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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. Substantial increases of the personnel and material of the navy are recommended by Secretary I,ong in his an- nual report to the President. In the judgment of thé secretary the grade of Vice-Ad- miral should be revived. The number should be increased fromm 300 to 350 and the limit of the number of the junior lieutenants and ensign should be made 600 ‘There should be increase in the construction and engineer corps and the enlisted force of the navy should be augumented by 3,000 and the marine corps by 750 men. In the matter of material the Secretary says that a larger increase than usual is desired in view of the fact that none was made last vear. He therefore recommends the authorization of the con- struction of three first-class battleships, two first-class armored cruisers, three gun boats, each of about 10,000 tons displacement, three gun boats, each of about 200 tons” displacement, for insular service, three picket boats, each ' of about 650 tons displacement, three steel training ships, ! each of about 2,0co tons displacement, one collier of 15,000 tons displacement, and four tugs. The general board recommended the additional con- straction of four battleships, two armored cruisers, four picket vessels, eighteen gunboats, six training ships’ and one collier. ° : The board also recommended the increase of the enlisted personnel, incorporated in his report by Secretary Long, and an increase of fifty persons in the number of naval cadets now allowed by law in order to provide for the necessary increase of officers. The board of construcion submitted a programme con- templating the construction of three battleships, two armored cruisers, eighteen gunboats of 1,200,000 and 200 tons, two colliers, one repair ship, six training ships, four picket boats and four ings. This is the secretary's re- port: ; As a feature of the increased personnel plan the secre- tary recommends a Nationai naya! reserve, and in his re- por! says: “T have again to call attention to the pressing need of a national naval reserve force from which to draw. for sea service immediately upon an outbreak of war. This subject has received attention in previous reports, and - recommendations have heen made for the enrollment and organization of such a national body, to be under’ the general direction of the Navy Department and subject, to- the call of the Chief Executive in times of national émer- gency. © “The results of the Spanish-American war were such as to assure everyone having knowledge of naval matters, that steps should at once be taken to meet the one certain ’ and positive requirement which will face the nation upon an outbreak of war—the immediate necessity at that exigent - time, if it comes, of a large increase in the men of the Navy from an existing reserve—an increase which must, © in the main, be made from the seafaring class, who, havy- ing acquired the habit of the sea, are at home on the water. ‘There’is no better way of insuring such'a reserve’ than by the measure now urged. “Our pressing need is for such a reserve—a body to go to the front on board ship at once upon the outbreak ‘of war, or when it is imminent. “Next to this will come the defense of the coast, and for such purpose the naval! militia will be essential. ° “T see reason for both organizations, and heretofore done all possible to aid the one now exising—the naval militia, and to convince Congress of the necessity for the authorization of the other—the national naval reserve. The General Board recommends the following increase of the navy: Four first-class battleships. ‘Two first-class armored cruisers. Four picket vessels of about 650 tons trial displacement, with a sea speed of 15 knots, with twin screws, carrying a battery of. four 6-pounder and two Colt’s guns, and a’ complement of 60 officers and men. Six sheathed and coppered seagoing gunboats of about 1,000 tons trial displacement, with moderate sail power, similar to the Annapolis class. Six light-draft, steel gunboats of about 200 tons trial dis- placement, for insular service in the Philippines. Six light-draft, steel gunboats of about 200 tons trial displacement, not to exced 6 feet draft, for insular service in the Philippines. ; Six steel sailing training ships of about 2,000 tons trial displacement. : One collier of 10,000 tons cargo capacity and a sea speed of 12 knots. - Three thousand enlisted men, in order that they may be enlisted and drilled in preparation for the completion of the ships. ed hundred and fifty marines. (This number needed for duty on board ship, and does no include the necessary - garrison for posts at home and in our insular possessions. ) An increase of 50 per cent. in the number of Naval Cadets now allowed by law. in order to provide for the in- crease of officers needed for the ships recommended above. The Board of Construction recommend: _ Three seagoing battleships of about 16,000 tons trial dis- placement. ‘Two armored cruisers of about 14,000 tons trial displace- ment. Six gunboats of about 1,200 tons trial displacement. Six gunboats of about 600 tons trial displacement. of lieutenaiits ' » detractors. THE MARINE RECORD. Six gunboats of about 200 tons trial displacement. Two colliers of about 15,0co tons trial displacement. One repair ship of about 7,500 tons trial displacement. Six