New-York tribune., 1909-12-28
REPAIRS. S6,0OO,OOO
ANNUAL NAV4L COST.
Congress Mast Vote Money
Before Work Is Done.
fFrom The Tribune Bureau. J


washington. Dec 27-Repairs and altera-
tions of the vessels of the navy next year
viii call for an appropriation Of more than
s.. 100000. This class of work is quite dis
tinct from that which may be ordered by
the Secretary of the Navy and will re-
quire special authority from Congress be-
fore the money is available for the pur-
pose Most of this work viii come under
the two bureaus of Construction and Re
pair and Steam Engineering.
Among the larger vessels will he included
important work on the New Jersey and
the Rhode Island estimated to cost $4,000
each the Colorado and the Pennsylvania,
s6s0.GOO each; the Maryland and the West
Virginia, $500. 900 each. 1t is further pro-
posed to expend S540,Oo on the Charleston.
s350,00G on the Detroit and nearly as much
on the Boston.
Under the law il is necessary for the
Navy Department to secure authority from
Congress for work which costs more than
5000. COO or % per cent of the cost OF new
vessels of the same design. This restric-
tion is more or less of an embarrassment
TO the naval authorities who must submit
a carefully prepared schedule Of work con-
templated and the estimate has to be
based on an anticipation of work eighteen
months ahead. 1t is difficult 10 do this
with any accuracy. and the estimate sent
to Congress is probably made larger than
is really necessary. in order not to inter
fere with important work. There has been
some talk of asking Congress to remove
this restriction. as the proceeding is mere
matter of form in most instances. the
Navy Department being unable 10 spend
more money in the way Of repairs and al
terations than is included in the annual
sum for such purpose.
Navy Department officers believe IL would
be more advantageous not to have Con-
gress specify the work which may be done.
leaving il to the judg nent Of the bureau
officials 10 determine in what direction and
to what extent the available fund may
be applied The restriction was originally
placed with the idea that there should be
a limit 10 the amount of money expended
on old vessels. but the naval officers take
the position that If il is found that an
old vessel can be made Of service by re-
pairs and the installation OF new features,
il ought to be done at whatever cost
In the case of 5he larger ships requiring
more than 100000 in the way of repairs the
work includes the installation of trunked-
in hoists for turret guns TO increase pro-
lection and decrease danger of 1gniting
powder in the handling rooms, the com
pletion of the work Of reducing top hamper
and of installing turret aiming gear in
accordance with 1he latest requirements,
retubing boilers, and in some cases new
boilers. and the adoption of the system
of coaling magazines, not with the idea of
protecting the vessels from explosion. which
is MT necessary, but 10 prevent the de-
terioration of powder by maintaining an
evenness of temperature in and about the
magazines.
If Congress authorizes this work, it will
mean the expenditure during the Eext fiscal
year of SSlCc coo at the navy yard at Brook
lyn, for to that establishment will be sent
the Rhode Island.