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A further reduction will be made during the coming year, as more machines are being installed, which will do the work formerly done by hand. The labor of making chain last year was 2.5 cents, as compared with 3 cents per pound for the preceding year. Next year the material will be reduced to about 7 cents per pound instead of 7.4 cents, due to the reduction in the price of chain iron from 3.9 cents to 3.4 cents on account of the change of sulphur from .01 to .015. Mr. LOUD. How many competitors were there in the last bidding for iron?

Admiral CowLES. Three-the Bethlehem Steel Company, the Carter Iron Company, and the Monongahela Iron and Steel Company. Mr. LOUD. Is two or three a reasonable number?

Admiral CowLES. It is probably as many as will compete at the present time for the kind of iron that we wish to use for chain making. In the future the improved methods will no doubt enable others to produce chain iron coming within our requirements for sulphur. The fleet has been cruising around the world and have had very little difficulty with the chains.

Mr. HOBSON. Would you recommend that additional colliers be authorized?

Admiral CowLES. Yes, sir; I consider the question of colliers of vital importance to the country. The question of keeping the fleet supplied with coal when away from home, even in time of peace, is a source of constant anxiety to those charged with that duty. The few colliers possessed by the navy are utterly inadequate for the purpose, even when the fleet is a short distance away from home. The condition of the merchant marine in this country is such that it can not be relied upon, either in time of peace or in time of war, to furnish more than a very small portion of the necessary tonnage. In this respect this Government is differently situated from the principal foreign powers, where the merchant marine can be called upon both for the ordinary work of transportation and to meet emergencies. In the event of war this Government would be compelled to obtain ships at any cost, and would have to pay exorbitant prices, if they could be obtained at all.

It is therefore absolutely necessary that the navy own its colliers, and many will have to be built before it can be said that the navy can sustain the fleet at sea without foreign aid. The cruise of the fleet to the Pacific demonstrated our utter dependence on foreign bottoms for the transportation of coal to the fleet.

Mr. HOBSON. What is your idea of the most desirable characteristic of the colliers, taking account of the dual service of transporting coal from one point to another and of remaining with the fleet, giving approximately your idea of the tonnage?

Admiral CoWLES. They should carry about 10,000 tons each.
Mr. HOBSON. Do you think that two types of colliers are advisable?
Admiral CowLES. No, sir. I think we could do with one type.
Mr. HOBSON. What speed would you recommend?

Admiral COWLES. A sustained sea speed of at least 12 knots, or equal to the sustained speed of the fleet.

Mr. HOBSON. If they were of 12-knot speed, would that be sufficient for the collier to be able to stay with the fleet?

Admiral CowLES. Yes, sir; as at present constituted.

But of cou as the speed of the fleet is increased that of the colliers should ke pace accordingly.

Mr. LOUD. Would it not be better if they were all on the same pla Admiral CoWLES. Yes, sir; I would prefer to have them all on th same plan, though the matter of the cost might militate against it. Mr. LOUD. How many colliers should we have?

Admiral CowLES. Twenty. Say, one for each two big ships.
Mr. LOUD. Taking the navy in its present condition?
Admiral CowLES. We should have 20 modern colliers.

I do not include those now in service, which are of very little use except when the fleet is in home waters.

Mr. Loup. Would it not be a good policy to have a portion of the 20 colliers have 14-knot speed, and a portion of them have a smaller speed to carry the bulk coal?

Admiral CowLES. You might do that, but I would rather have them all of the same speed.

Mr. LOUD. The expense is so enormously increased in getting 14knot speed?

Admiral CowLES. That is true; it costs more.

Mr. LOUD. You said 14 knots so as to be sure to have 12 knots in the future. We would not like to have the record show that 12 knots

is all you desire. Please make that clear.

Admiral CoWLES. I will.

Mr. ROBERTS. The first two colliers that were authorized two or three years ago, are they in commission?

Admiral CowLES. Not yet.

Mr. ROBERTS. Have they been launched?

Admiral CowLES. One of them has been launched.

Mr. ROBERTS. What seems to be the delay?

Admiral CowLES. We are building them and getting them finished as rapidly as possible.