training ships of about 2,000 tons trial displacement. Four picket boats of about 650 tons trial displacement. Four tugboats. Au the vessels thus recommended are desirable in the prospective and harmonious development of our Naval force. A larger increase than usual is also desirable in view of the fact that none was made last year. Some of the vessels above recommended, however, can better than others be omitted for the present from the list and await appropriation hereafter. Among these are’ the gunboats of 600 tons displacement, in case the picket boats of simi- lar dimensions are authorized: also the repair ship and a portion of each of the other classes of smaller war vessels. The Department therefore recommends: Three first-class battleships. Two first-clas$ armored cruisers. Three gunboats, each of about 200 tons trial displace- ment. anree gunboats, each of about 200 tons’ trial displace- ment, for insular service. Three picket boats, each of about 650 tons trial displace- ment. - Three steel sailing training ships; each of about 2,000 tons trial displacement. One collier of about 15,000 tons trial displacement. Four tugboats. The Department will submit to. Congress in December next, as directed by the Naval Appropriation Bill, a gen- eral description of two’ seagoing battleships and two armored cruisers, according to which the battleships and cruisers above recommended should be built if appropria- , tion is made therefor. — re WHY THE SCOTCH BOILER STILL ENDURES. To the much maligned multitubular marine or Scotch boiler we owe the adoption of the multiple-expansion en- gine of to-day. It has received many hard names from its It has even been designated a tank, but it still holds its own in the mercantile marine, is practically uni- versal, and does not appear to have a rivalin the particular sphere in which it is so extensively used. The water- tube boiler is still in the future, so far as the tramp steamer is concerned, and it will take a good deal of successful ap- plication’ before’ it will suppersede the.well-tried favorite . In certain large and first-class lines, where the engineers are engaged in a fixed trade and grow old in service, the use of water-tube boilers may be admissible; but they re- . quire delicate handling and a continuity of experience which, unfortunately, are not always obtainable in the general run of steamers in the mercantile marine. the leaven of the old saying that “there are more ships than parish churches” still tends frequently to changes in the engine room for small and inconsiderable reasons which are totally inconsistent with the successful management of the delicate organization of improved water-tube boil- _ers of the modern type. For the above and many other obvious reasons the gen- eral'use of a boiler with which a certain amount of liberties can be taken is a necessity. As one of the reasons may be cited ‘the difficulty often found in inducing those’ in charge to make an intelligent use of the evaporator. The aggregation of factors in favor of the retention of the boiler of the present day cannot, therefore, be ignored by the general body of ship owners. ‘They have to work against ever increasing competition at home and abroad, are obliged to use what will give them reasonably economical results, both in first cost and upkeep, and at the same time protect themselves, as far as possible, from ignorant or incompe- tent men. It is not to be understood from the foregoing that the water-tube boiler is in any way condemned or even dis- paraged. ‘I‘he fact is simply that it is considered too deli- cate for the rough handling to which it would, in all like- lihood, be subjected, and that its proper sphere is in the regular lines indicated above and in the Navy, where its general use has been found to be successful.—J. F. Walli- ker, in Cassier’s Magazine for November. OO or STATEMENT OF THE VISIBLE SU PPLY OF GRAIN. As compiled by George F. Stone, Secretary Chicago Board of Trade, November 16. CITIES WHERE WHEAT.| CORN. Oats. RYE. BARLEY STORED, Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels. | Bushels, Buffalo.............. 2 699,000] 1,305,000 714,000 11,000 668,000 Chicago............-. 5,463,000 29,000] 1,249,000 876,000 21,000 Paws Ripe areta laisse ‘ 652.006 286,000 23,000 136,000 28,000 LUE noice o velnees 732.900 485,000 28,000 14,000 6 Fort William, Ont..| 1,826.000].. ..... es ees eae waukee.......... 176 000| 120,000 67,000 ,000 6oc Port Arthur, Ont.... A2ESOOO as ieicer tae srs = . Lae ieee i. Nae Oa i Wo} Yo ora SAR near 506,000! 423,00c) 991,000] 371,00c 9,c00 i Wo) vo) + | oe copie oo] Ran rh pee ae | Pape MERE aE 5,000 Ce Pee iS permis 17,000 498/020 482,000].......... 238.000 m Lakes........... 2,030,000] 589,000] 119,000].......... On Miss, River....i.|.........-]..085 a, 3 Shevan| Fae cee on Tnat ae ry Grand Total..... 45,677,000] 12,156,000] 6,860,000} 2,239,000 Corresponding Date,| | Bel sine TDOO ec ices asians 62,361,0.0| 8,428,000] 12,832,000] 1,371,000] 3, 286,00) Increase for week..| 3,718,000]..........] ...... 107,000 Decreabe: fe Ui eecy 485,000] 930 000 eae Ia 61,000 a 4 meth des aoe at lake ports only is here given, he total shows the figures for the entire countr the Pacific Slope. 2 ol There. NOVEMBER 21, 1901. STABILITY OF A LIGHTSHIP. The French Light-House Department has within the © last few years inaugurated a new departure in lightship- construction. 