Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-04-13

YARDS ACTIVITY Is UNPRECEDENTED
Nearly a Score of Sea Fighters of
All Kinds to Be Added Within a
Few Months-WiII Give Commands
to Many Officers Now of Junior
Rank.
tB, Associatod press.,

MAoiiiNGION, ID. c., April r.
Twtnty-iivc battle ships will be in
the first line OF sea defence of the
United States within ono year If the
oNcrtlons now being made by the
bureau of Construction 10 prevent dc.
lay meet with success.
building of new ships is being
pressed in order that the full fight,
ing strength in battle ships, cruisers.
torpedo boats and dcstroyers under
The now programme may reach It's
complement mt an early date WORD
mas gone out that construction WORK
must not be retarded and that every.
thing must be done to eXpediae mat
tors where there have been DELAYS.
The Navy Department is showing n
pronounced desire to place aiIoat
within the shortest possible time All
vessels NOW on tho ways, of which
there arc considerable number IN
an nints ct completed state.
Ia some cases vessels have reached
an advanced state of construction All
hive apparently come to halt. So
roticcatlc is the disposition to en-.
unnecessary delay that the effect viii
be, 1t is believed, TO make an un-
usually largc addition to tho paw
within q year. If the Department.
pia;." ar" fulfilled, the addition to the
naval establishment within the nor
ioG from now until next spring will
comprise five new bnttlcships. four
alr:n,ed cruisers, three scout cruis.
ers. four submarine torpedo boa IS
and ono or more dostroycrs.
Will Be Less Activity.
THIS will leave the Bureau of Con.
struction clear of all contracts OK.
cept those for the battle ships SCUM,
Carolina and Michigan, two colllers, a
number of destroyers and the two
10000 ton battlcships authorized by
the last Congress. Though the bids
for these latter ships will be ad.
vertised for on April 20, 1t is not
thought that they can be completed
In less than three years, and there
Will be apparently a period of less
pronounced activity during that IN.
tcrval than has been the case in The
last lew years, when under the naval
programme Il large number of new
ships have been on tine ways.
Just at present this building ac-
hvity is at Its height. and the Con-
struction Bureau of the navy is taxed
to its utmost in directing new work.
Recent additions TO the fighting
strength have been numerous bur
the coming year will see larger
number added than ever before wit
in the same period
The Unfinished Ones.
Delivery to the government recent
~ OF tho Kansas now leaves only the
battleships Nebraska, Mississippi,
ldaFo. New Hampshire, South Caro-.
lima and Michigan to be completed.
OF Jhuse the Nebraska. according TO
n statement on progress of construc.
ton issued today. is 1920 per cent.
completed at the Moran Brothers
yard. Her construction work has
progressed slowly recently, but the
direction by the department to en-
pcdiate matters, it is believed. WI
result in her delivery within three
months. ,
The Mississippi and Idaho, both UNI
der construction by the William
Cramp company, are practically up
to the requirements, and have pro
crossed greatly within the last montn
80 that they should be ready easily
by next fall The New HAMPSHIRE
is 6i.7 completed. and is due to be
delivered by next spring.
Work on the South Carolina ana
the Michigan is we'll started. Or tie
armorcd cruisers, the California az
mo South Dakota, contracted for by
the Union Iron Works, are 90.6 and
III per cent. completed respectively.
They are expected to be ready w::i,.
In three months. The North Caro-,
lima and the Montana, at the Newport
News Ship Building Company's yar1s.
are we'll advanced and are to be ready
early next year. The scout cruisers
Chester. Birmingham and Salem are
all In about the same state of con
struction. and will be added to the
navy within less than a year.
The Submarines.
All that is delaying the completion
of tho new submarine boats authoriz.
cd some time ago is the Official trial
OF various types to be made at New
port the end of April. The Navy de-
partmcnt has two GOLFERS. the Yes.
tai and Prometheus, under way
Contracts for five destroyers are TO
be Let shortly. Two of these were
authorized n year ago and three y,
the previous year.
AT tae..present rate of building t;,e
number of battleships In the United
States Navy year from now should
be twenty-five and of armored cru;s.
ers thirteen. The manning of this
great additional force will remire
the limit of tho enlisted personne;
authorized and will give commands
to many officetl