There is another point I would like to call to the attention of this committee, and that is the increasing importance of wireless telegraphy in the scheme of national defense. I quote from my annual report to the Secretary of the Navy:

The value of wireless in the national scheme of defense is becoming more and more apparent. The chain of intercommunicable stations now extends from Maine to New Orleans on the Atlantic coast, and from San Diego to Alaska on the Pacific. There are also intercommunicable stations in the West Indies, and stations at Hawaii, Guam, and Cavite in the Philippines. It is necessary to keep all these stations in a high state of efficiency.

Recent developments in the art now warrant the establishment of high-powered, long-distance stations. The bureau contemplates in the near future the erection of such a station at Washington, and eventually on the Pacific coast, at Hawaii, Guam, and Samoa, and the Philippines, so that the fleet will at all times be in direct communication with Washington wherever it may be in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the Caribbean Sea,t he North Pacific Ocean, the greater portion of the South Pacific Ocean, and part of the Indian Ocean. These stations are important, not only as an adjunct to the navy both in time of peace and in time of war, but they are also of great value to the merchant marine. The various coastwise wireless stations are utilized by the Hydrographic Office in collecting and disseminating information with regard to storms, derelicts, icebergs, and general meteorological information. Also through them at noon each day time signals are sent out broadcast by the Naval Observatory. When the high-powered station at Washington is erected noon signals will be sent out which will reach every portion of the North Atlantic Ocean. The

vessels of the navy, as well as merchant vessels, rely on these signals for the correction of chronometers, it being a great boon to navigators and doing much toward mitigating the perils of the sea.

While the art of wireless may be said to be still in its infancy, already in its practical application it is as indispensable to the mariner as is the telephone to those on shore, and it is certain that eventually all ships that go to sea must be equipped. Moreover, it may be confidently predicted that in the early future no vessel, in whatever seas she may be sailing, need be out of touch with any line of communication that it may be desirable to utilize.

B.

Statement showing approximate cost of coal and its transportation, to supply the requirements of the United States Atlantic fleet for its voyage around the world.

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It is only possible to give the approximate cost of the coal and the transportation separately, as in most instances the coal was purchased delivered alongside of the ships, the cost of coal and transportation being combined. However, the amounts stated are fairly correct.

No part of the coal used in coaling the fleet was transported in chartered American colliers, unless, perhaps, some portion of that supplied from coaling stations was. Considerable of the coal at Honolulu and some of that at San Francisco was transported in American chartered colliers.

[No. 4.]

Tuesday, December 8, 1908.

STATEMENT OF REAR-ADMIRAL N. E. MASON, CHIEF BUREAU OF ORDNANCE.

The CHAIRMAN. The first item is on page 28, "Ordnance and ordnance stores," and then a little farther down we find this new language:

And for pay of chemists, clerical, drafting, inspection, and messenger service in navy-yards, naval stations, and naval magazines: "Provided, That the sum to be paid out of this appropriation under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy for chemists, clerical, drafting, inspection, watchmen (magazine attendants), and messenger service in navy-yards, naval stations, and naval magazines for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and ten, shall not exceed three hundred and sixty-four thousand seven hundred and fifteen dollars and seventy-nine cents; in all, five million three hundred and sixty-four thousand seven hundred and fifteen dollars and seventy-nine cents."

The first question I want to ask is the necessity for this increase of $864,000?

Admiral MASON. This estimate shows an increase over the last year of $500,000 for the general purposes covered by the appropriation, and in addition to that $364,000 for pay of chemists, clerical, drafting, inspection, watchmen, and messenger service, in navyyards, naval stations, and naval magazines.

Mr. BUTLER. How much is the increase?

Admiral MASON. Three hundred and sixty-four thousand dollars. Mr. BUTLER. For the pay of chemists?

Admiral MASON. All the civil establishment.

Mr. BUTLER. That is by reason of the proposed change in the law? Admiral MASON. Yes, sir.

Mr. BUTLER. How much more money is it for the Government to pay than the last year?

Admiral MASON. Five hundred thousand dollars.

Mr. ROBERTS. Nothing for the civil establishment?

Admiral MASON. None that I know of, except the 10 per cent increase in pay which the Secretary has authorized. That I will come to later. The increase in the working appropriation of the Bureau of Ordnance is $500,000. That is made under the assumption that there will be in commission during the year 39 first-rate vessels, 57 second and third rate, 12 fourth rate, and 74 torpedo boats, making a total of 182 vessels.

Mr. HOBSON. Does that take account of the vessels that it is proposed to put out of commission? There are four large ones, I understand, that are going to be put out of commission.

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