and De-
,ember Is, 1904. or 10 months.
Armored Pennsylvania. Jau-
1ary 10, 1904. and June 10, 1904. or 5
ronths: West Virginia, January "a and
august 5, 1904. or ga months; Calf
ornia. January 10. 1e0i. and January 10.
905. or 12 months; Colorado. January
G and May c5, 1904. OF As months;
Maryland. January "a and September S,
aO4, or ..5 months; South Dakota. Janu-
Try 10. 1904. and February 10. 1905. or
3 months.
Protected Cruisers.
Protected crrisers-Denver. June II.
COZ. and January l, 1903. or 6.5 months;
)es Moines. June IA. 1902. and February
. 1903, or rs months; Chattanooga.
Iunc IA, 1902. and April II. 1908. or 10
months: Galveston, June IA. 1902. and
lay 90, 1908. or lis months; Tacoma,
une a. 1902, and December IA. 1903. or
S months: Cleveland. June IA. 1902.
nd December ., 1903, or 5.6'months; 81.
4ouis, March IL. 1904, and March 20,
sos. or 12.5 months; Milwaukee April
7. 1901, and March II. 1905. or il
aonths; Charleston, March 30. 1904. and
anuary Is, 1905. or 9.6 months.
Admiral Bowles urgently recommends
hat the Construction Corps of the navy
e increased from forty-six to sixty OF.
GERS. He says that owing to the small
lumber of officers in the corps IL is
impossible to 90 duty at several naval
where their services are rs-
uired.