FOR THE BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR. Improving plant, tools, navy-yard, New York.... Improving plant, navy-yard, New York.. $50,000.00 60,000.00 50,000.00 FOR THE BUREAU OF STEAM ENGINEERING. 155,000.00 60,000.00 55,000.00 25,000.00 APPROPRIATIONS MADE FOR 1889, NOT ESTIMATED FOR IN 1890. Improvement of plant, Mare Island (Construction and Repair).............. Practice ship, Naval Academy..... Sea-wall, hospital, Portsmouth, Va Selecting locations for yards. Adjustable stern-dock .... ... Ammunition for guns of the Vesuvius. Modern arms for cadets Modern arms for apprentices 100,000.00 260,000.00 20,000.00 15,000.00 30,000.00 12,000.00 55,000.00 50,000,00 542,000.00 Actual increase in estimates for 1890 over appropriations for 1889 6,825, 196. 69 SALES OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND VESSELS. As will be seen by the detailed statement, page 532 of the Appendix, the total amount deposited in the Treasury from November 1, 1887, to November 1, 1888, as receipts from sales of Government property pertaining to the Navy, was $337,095.23, which sum included also receipts from the sale of articles to other Departments of the Government, rents, interest, and premiums on exchange. The amount received from the sale of old materials condemned by Statutory Board, under the provisions of the act of August 5, 1882, as unserviceable for any purpose connected with the Navy, was $253,569.13, of which $157,640.31 were covered into the Treasury as "miscellaneous receipts," and $95,928.82 carried to the credit of proper appropriations, in pursuance of law. Two condemned vessels have been sold within the past year, the New York, unfinished and partly broken up on the stocks at the navyyard, Brooklyn, and the Antietam, embedded in the mud at League Island, with the tide flowing through her. It was necessary to clear the ship-house of the New York, and she was sold May 31, 1888, to the highest bidder, C. H. Gregory, of Great Neck, L. I., for $10, full security having been given that she would be broken up and removed and the ship-house left in clean condition. The purchaser has about fulfilled his contract. The Antietam could no longer be used with safety to health, and was sold September 8, 1888, at auction, to the highest bidder, C. H. Gregory, of Thomaston, L. I., for $6,700, and ample security given by him that she would be removed and the channel cleared of all débris. Both of these vessels were condemned by Statutory Board, and due public notice given, by advertisement, of the time they would be sold. The proceeds of these sales, less the auctioneers' commissions, were covered into the Treasury by the disbursing officers who received the payments. As stated in my last annual report, the balance on deposit at that time with the Treasurer of the United States, on account of proceeds from the sale of old vessels, subject to my check, was $17,384.87. There has since been paid out for advertising such sales $444.40, and turned into the Treasury as "miscellaneous receipts" $16,000, leaving a balance on deposit and due to the United States of $940.47, to be held i nreserve, for the present, for the payment of any outstanding advertising bills, or for use under the provision of the act of March 3, 1883, which provides for the disposition of vessels condemned as unfit for further service in the Navy. A copy of the account current rendered, with the necessary vouchers, to the Fourth Auditor of the Treasury, will be found in the Appendix, page 539. REPORT OF THE ADMIRAL. The report of the Admiral of the Navy, dated July 18, 1888, presents interesting observations in regard to the apprentice system. He ad vocates the employment of sailing vessels for practice ships, and an enlistment for ten years, with the understanding that all the ratings of petty officer shall be open to apprentices. He deprecates too high a standard for admission and the holding out of forlorn hopes of promotion, as thereby recruits are obtained from too high a station to insure their remaining in the service as enlisted men. In reference to torpedoes the Admiral does not favor the Whitehead system, and cites the success of net defenses. He speaks well of the Berdan ram-torpedo, the Ericsson submarine gun, and the Graydon shell. He also advocates the continuance of the War College as a most valuable factor in preparing officers for war service. As senior officer of the Board of Inspection he reports favorably on the condition and general efficiency of the ships inspected before going to sea and on their return. BUREAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS. The Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Commodore D. B. Harmony, gives a detailed report of the expenditures and improvements at the navy-yards and naval stations during the past year, and submits estimates for the amounts required during the coming year for the maintenance, preservation, repair, and improvement of the yards. Among these recommendations may be noted extension of the water frontage at several of the yards; the introduction of electric plants for lighting; the repair and improvement of docking facilities and public buildings, and the extension of the railroad systems. Commodore Harmony also calls attention to the advisability of gradually extending and constructing permanent water fronts of stone or concrete at our principal navy-yards. The present water frontage is insufficient, and, being generally of timber, is subject to decay and the ravages of the teredo. BUREAU OF ORDNANCE. The report of the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, Commodore Montgomery Sicard, contains a summary of the work of that important Bureau during the year. The work of constructing the ordnance for the new navy is progressing slowly but surely. Exact results are required and much work has to be performed in experiment before they can be obtained. The results, however, prove that we are not behind any nation in our power to adapt and design, and that our manufacturing conveniences are rapidly improving. He reports the adoption of a new model for 6, 8, and 10 inch guns, which, without increasing the weight, adds to the strength of the gun. Good results have been obtained with American brown powder in 6-inch guns, and he expects soon to have satisfactory results with that for higher calibers. He says that good results have attended the tests of the new square lozenge black powder in rapid-fire guns. He states the necessity of a new form of powder which is being used abroad with wonderful results, but of which we do not know the process of manufacture. Good results have been obtained at last with cast-steel projectiles. It has been possible to obtain two armor-piercing shells during the last year; if these give good results on trial, others can be procured similar to them. Fair progress has been made towards obtaining good forms of percussion fuses and electrical primers. The work on gun-carriages has progressed considerably, and thirteen sets of castings for 6-inch central pivot carriages have passed the balistic tests. The Chicago's central pivot 8-inch carriages are completed. Steel deck circles and clips have been fitted to the Atlanta and Boston, and have given excellent results. The first of the 10-inch turret carriages for the Miantonomoh has given good results at the Ordnance Proving Ground. The Hotchkiss Ordnance Company is filling a large order for its guns, which are being constructed in this country after considerable difficulty in obtaining suitable material. Several new forms of mounts for secondary battery guns have been devised by Lieut. F. F. Fletcher, and have given good results. Fairly good results have been obtained with several marine guns submitted for trial. A new revolver, in the designing of which Lieut. W. W. Kimball has been of great service, has been adopted, and 5,000 ordered from the Colt's Arms Company. Only a few Lee magazine rifles, to meet pressing wants, have been ordered, as the Bureau believes that a reduction from a 45 caliber to a smaller one will soon take place. The armaments of the Boston, Atlanta, and Chicago are completed, and those of the Baltimore and Charleston are well in hand. The Bethlehem Company has a portion of its machinery completed, and will soon begin to deliver forgings for the smaller guns. It has not yet erected a hammer for the manufacture of armor plates. The erection of the buildings and machinery of the new gun factory is advancing slowly. Great difficulty, owing to quicksand, was experienced in excavating for a shrinking pit, and a greater expense incurred than was expected. The difficulty is, however, now surmounted, and the work is proceeding satisfactorily. The Department's advertisement for proposals for 16-inch boring and turning lathes and 16-inch jacket lathes did not produce satisfactory proposals; therefore new advertisements are to be issued. The Bureau recommends the armament of some of the better class of old ships with modern guns. These guns will serve for future new |