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* 18 | MARINE REVIEW. [December 7, ABOUT SEVENTY-FIVE MILLIONS WILL BE REQUIRED TO RUN THE NAVY ANOTHER YEAR--PROGRAMME FOR NEW SHIPS--ARMOR QUESTION--CONSOLIDATION OF BUREAUS--THE NEW DRY DOCKS--SUMMARY OF SECRETARY LONG'S REPORT. Wasuinero, Orrick Marines Review, 1345 PENNSYLVANIA net WasHineton, DL. U., Dec. 6, 1899. Recommendations of the secretary of the navy as to new ships were printed in these dispatches two weeks ago. As then noted, congress is asked to provide appropriations for eighteen new vessels. First, three armored cruisers of about 13,000 tons trial displacement, of a maximum draft at deep water load not to exceed 26 feet, carrying the heaviest armor and most powerful ordnance for vessels of their class, to be sheathed and coppered and to have the highest practicable speed and great radius of action; second, twelve gunboats of about 900 tons displacement, to be sheathed and coppered; and third, as recommended a year ago, three protected cruisers of about 8,000 tons trial displacement, carrying the most powerful ordnance for vessels of their class, to be sheathed and coppered, and to have the highest practicable speed and great radius of action. It is also recommended that if any of the foregoing vessels are authorized, the law should provide that in case satisfactory bids can not be obtained for their construction by contract, the department shall have ~ authority to construct the same in the navy yards. In support of tuis proposed further increase of ships the secretary presents the following tables as showing what other great powers are doing, and from which it appears that only Italy and Japan laid down less tonnage than this country during the present year and that Italy alone has less tonnage under construction: LAID DOWN IN 1889. Nation. Battleships. | Cruisers. _| Torpedo vessels Total. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tous. 1yayed abeVel 5 seccpaaseccononnen 116,000 127,700 4,200 247,900 IGGAN COR AeeednileSassecscics: 25,456 113,943 4,800 144,199 Germany........... ace als 44.324 2,800 4,200 61,324 MGA YF cecics ioctuescss HB SES SOOO a esac scssetoaeowes 1,800 33,800 plea aparece yen etl cece ce eset eet Cnc eaten estliveoce scasnweh caa[acecssen esceseter IRMISSTaLe ceiseetc ce. cobeech es 57,426 6,375 1,700 65,501 United States...... ..... 36,970 (tT) APO iets t scaseencccsets IMOonitorsmrserese ee AOA ee Rene cece ween tls eteccises cece tne: 64,101 * All vessels called for by Japan's first building programme/"are [either com- pleted or under way. It is rumored, however, that the following will be laid down in 1899: one cruiser, third class; two torpedo gunboats; twelve torped. boats, first class; sixteen torpedo boats. t+ In November, 1899, bids were received for six protected cruisers of 3,200 tons (contracts since awarded). TOTAL NOW UNDER CONSTRUOTION. Nation. Battleships. Cruisers. |Torpedo vessels Total. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Clans in. kesee ee ose 261,700 267 ,080 *12,900 531,680 Mirah COsseaiech aca ncciiceciniae 80,231 166,283 8,969 255,533 (Geniiatysercsr secon te 99,729 41,851 6,656 148,235 Vitailivasieascrissstenscaceestasc 78,454 38,901 3,185 120,540 APA -scsceces sas ennece. 59,700 63,280 7,133 130,113 WRG SSIa cs arses caceieetec ees 115,713 92,697 16,566 222,976 United States............. 94,715 4,935 LOR CAG ee eae ee cacmctes ovis IVOnILOTS sconces cece. ZEA eae aceeeeet soaseceh|ncgs<d seer are eet ss 123,236 * Approximate. Another table in the report shows probable dates of completion of forty-nine naval vessels now under construction in different parts of the country. Notwithstanding delay through the inability of the contractors to procure armor and other material, it is stated that four battleships should be finished early next year and one in October. The three others under construction should be available, one in 1901 and the other two early in 1902. The cruiser Albany, now building in England, and most of the thirty-three torpedo craft, should be available during the coming. year, and the four monitors in 1901. As already noted several times in these columns, little progress has been made with the designs for the three battleships and three armored cruisers authorized under the act of March last, owing to the provision prohibiting the department from con- tracting for the hull of any vessel authorized therein until a contract has been made for the armor within the limit of a cost of $300 per ton. The secretary explains that the six unprotected cruisers for which appropria- tions were provided in this same act have been contracted for (note last issue of the Review) and that work on the design of gunboat No. 16, to replace the Michigan on the great lakes, has been suspended awaiting the modifications of the treaty with Great Britain, which are now under con- sideration. THE ARMOR QUESTION. Referring to the armor matter, the secretary says it is the most im- portant question pertaining to naval construction at the present time. He enters into an account of the disadvantages encountered by the de- partment on account of the act of March 3 last limiting the price to be paid to $300 aton. A total of about 21.458 tons of armor now required is not contracted for. The situation, in view of great advances in prices, and in view also of the fact that all leading maritime nations except the United States are now taking advantage of important improvements recently made in the manufacture of armor, is particularly unfortunate. The report urgently recommends that in the early days of the session congress enact such special legislation, by joint resolution or otherwise, as may be necessary to enable the department to make contracts early in the coming year for 7,358 tons of armor of the best quality that can be obtained in this country for the battleships Maine, Ohio and Missouri, which are under construction, and that the provision of the act of March 8, 1899, limiting the price of armor to $300 per ton, and the restriction preventing the armored vessels therein authorized from being contracted for until the armor therefor is contracted for, be removed,' 'Whatever Bureau of yards and dockS..........:sepesee0 peMarine:COLpSsen aut wake treed kc cadec a: may be the future action of congress regarding the establishment of a