Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1894 — NAVY DEPARTMENT. [ARTICLE]

NAVY DEPARTMENT.

Annual Report of Secretary Herbert. ...... .. . . Statistics, Recommendations and General In formation Concerning Oar Battleships. The annual report of Secretary of the Navy Herbert was given to the press, Nov. 27. The most important recommendation is that Congress authorize the construction of three great battleships of Hbout 10,090 tons displacement each, to cost, exclusive of armament, not exceeding 84.000,000 each, and twelve topedo boats of from 100 to 300 tons each, at the discretion of the Secretary, to cost not exceeding an average of 8170,000. Since the last report five splendid ships have been added to the naval list, three of which are capable of speed in excess of twenty-one knots, while two of them ai« the fastest cruisers in the world. Theifivu vessels are the Marblehead,*lß.44; Columbia, 22.8; Olympia. 21.39; Montgomery, 19.056, and Minneapolis. 23.076. The report, shows the number of torpedo boats now on hand in foreign countries is 1.283, and the number building 182. Great Britain has 175 on hand and iixty-four building, while France is even better off, with 214 on hand and forty-one building. Of eighteen countries enumerated not one has less than twenty-two of these boats, while the United States, with more coasts ftxiid ftny,. j n counting those yet to be built. Attention is called to the fact that although the government is annually expending a large subsidy for vessels such as the Paris and New York to secure their use, in time of war. it has not a gun to put on them. At present, in case of war, Great Britain could speedily arm her merchant marine on the great lakes and do us enormous damage, while if we had a reserve supply of guns we could dominate these waters. • On this point—of preparation for war in time of peace—the secretary makes this very significant comment: “The latest and one of the most impressive lessons in all historj' is now being taught by China and Japan. A nation, the most populous in the would, able to put millions of fighting men into the field, is now, after suffering many disasters, scouring Europe and America for muni tionsqf war. It relied upon its numbers Now it is buying discarded guns and discarded ammunition. whatevejL.it can get. to-aid in repelling the assanits-of a people vastlj r inferior in numbers.” The Secretary announces his purpose of establishing a new naval station in the South Pacific, for the accommodation of our naval police in those, waters. After calling attention to the urgent needs of legislation for the relief of the personnel erf the navy, the Secretary recommends that the enlisted force be increased by 2,000 men. In conclusion the Secretary submits estimates for the next year, aggregating 827.885,914, exceeding the current appropriations by 85,495.193, caused mainly by the necessity of paving for vessels now under contract. It is stated that after this year the appropriationson th.islscore.willrapidly diminish—falling from $13,259,393 next year to $750,001 in the following year.