New-York tribune., 1908-03-16
OCEAN NAIL SHIPS.
NnTd1 Reserre HW Benefit by Fast
H1r -4u11l,0rles
From The Tribune Buresu J

rostofice has 2 vital interest in the C1aliinger
ocean mail bill which will come up for final
action in the Senate on March 20. Friends Of this
measure believe that Il will have practically solid
support the Republican side of the chamber
| and that several Democratic Senators from the
chief commercial states of the South will also
| for il. Senator Simmons, of North Carolina in
elaborate speech. has gone on record In favor
OF the bill with amendment limiting the
penditure foreign mails TO the estimated
revenue from the foreign mail service, which is
acceptable to the Postotrce Department and Sena-
tor Gallinger
The bill in its terms provides simply for
amendment increasing from s. to 81 mile out
ward the maximum compensation for sixteen knot
steamers routes than 4,oA0 miles in
length, 10 South America Japan, China, the PhfIiy
pines and Australasia Under the requirements OF
the law of 1881 new steamships built for these
routes must be Constructed with particular refer
ence prompt economical conversion into
auxiliary naval cruisers and according plans
and specifications to BE- agreed upon by and be-
tween the owners and the Secretary Of the Navy"
It Is further required that these mail ships shall
De of sufficient strength and stability carry and
sustain the working and operation of at least four
effective rifed of a calibre Of less
than six inches, and shall be OF the highest rating
known to maritime commerce Before being
cepted for the postal service the further stipu-
lates that these mail steamships shall be
thoroughly inspected by Z competent naval officer
or constructor detailed for that service by the
Secretary of the Navy Every of these steam
q
required of ships Of under the supervision of
3 board OF naval officers
These naval reserve provisions of the law of 1891
are not generally known But efficient though
small fleet Of naval Auxiliary ships has already
been developed under This legislation The TWO
native built steamships of the American line 10
Europe, the St Louis and St Paul were con-
structed under the naval reserve sections of the
IaN OF 1881. and they gave good account of them
serves as scout and lighting vessels in the
II
lar naval service IN that war the government
also took the fastest ships of the Ward Line to
una and Mexico and the Red D 10 Venezuela
which are postal lines under contract with tho
government The law of 1891 provides -ha+ -baee
contract mail steamers may be taken and used
py the United States transports cruisers upon
payment TO the owners OF the fair, actual value
or the same at the time OF taking" such yaIJA +o
De liked If necessary, by arbitration
Since the Spanish-Anerican War the Ward line
mas nluch improved the character Of its naval re-
serve heet' and new line has been Established bzy
lhe American Mail Steamship COMPANY 70 1ar7ai-a
he latest or the Ward liners the Saratoga the FIsv
ana the Merida and the Mexico ships OF fIny,ar,5
OF oo" tons gross register, have developed a speed
oi- t7F orcia4 trials OF eighteen more knots al
tAough sixteen knots iii that was required
ch OF these steamships is especially Constructed n
carry d battery Of eleven powerful rapid fire guns,
OF the armament of regular cruisers Of the class
OF the Cincinnati or th. Raleigh
SHIPS similar 10 these Ward liners or Ia-,a- vii,
Anne
''e Ga!IlnGer ocean man bill is enacted AZ tha |
present session OF Congress These vessels ,iLa
t-s'T predecessors of the Ward. the Red y and
Tie admiral postal lines. will have TO be builr on
oTS-sHs approved by the Navy Department with
reference 10 their as auxiliary cruisers o- ,s
transports IN war. They will have to have their
machinery far possible below the ua+erii~. |
and VIII have their decks strengthened to sIs+a,
the workings OF heavy II is estimated bv |
senator tianger' the author Of the bill that six
steamships VIII be needed for the route to Ar |!
Eentlna and five for the to Brazil ~ e1av-a I
in all No vessels are now in existence m +ba A.
lantc coast that would be available for this ser
vice New ships will have to be constructed ana /
they VIII presumably be from $500 to 1000 TONS
gross register Each Of these sh!ps could ea-r, A.
least regiment OF troops.
On the Pacific Ocean the conditions ~ ~, ..z
are such thai the new postal ships of the naval |
reserve woul1 have 20 be considerable r.-~-a-
senator ''allinger estimates that under this meas
ne there would he established d I,7a n Az
u alasi.- and two lines to China JaDsn and +,7s
Fhilippines. requiring least sixteen steamships
FoUT steamships which might be utilized for This
service are already afoat under the American 4as
on the Pacific Ocean. They belong 10 the Pacific
Mail Company and are from II 90 IN . o.,n TINS
gross register. Three steamers Of the former
Oceanic Lin" 10 Australasia are now Laid m ~
san Francisco Bay but the Oceanic company mas
s1gn1ed that If il renewed IFS service I;n4a- +t,;.
new legislation it would build new steamships as
-e~- Tie ships OF the Oriental lines would nsrr
rally be ron 1900 cooo tons each c;.pab1a of
Transporting two full eCtn1ents with an .o,,io
rcnts iu or war
Th= navys rned Of colliare. which -ras hroa-,- /
out 50 consptouousiy IN the Pacific cruise when
foreign vessels which could not lawfully he used
IN wa were chartered. is not specifically, r,et Nv
tie ocean mail bill The ships required for this
POSTAL service are passenger vessels Of relatively
high speed. bur even the smallest or them would
have capacity for at least 900 tons of cargo /
and n aT emergency. il Golfers needed 4or
swift delivery 10 accompany cruising fleet /
hese mail liners could be utilized. They could :
Iot carry relatively much coal as steamers
II the tramp type. but they could move much
more rapidly and keep up with a battIeship fleet
rney would be primarily intended. however for
service auxiliary cruisers. supply ships or fast
The British naval reserve list with
he twenty-four knot Mauretania and the Lust
ania at head OF f. includes also stear7shfDs
y = speed OF fourteen knots.
From twenty-five thirty steamships would b.
cQuired an adequate mail service on the routes,
overed by the mail bill. These steamships
would have be OF 4 speed OF at least sixteen :
znots. Some OF them might be much faster The
I8vy Department under existing law would have
he approval Of the design OF all of these ships.
With reference 10 their naval auxiliary yes
els. This bill. It's friends declare, Will than
ouble the size and efficiency Of the naval reserve
eet OF the United States.