1 f period of oscillation: of the waves, which materially affects - In the first place, it was found ‘that the ° the stability of a lightship, is fairly constant at each site» of anchorage. lightships: 1. By eliminating synchronism between the period of oscillation of the iightship and that of the waves acting upon it. waves, by the addition of side keels to the vessels. This Endeavors were constantly made, “says Engineering, to diminish the amplitude of oscillation of — 2. By reducing the rolling produced by the _ was done in 1890 and 1891 on the Dyck and Ruytingen | lightships, of 290 and 338 tons displacement respectively. _ The period of roll of these lightships has been prolonged’ to 4 seconds, whereas the period of oscillation of the waves at the site is 21% seconds. been arrived at by reducing the leverage of the meta-center in _cross-sectiun to less than 0.8 meter (2.624 feet), and also by increasing the transverse movement of inertia by- The period of 4 seconds has ~ placing pigiron ballast as far distant as possible from the longitudinal axis of the ship. ‘The reduction or rapid ces- sation of the oscillations is produced hy adding three keels to the vessel, the central keel being one meter (3.28 feet) deep, and the side keels 0.75 meter (2.46 feet) deep. : The increase of stability thereby gained is’ very marked. It has been still further increased by designing the other parts of the ship so that the waves have less effect upon rie and so that a greater force is recuired to incline the ship: at a given angle than was necessary with former types of lightships this has been obtained by building recent light-" ships with a reduced section at the water line, and with’a lower certer of gravity, the displacement: and periods of roll remaining the same. consists of pieces of cast iron attached to the keel outside the vessel. sso FOR AMERICAN SHIPS. At the meeting of southern cotton shippers held in Atlanta, Ga. last week, United States Senator John L. McLaurin of South Carolina made a plea for ship subhsi- dies, in the course of which he said: “We must not imagine that American capital is de-_ pendent upon national legislation in order to make ship owning pay. We have ample evidence of large American investments in. foreign built ships manned and operated. by foreigners in our foreign trade. However much our people may have invested in foreign built ships, they are unavailable under international law when at war as naval auxiliaries. : “Another thing we should remember: ‘These very ships and the men employed on board of them may be turned against the United States in the event of our becoming involved in war with the nation whose flag they fly. “The object of exterding government aid to the up building of our merchant marine is to secure adequate © protection for the Nation upon the sea and the mere fact that the investment has been made attractive to American capital is an incident of the transaction. “We do not want to see the “he draught of the vessel has © conseqtiently been very much increased; and the ballast — r isthmian canal become | merely a foreign highway of commerec,” said the Senator. ~ “We do not want our millions expended merely to become ' a bounty to foreign shipping. It should be an American highway and we should so develop our merchant marine that with the opening of this great canal our own flag shall predominate at the masthead of a majority of the | ships that it accommodates.” eee ee Action for Loss of Cargo--Right of Insurer to Maintain. —Wnuere a marine itisurer recognizes the validity of an oral agreement with the holder of an open policy that it ° should be held to cover all grain shipped b* the insured, whether reported before or after loadine. and pays a loss arising from the sinking of a lighter emploved by a ship in loading grain of the insured, it is subrogated to the ship- per’s right of action against the carrier to recover for the loss, and it is no defense to such action that it had not ~ been notified of the risk nor received the premium there- for at the time of the loss, and might have successfully resisted payment under the terms of its policy. Nord- Deutscher Lloyd vs. President, etc., of Insurance Co. of North America, 110 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 420. rrr 2 Collision—Defense of Inevitable Accident—Evidence Considered.—A collision between a steamship ‘and a vessel’ moored to a wharf was due to the fault of the master of the steamship, and not to inevitable accident, because of a latent defect in the apparatus by wnich signals were com- municated from the master to the engineer, where, al- though such defect existed, it was of such a character that the master, in the exercise of prover care, should have dis- covered it at once on attempting to rine the engineer’s bell, and should have known that his attempted signal was not given. but, assuming it to have been received by the engineer, he gave further orders, which directly brought about the collision. The Homer, 109 Fed. Rep. (U.S.) 572. arenes <cclin= ibe een “Graphite” for October, published by the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, Jersey City, N. J. is filled with things of interest to all who use graphite in any manner whatever. It is published for the purpose of establishing a better understanding in regard to the different forms of graphite and their respective uses.