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300 be in a k'ndergarten or under rfre- straint, anywhere but in the navy. It is inconceivable and outrageous that our navy is cared for and its design dependent upon such scant knowledge, and it goes far in accounting for some of the other things noted herein. More Loss of Life in Peace Than War. There has been more loss of life in our navy in peace than in war and not all unaccountable or accidental either. The most disastrous boiler explosion afloat in recent years was on the Bennington. 'You will look in vain in the bureau reports for more than a casual reference to it. Ruptures of tubes, pipes, "flare-backs", etc., with more or less serious conse- quences, are of common occurrence. For the number of ships in commis- sion and the number of days and miles run, the United States Navy record, instead of 'being something of an . example in at least some one respect, is, compared with the merchant ser- vice, a jest and a toy. A complete and utter disregard of cost or of pub- lic opinion pervades the whole ser- vice. People have not forgotten, at least some of us haven't, how, a few years since, when a British fleet came to visit us, they threaded their way, with- out a pilot, up New York bay in thick weather, and before any one knew it they were in North river, while one of our own battleships could not go to sea in broad daylight, in clear, perfect weather, from the same harbor, without going aground. The navigating, or more properly speaking the handling, of our government ves- sels, 'brings a smile to the face of every coaster. It is besides a com- mon complaint that they are the most persistent violators of the rules of "navigation, and not a merchant master but will bear out this statement. 1 have time and again seen a naval vessel absolutely ignore the statutory passing signals imposed upon all alike and make no answer to the signals blown by a merchant steamer, and I have often wondered what the result of an inquiry following some disaster as a consequence of this violation would be. Delay a Big Source of Expense. Another fruitful source of expense is the eternal delay which seems to at- tend every move. Take a look through some of the bureau reports, which it has been remarked are valuable chiefly for what they don't tell. Take the last report of the Bureau of Yards and Docks. On almost every page you will find evidence of bureau methods, a. shield. TAE MARINE REVIEW one 'of which is, apparently, to use the contractor, where there is one, for Almost the first item we come to refers to the new dry dock for the New York yard, authorized June 7, 1900. On Feb. 7, 1905,- the bureau had got far enough to sign a contract, and now the contractor has thrown up the job. By-the-way, dry dock contractors to the govern- ment seem to find progress even more difficult than others, 'as the original contractors for 'both the League Island and Mare Island docks did the same thing. The dock at Charleston, S. C., was authorized March, 1901, and, the Re- port says, "is all finished with the exception of the caisson* which is building 'at. the Norfolk navy yard." The dock was built inland and a channel had to be dredged to it, and now, @iter. Seven 'years, a contract has been let for this dredging, "but the contractor has been slow to start work." Regarding the caisson, as well as that for the Norfolk dock author- ized in 1900, it appears that its prob- able date of completion: is Oct., 1907, "but depends on delivery of material now overdue." So. here are two docks, one six and the other seven years old, still waiting for the delivery of mate- rial for the gates, probably ordered about a month before the report was filed. We will select a few items as we pass along; to enumerate all would be to practically rewrite the report, but a couple of pages further on we read that a wire-rope mill for the Boston yard, for which appropriation was made in' March, 1904. and '"ur- gently needed", has not been even started because of "no decision as to class of building or its location". This is a gem. At Charleston, a power-house for wh'ch money was appropriated March, 1903, was contracted for in September last, four and a half years later. At Key West, a store-nouse, author- ized March, 1901, has got as far as taking soundings and making plans, but officers' quarters provided for over 5 years later (1906) have been completed. Also a coaling plant au- thorized March, 1903, has reached the same stage as the storehouse. At this yard also a building for the bu- reau of construction and repair, au- thorized in June 1900, "has not yet been begun"; no reasons given. The same bureau asks for a foundry at this yard although a new one has just been finished for the bureau of * Gate. September, 1909 steam engineering and seldom hag anything to do. = At League island, a dock authorized in 1898 is not yet finished. In con- nection with 'this dock, the writer happens to know that the contractor who built the engines for the pump- ing plant had his contract completed and waiting for two years for the bureau to arrange to get water into the plant tbefore he could make his contract trials. The work necessary before this could be done was- not contracted for until about 4 years after the machinery contract was placed and then the contractor is given 4 months in which to do it and is hand- ed a criticism for not moving faster. New Orleans coal storage plant, authorized March, 1901, work begun 5% years later (Nov., 1906), "progress has been slow." Norfolk yard, dry dock authorized June, 1900. Six and a half years later (Nov., 1906), the contract' for the pumping machinery was let. Dock said to be 76 per cent completed. Portsmouth yard, a coal storage plant for which $10,000 was appro- priated March, 1901, has progressed so far that the bureau 'has obligated $800. Phese are only a few random examples, and when we come to the estimates we find almost every item marked up "important", "urgently need- ed', "should be done at once," etc. Five or six years later the same com- ments may be made of them. Amongst ime. most necessary' are coaling plants and the secretary himself makes a piteous appeal for these, backing up his bureau chief. Judging from the speed with which these already au- thorized are approaching completion, the millenium will be upon us and the need of warships and coaling stations have passed before they are built, so why waste the money? Or _ at the least they will be "obsolete." Some Gems in the Estimates. There are a few gems in the timates also. The iureau of yards and docks asks for $125,000 for a hy- draulic dredge, say'ng that in the re- moval of a job of 4,000,000 yards which the bureau has on hand, its cost can be saved. The writer knows something about hydraulic dredges, he has built a few, and he also has bid on others under government speci- fications, and knows about how much the bureau will get for its $125,000 and how much it will save on the 4,- 000,000 yards. It is a question of 'book- keeping, and it is well known that there is nothing so misleading as facts except figures. eS= Any man can make a