The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-05
Twenty-Five New Vessels Added
and Two Dropped From List.
DELAY IN the EQUIPMENT
Output Of 0rdnincs Falls Short Of Needs.
WIpess Telegraph In UsG
Naval StitIons.

| washington, Dec b.-Ihe annual re
port OF w. IL. Moody, secretary OF the
navy. made public yesterday. reviews con-
ditions in that department which is es-
pecislIy interesting TO the public today.
The effective force OF the navy was In
creased during the fiscal year by the
addition OF % new vessels These yes
sells were the battleships Maine. the four
harbor defence monitors Arkansas. Ne
vada, Florida and Wyoming. IL torpedo
boat destroyers. one torpedo boat and
seven submarine boats. Since the close
of the fiscal year. and therefore not in
cluded in the enumeration. additional
vessels have been accepted as follows:
One protected cruiser. the Cleveland. Oct
20; one torpedo boat destroyer. the Mao
donough. July 3. Aside from the fore
going vessels which were built for the
navy. there were transferred from the
army the transports Hancock and Law
ton, which have been fitted up for use
as receiving ships. and the hospital ship
Relief and from the treasury depart
ment the schooner Eagre. During the
fiscal year two vessels were dropped from
the navy, the iron tug Leyden. which
was wrecked. and the iron paddle wheel
gunboat Monocacy. condemned as un-
serviceable and later sold.
! Twelve ensigns may now be appointed
annually from the ranks, but only Ave OF
the II applicants for examination were
qualified. IL Is recommended that the
applicant should not have TO show such
long service. as young men are needed
for officers. The secretary recommends
that some provision he made for the pro-
lection OF the families OF artisans injured
I'm the service.
NEW NAVAL STATIONS.
Although IL is almost FIVE years since
we acquired the Philippins islands, no
steps have been taken to establish a
ma Val base there. We have in Asiatic
waters large feet. comprising not only
smaller vessels. but cruisers and battle
ships. There Is no naval base al present
nearer than Puget sound or San Francisco
bay We must at an early date. deter
mine whether our naval base shall be I'm
Manila bay or Subig bay. At one or the
other of the places there should be. In the
near future. a station where there can be
abundant naval stores OF all kinds, ia
cilities for docking and repairs. and ef-
fective protection by fortihcation. The
question Is at which OF these places are
these essential points best combined7
Naval opinion. so far as IL has reached
the department. unanimously favors Su-
big bay. Guantanamo. on the eastern
part OF the southern coast Of Cuba. and
at Bahia Honda. on the western part Of
Of the northern coast. have been ceded as
naval stations. The ultimate sovereignty
of Cuba IL preserved but complete juris-
diction and control during the period of
its occupation is given to the United
States. The United States also has the
right 10 acquire by condemnation private
property within the leased areas upon
the payment OF full compensation to the
owners
ORDINANCE DELAYED.
The secretary discusses the delays In
the completion and equipment OF new vcs-
sells and the remedies applied. Again he |
compares conditions I'm this country with
those I'm England, which are similar But
the problem will be TO equip the vessels !
ordered with guns. IL requires practical |
ly as much time to manufacture the |
armament OF a battleship as TO build the |
vessel; but work upon the batteries Of |
Il important vessels authorized, con- :
tracted for, or under construction has not |
yet been begun. The naval gun factory |
has been working to It's full capacity. en-
ploying two and occasionally three sue
cessive shifts OF men and keeping its prin-
cipal tools In almost constant oper ,t,on
day and night during the past year. Not
withstanding this fact the output OF guns
falls short of the requirements OF the SER
vice In January. 1907, the last OF the
ships authorized by congress will be due
1t is computed that at that time. with the
present capacity OF the gun factory, "the
delivery OF the last s-nch guns for these
vessels will be about eight years behind
the date OF completion OF the last vessel"
Much time has been wasted In repairs
on ships In commission, no the require
ment that they should be docked once in
six months when practicable has been
made once year. The amount Of coal
actually used was n per cent greater than
during the preceding year. while its cost
was i6 per cent less per ton. The rela-
tive amount OF foreign coal used decreased
from 2S to q per cent. of the entire coal
During the great strtn-
eency I'm the coal market last year yes
sells OF the navy were at no time ham
pcred I'm their movements for lack Of coal
nor were exorbitant prices paid therefor.
THE WIRELESS TELEGRAPH.
on the 9th OF March EAST. as n result
" Investigations made by q board OF
officers appointed 10 investigate the per-
'ormance OF number of systems OF wire
ess telegraphic apparatus 20 sets OF the
pattern recommended were purchased Tor
he use OF the navy. During the sum
ner the following ships and shore .ta-
ions were fully equipped with working in
'truments and operators: Baltimore
Searsarge. Illinois. Olympia. Prairie,
TeNas ana Topeka, and the shore stations
II Cape Elizabeth, Ne: Newport, r. l.
Montauk Point. ". Y: navy yard. New
fork. and the Highlands. Navesink, N j.
rhe balance OF the sets on hand will be a
uppiied 10 the Maine and Minneapolis q
md at the following shore stations; Navy
ard. Portsmouth. n. H.: navy yard. i.
Boston. Mass: Thatchers Island Cape =
INN. Mass.; High and Light. Cape Cod,
Mass: Cape Henry. Va; Key West Fla
Dry Tortugas. Fla Pensacola. Fla
During the manoeuvres OF tho coast J
n Maine last summer. the Olympia
citing M n scout. was able by wireless
TO communicate 10 the com
lander In chief on board the Kearsarge
Information respecting the whereabouts
Z the vessels Stimulating an enemy's
puadron I'm time 60 defeat the attack
nder the rules Of the manoeuvres In
eneral. the use or the apparatus during
he summer drills was successful, and
he commander In chief recommends 7.
- L. -