The San Francisco call., 1904-07-25

The protected cruiser Albany, which
recently arrived at Bremerton for re-
pairs and general overhauling, has
been in commission, attached TO the
Asiatic station, since June, 1900, and
has made a good record. This ship.
then named Abreu, was purchased
March 16, 1898, from the Brazilian
Government for s1,205.0OO. The YES
sci was still on the stocks at the Arm
strong yard, Elswick, and was not
launched until January IA, 1899. She
was commissioned May 90 of the fol-
lowing year and proceeded to the
Philippines, where she remained until
about a month ago. Her total cost,
reaN Tor service, was S1,2O7,644 l3
and the repairs up to July l, 1903,
have only amounted to S3S,422 O4,
which is within $1,000 Of the sum ex-
pended for repairs to the New Or
leans, a sister ship, also purchased
from Brazil in 1898. These vessels are
of 1853 tons displacement, 1900 horse
power and twenty knots speed. They
are wood sheathed and coppered and
have therefore been able TO maintain d
higher speed on less coal CONSUMPTION,
without being compelled to dock fire.
quently. The New Orleans was ready
for service, when purchased for
s1,429,215 54, but after the war s124.-
24S was expended in alterations and
additions to 1T her for service in
northern waters. This. expense was
not required on the Albany, which was
designed for service in the tropics.
The launching of the battleship Con-
necticut, building at the New York
Navy Yard, has been set for Septem-
Der 20, at which time she will be about
one-half completed. The keel was laid
March 10, 1903, and the vessel had
advanced to ASP per cent toward
completion on July I, against the
Louisiana, 5O.79 per cent, building at
Newport News. The Connecticut gain
ed / per cent on the Louisiana during
June. The latter will probably be
launched in October, and the Ne
braska, building at Seattle, is also ex-
pected TO run off the ways during the
beginning of October.
GUNNERY ON THE OREGON.
The record of the target practice
scores made by sixty-four vessels of
the United States navy has been tab
ulated and shows some interesting re-
suits. The vessels are classified under
three groups; the first composed of
ships firing guns of 5-inch caliber or
above; the second of 4-inch or less, and
the third of torpedo vessels. OF the
eight squadrons, numbering thirty-five
in all, the North Atlantic fleet of seven
battleships made an average of S72 per
cent; the Asiatic feet of three battle
ships and two monitors (the latter
counted as one ship scored S2S4 per
cent, and the other squadrons ranged
from 1884 to 61.06 per cent merits
Class II. consisting of twenty-one yes
sells, scored from TIPS to 32.82 per cent
in the five subdivisions and the eight
torpedo craft in three divisions gave
SI.57 to 1888 per cent. OF individual
ships the oregon, as usual, comes to
the front with a final merit score of
111.47 per cent; the Wisconsin a good
second with 104.47 and the other nine
battleships ranging from 1923 for the
Illinois to 69.72 credited to the Kear-
sarge OF the fifteen cruisers the New
York led with 96.37 per cent and the
Baltimore scored only 36.49 per cent
The Paul Jones in the torpedo craft
class got 121.54 merits. and the Stewart
obtained only $40 per cent The trophy
vessels were the Oregon, dispatch-boat
Dolphin with 10572 merits and the gum
boat Sarmar, which scored 93.07 per
cent.
The above figures of final merit Of
ships do not, Of course, represent DOS
sible hits, but simply the relative ef-
1ciency of the various ships and SQUAD
rons. In calculating the final merit the
efficiency Of old and modern guns is
considered and ships having ordnance
that differs greatly from that of other
vessels in efficiency may. nevertheless.
compete with equal chances of attain
! ing the highest final merit Thus, TAX
| ing the Oregon and Wisconsin as ex-
, amples. II is conceded that the latter
is the better fighting machine. having
the advantage OF six years improve
ments over the Oregon but as each
pointer in the service fires during ex-
actlv the same length of time. his score
is the number of hits he makes. The