Statement of appropriations under the Bureaus of Construction and Repair and Steam Engineering for the fiscal years 1905 to 1910-Continued."

UNDER BUREAU OF STEAM ENGINEERING.

This item includes $200,354 for pay of clerks, draftsmen, special mechanics, messengers, etc., heretofore chargeable to and paid for out of appropriations "Increase of the navy," "Civil establishment," and "Engineering experimental station," leaving $6,455,346 for the discharge of obligations previously chargeable to the current steam machinery and contingent appropriations.

Statement of estimates and appropriations for increase of the navy construction and machinery, including colliers, torpedo boats, and submarines.

Estimates...

Appropriations...

$23,826, 860 $30, 410, 833 $17,830, 829 $12, 713,915 $9,832,962 $18, 440, 790 $13,335,724 20, 176, 860 30, 410, 833 @18, 330, 829 @13, 213, 915 @18, 907, 962 425,766, 823

This estimate covers vessels now authorized only. If additional vessels are authorized, this amount should be increased as follows, to cover payments for the first year under construction:

For each battleship of about 26,000 tons..

Each collier of the type recently contracted for.

Each scout cruiser..

Each torpedo-boat destroyer.

Each submarine of the general size and type recently contracted for..

300,000

Difference between appropriation and estimates due to authorization of vessels not included in the estimates.

APPENDIX No. 11.

List of vessels out of commission and in ordinary at navy-yards, vessels in reserve, vessels assigned to the use of naval militia, and vessels assigned as state or city training ships on December 1, 1909.

VESSELS IN ORDINARY.

List of vessels out of commission and in ordinary at navy-yards, vessels assigned to the use of naval militia, and vessels assigned as state or city training ships on December 1, 1909-Continued.

APPENDIX No. 12.

Proposals received for the construction of battle ships No. 32, Wyoming, and No. 33, Arkansas.

[Class 1: Hull and equipment and Parson's turbine machinery, department's plans. Class 2: Hull and equipment, department's plans; machinery, bidder's design.]

The above-noted bids for the construction of battle ships No. 32, Wyoming, and No. 33, Arkansas, were opened at the department August 18, 1909.

Contract for battle ship No. 32, Wyoming, was awarded to the Wm. Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine Building Company on September 13, 1909, at a price of $4,450,000, to have department's design of engines installed and to be completed in thirty-two months.

Contract for battle ship No. 33, Arkansas, was awarded to the New York Shipbuilding Company on September 13, 1909, at a price of $4,675,000, to have department's design of engines installed and to be completed in thirty-two months.

[No. 12.]

THE COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

Wednesday, December 15, 1909.

The committee this day met, Hon. George E. Foss in the chair.

STATEMENT OF MR. BEEKMAN WINTHROP, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, ACCOMPANIED BY COMMANDER C. C. MARSH, U. S. NAVY.

The CHAIRMAN. There are certain items in this bill which are under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and I have asked him to come here this morning to enlighten us

On page 53 is the item:

Arming and equipping naval militia: For arms, accouterments, ammunition, signal and medical outfits, boats and their equipment and maintenance, fuel and clothing, and the printing or purchase of necessary books of instruction for the naval militia of the various States, Territories, and the District of Columbia, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Navy may prescribe, $125,000.

There is an increase, Mr. Secretary, of $25,000 in that appropriation this year, and we wish to inquire what is the necessity for it?

Assistant Secretary WINTHROP. That is due to two things. One is the increase in the numbers of the Naval Militia and the other is due to the increased activities of the Naval Militia. The appropriation for the Naval Militia last year was $100,000. The year before last and from 1898 to 1908, it was $60,000 each year. The first Naval Militia appropriation was made in 1891, and from that time to 1895 it amounted to $25,000 yearly. Then from 1896 to 1897 the appropriation amounted to $50,000 each year, and, as I said before, from 1898 to 1908 the appropriation amounted to $60,000 a year, and last year it was $100,000.

The department began by assigning a small sailing vessel to one State, the Portsmouth to New Jersey. Gradually the number of vessels assigned was increased. Last year the number of ships so assigned was 23 and this year it is 26. At the present time five States have asked to be admitted into the Naval Militia organization. In other words, five additional States wish to organize a Naval Militia and receive the benefits from the department. There has also been an increase in steaming during the past year. The Nashville, the ship which was assigned to the Illinois Naval Militia, and which is an excellent gunboat, steamed 5,000 miles, approximately. The Aileen, assigned to New York, steamed nearly 5,000 miles, and several others at least 3,000 miles. We want to make the Naval Militia of more value to the navy. To do that we must give them more training and more practice, and that requires more coal. Then, also, more ammunition is needed. Heretofore the target practice has been more or less perfunctory, and we want to equip the various ships which are in the service of the Naval Militia, as far as possible, with uniform guns

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