Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-24
Recent Naval Construction.

Recent Naval construction.
The United States Navy maintains its
position by very narrow margin for
Germany has made strides to the front
and threatens to step into the place Il
occupied in 1906. second only to Great
Britain. France. on tho other hand, has
slipped below Germany. and is rated the
fourth naval power, with Japan fifth and
distanced considerably by France. Great
Britain is still far ahead In naval strength.
Japan Is doing little shipbuilding for its
navy, Notwithstanding the reports of tho
development OF great navy by the yam
KEGS of the far east" Japan at present Is
building only two first-class battleships.
Plans have been made for two other bat
tleships, but work on them has not been
started. Japan has completed no battle
ships since 1905.
Of Germany. but the latter has jumped to
the fore with two new battleships and
France has not added any of the big ships
In the past year. France. to be- sure, has
a larger number Of vessels and a larger
tonnage than either the United States or
Germany. but many of these vessels are
obsolete. many are small, and the experts
have therefore rated France behind both
the United States and Germany.
Maintenance Of Navies.
The cost OF naval vessels and the cost
Of their maintenance are matters which
have necessarily to be considered by any
country building up-to-date battleships.
It is expected that when the naval apprO-
priation bill comes up this SESSION OF Con-
gress there will be another fight over the
number Of battleships which the Pres dent
wishes Congress 10 authorize. Inc ele-
ment of cost will enter into the tight 10 Q
great extent. in view Of the falling on IN
the revenues.
Last session a concession was wrung
from the leaders of the Senate that they
would approve an annual Increase or two
battleships for the navy. 1t may be ths
session that Congress Will decide 10 drop
back to one a year, but those members
who believe in greater navy say that
they are confident of making a winning
fight for four.
1T is shown In the navy yearbook that
the total cost to Uncle Sam of he new
navy, built and building has been $344,-
9O429865. But the cost of the navy does
not cease with the completion OF the yes
sells. Each year large sums are spent
keeping them in repair and manning
them. The following charges have been
made for these types OF vessels. during
the last year: Battleship, CONNECTICUT.
SS71,515.77; armored cruiser, Colorado,
protected protected nnaorS :Saa
294,91; torpedo-boat destroyer, Whlpp!e.
ssS.44472: torpedo boat. Stockton, SS4,-
977.sS; submarine. Cuttlefish. $23,592.7s.
Cost Of Coal
A huge item OF expense for the navy
is the cost Of coal. The government
spent $5,168.S24.35 for coal in the year
1908, purchasing S36.3S9 tons at an aver
age rate Of s6.1s per ton. OF this. $751;
OS6 tons were used on navy vessels For
steaming. 1890 per cent was used Of the
to al amount. 21.7s per cent for electric
lighting and power aboard ship. 1893
per cent for heating. flushing. etc II
has been estimated that on ton OF coal
battleship will go about $3.50 knots:
the Louisiana, bunkers holding $500
TONS could go % days OF 10 knots an
hour, or $40 knots.
The latest prices paid by the naval
powers for armor plate show that the
Uni. ed States has paid less for plate than
any other except Japan. 1t cost Japan
$500 u ton and the United States $421.61.
England paid as high as s626 n ton. The
United States buys its armor in this
country.
Personnel Of tho Navies.
The personnel of the principal naval
powers shows that the United States
stands fourth in numbers. though II tho
Marine Corps is included the United
States stands second. Great Britain has
99,319 enlisted men: Germany, 1895:
Franco, 44577: the United States, 42.409.
and Japan 41,966. The total number
of commissioned officers Of the United
States Navy is 2.75l. or the enlisted
men, 1891 are native born and $685.