government armor factory," the secretary adds, it can hardly affect the supply of armor for the Maine, Ohio, and Missouri, as it will under any circumstances be impracticable to obtain it now such a source in reason- able time to complete the vessels above referred to. Estimates for the coming fiscal year, 1901, aggregate $74,230,3809.15, or an increase of $25,025,239.57 over appropriations for the present fiscal year. The secretary explains that the increase is to be found in the three items of public improvements, the construction and repair of ves- sels and increase of the navy--construction and machinery. Attention is directed to the great increase in the naval establishment during the past year or two. The estimates are as follows: NAVAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PRESENT FISCAL YEAR COMPARED WITH ESTIMATES FOR THE NEW YEAR 1901. Navy Department. Appropriated, 1900. | Estimates, 1901. EayAOnthne taviyge tices ce PR cle ctias piace $13,500,171.00 | $12,805,297 .00 PayeitlisCellame Oust... .6 scesseccectecsdccssseass 500,000.00 500,000.00 Contitgentenaviy watirs..¢eomeesscnsesan eae s 10,000.00 10,000.00 Bureau of navigation...............0cece. ceeee 505,125.00 454,375.00 Navaliacad emiysunce.ca tiacdsdasrisessescteresso0 195,153.46 207,813.45 -- Bureau of ordnance.............++ ease neee tee 8,143,124.00 2,503,124 .00 BUR eAM BO eC piteiteser pea ase ators 2,765,455 .10 3, 242,475.00 453,442.23 633,322.83 Public works, yards and docks............... 5,840,786.50 | 13,768,474.32 Public works, naval academy................. _. 720,000.00. | 2,021,000.00 - Public works, naval observatory............. 10,v00.00 30,500.00 Bureau of medicine and surgery......... ... 192,500.00 180,000.00 Bureau of supplies and accounts.............. "8,220,432 .03 3,220,432 .03 Bureau of construction and repair........ ii 3,273,407 .00 6,295,824. 25 Bureau of steam engineering.................. 1,959, 200.00 2,623,871 .27 2,774, 200.00 2,700,370. 27 Increase ot the navy ; construction and gi TA CHIM GIy ae mel cqace stot pisos ots duces sarueeacs 5,992,402.00 | 18,733,101 .00 PSE Ot aerate tM ANTM acc eoe enea ena 4,0U0,000.00 4,000,000.00 I Quipiiembtnnntn pe ee eckson ccc cs ee 40,000.00 250,000.00 + (Grand! totaly, eee aid, 6 at. $49,205,069.58 | $74,230,509.15 THE NEW DRY DOCKS, As the government is now expending about $4,500,000 on new docks --one floating dock and four graving docks--the secretary's reference to this subject is quite important, especially as the main feature of his report on this score is just as was expected--an urgent plea to congress to re- consider previous action and provide a small additional appropriation so that all four of the graving docks may be of masonry. For two of them-- Mare island (Cal.) and League island (Penna.)--appropriations thus far made specify timber construction. Referring first to the docks under construction and about which there is no question, it is noted that the floating dock at Algiers, La., contracted for April 10 last, is to cost $810,000 and will be ready for use in November, . 1900; masonry dock at Boston, contracted for March 14 last, to cost $1,013,400 and to be com- pleted within the limit of two and one-half years; masonry dock at Ports- mouth, N. H., contracted for Oct. 2 last, to cost $1,089,000 and to be completed within the limit of two years. Then the secretary says of the other two dry docks: : "The docks for the Mare island navy yard and for the League island navy yard, which are to be of timber, were also advertised for bids upon plans and specifications prepared by the bureau of yards and docks, and contracts have been awarded for the entire work at $729,000 for the former and at $782,600 for the latter. These docks are of a capacity to re- ceive the largest vessels of the service or those likely to be employed as auxiliary cruisers in time of war. The principal dimensions are: Length, 750 feet; width on the floor, 80 feet; draught at mean high water, 30 feet. In contracting for these docks the department has followed the require- ments of congress as to materials, but experience in contracting for the masonry docks has shown that they can be built of the most substanial character, with the best equipment and within a reasonable period of time, at a cost very little in excess of the wooden structures. Coupled with this record of moderate cost for permanent and safe docks of the largest size is the unfortunate experience the department has had with practically all the timber dry docks it has constructed, In those cases in which there has been no alarming accident or failure the cost of repairs _ and renewals has been very great. In- view of the facts the department strongly recommends that authority be given to modify the contracts for the timber docks and build them of concrete and stone." RECOMMENDS CONSOLIDATION OF BUREAUS. As had been expected, Secretary Long urgently recommends the consolidation of three important bureaus--construction and repair, steam engineering and equipment. 'The consolidation of these bureaus," he says, "would be in the interest of good business organization and econ- omy. These bureaus have to do with the construction and fitting out of vessels; in one word, the material of the ship. It is an integral work. When a contract is made for the construction of a ship, it is made with one builder. It is not given part to a constructor of hulls, part to a steam engine manufacturer and part to an outfitting firm. Whatever various trades enter into the work are all under one head. This is the method of private ship yards which build the largest ships and which are not left to the administration of three heads between whom delicate ques- tions of respective authority and responsibility are liable to arise, result- ing in delays and too often in friction and lack of harmony of co-opera- tion. Each of these bureaus has now, during the construction of naval vessels, its separate inspectors at each yard. A consolidated bureau could, of course, be run much cheaper than three bureaus, and a great saving made by a reduction of the now three separate working forces both clerical and mechanical, especially in our navy yards. Fewer naval officers would be needed, as there would be but one staff instead of three so that more officers would be available for other duty. Under the