New-York tribune., 1902-08-16
SLOW NAVAL. WORK.
ONLY FIFTY TWO SHIPS NOW
UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
MANY OF THEM OF LITTLE STRENGTH
TwENTY-THREE SPLENDID
FIGHTING CRAFT.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE ]


Washington, Aug. 15.-Very instructive is the
monthly progress report the degree of COM
pletion on August l Of the hfty-two United
states war vessels now under contract issued to-
dav by Rear Admiral Bowes chief constructor
of the navy. Notably. it emphasizes the exas-
perating slowness with which naval increase is
being accomplished, and presents figures which
will appeal with great force TO the law makers
az the next session Of Congress. In August,
1900 there were seventy naval vessels under
construction. In August 1901. the number
had fallen 10 sixty. and now it is only hfty-two
More than half Of these were included in the
seventy Of two years ago, and most Of them are
also vessels Of practically material strength
to the feet. consisting they do of torpedo
boats. a type that OF little use in the Span
ish war and is rapidly falling into disfavor
among all the maritime powers.
OF the ffty-two vessels now building fourteen
are first class battIeships and arrnored cruisers
unsurpassed by any ships thus far designed
abroad and nine ara fine fast protected cruisers
of the class named for cities. which have proved
so valuable in war and in peace. protecting
American interests in all parts of the globe
All nine are better ships than the best Of those
with which Dewey went to Manila Bay These.
with the arnored ships, will some day add
tvyenty-three splendid fighting units TO the navy.
OF the remaining twenty-nine vessels on the
building list, the least said the better for the
sensitive national pride. Four are single tur-
ret monitors, exactly like those built at the
close Of the war between the States, that are
only heard OF occasionally they are sold to
junknen This quartet was forced on the Navy
Department by Congress in the summer Of 1897
by q powerful lobby as mounts for so-called
Gathmann guns. with the idea that one each
could defend Boston. New-York, Philadelphia
and San Francisco On the aruly's exposure OF
the guns worthlessness at Sandy Hook, it was
decided to put the regulation naval rifles IN the
turrers, but the only use to which naval officers
now contemplate putting the monitors is for
floating clubhouses for naval militia orgaTllZa-
lions OF the twenty-five torpedo boats eleven
are destroyers, which. between periods OF ex-
tended repairs-for they delicate az
chronometers-may be more useful as dispatch
boats than their smaller precursors were in 1875,
and seven are submarines. also children Of the
lobby thoroughly discountenanced by expert
enced and progressive offcers-vessels that must
rely more for their moral influence on enemy
than for any actual performance their inventors
have sanely claimed for them Up TO the pres
ant time their promoters have carefully re-
trained from delivering them TO the government
which has paid out the peoples money for
hem. and no opportunity has been afforded 10
Test their mysterious qualities.
Admiral BowIes's table, TO which The Tribune
ADDS q column showing the dates on which the
builders guaranteed 10 deliver each vessel to
The government under heavy penalties for delay,
3 SIS follows:
VESSELS UNDER CONSTRUCTION UNITED
STATES NAVY.