The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-26
Work ON New Vessels Delayed by
i'm Shipments of Material.
NEEDS OF NAVAL EQUIPMENT
NEW AND ENLARGED DOCKS, BUILD
INGs AND WAYS.
Imposing Statistics of the Effective
Navy List-VesseIs Under Con-
structiOn or Authorized.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25.-Rear Admiral
Bowles, OF the Bureau of Construction and
Repair. in his annual report to the secre-
tary OF the navy, reviews at length the
progress made by this government in naval
construction during that period. 1t is
shown that the following additions have
been made to the effective force of the
navy during the year:
One battleship, four monitors twelve tor
pedo boat dsstroyers, one torpedo boat and
seven submarine torpedo boats. The list
should have been increased by two battle
ships and five cruisers. the report says but
owing to strikes and other causes their
completion was delayed. The report states
that the rate of progress" of vessels un-
der construction at the present time pre-
sents some very encouraging indications for
completion of many of the most important
contracts, but, considered as a whole the
progress made during the last fiscal year
has been very unsatisfactory"
Speaking OF the battleship Connecticut.
which is being built at a government yard,
and which is sister ship of the Louisiana,
being built by private company, the re-
port says that although slightly behind the
Louisiana, the progress made has been we'll
built ships, and adds: Better prospects
for the delivery of structural steel ma
terial and the completeness and accuracy
of the plans on which the ship and those
subsequently authorized are being built
furnish good grounds for believing that the
future progress on these later vessels will
exceed any results heretofore attained and
that the completion of the hull and ma
Iii.
the contract period.
During the past year delayed deliveries
of armor have caused but few delays in
the delivery of vessels. and much armor
is now on hand in shipyards in advance of
the needs of the builders. insufficient ca
pacity for the production of nickel steel
protective deck plates has been the cause
of inadequate deliveries to the shipbuilders,
has embarrassed and delayed their work TO
a considerable extent in the past year and
is still operative"
Among the Improvements recommended
at the yards named are the following: AT
Portsmouth, n. H., new stone dry dock 400
feet long, at Boston a new foundry fitted
with modern improvements; New York.
OF Cob dock; League Island, extension of
wharves to accommodate vessels 800 feet
long" In connection with the improve
ments recommended for Mare Island navy
yard Admiral Bowles said: ut is urged,
in order that the yard may be prepared
for the building OF the largest vessels that
preparations be made to that end" Then
follow recommendations for the construc-
ton of piers and building ships.
For the Puget Sound yard it is pointed
out that another dry dock is required, also
a marine railway and number of build
ings. Concerning the navy yard at Nor
folk, Admiral Bowles says: "Being located
on Hampton Roads. where large fleets must
of necessity rendezvous, this yard should
unquestionably be equipped as one of the
foremost yards of the country: Recently
he first locC hnf Itr1af-
and left the yard without difficulty This
would appear to settle the question of suf-
ficient depth of channel.
h 1t is stated that the bureaus work con-
-tinues to be embarrassed by lack Of suf-
| ficient dry docks of capacity suited to the
dimensions of battleshfps and first-class
cruisers.
Appended to the report is a complete list
| of all the vessels in the navy, with elab-
| crate data concerning them, also q sum-
in the maVy fit for service, IS building. snd
| % unfit for sea service Vessels tit for
service. including those under repair, are
First-class battleships, 10; second-class
battleships 1; armored cruisers. 2; armored
ram, J.; single turret harbor defense mon
itors, 4; double turret monitors, 6; protected
| cruisers, IA; unprotected cruisers, g. gun
| boats. IL; light draught gunboats, 8; COM
| posite gunboats, s; training ship Naval
Academy sheathed, l; special class DOL
tons tons n; torpedo boat destroyers, iS; steel
torpedo boats, q; submarine torpedo boats,
| s.; wooden torpedo boat 1; iron cruising
vessels (steam), 8; wooden cruising vessels
| (steam), s; wooden sailing vessels, 4; tugs,
80; auxiliary cruisers, 5; converted yachts,
| %; golfers, 16; supply ships and hospital
! ships, IA.
| The following are under construction or
| authorized. First-class battleships, IA; ar
| mored cruisers, s; protected cruisers 9:
| gunboat for great lakes mot begun, /:
| composite gunboats, 2; steel torpedo boats,
| s.; training ships. 2; training brig, /: tugs, 2.