Name of vessel. Progress of work on vessels under construction-Continued. Pennsylvania.. New York. Texas. Oklahoma. Arizona. Monocacy Apr. 27, 1914 Sacramento. May 27, 1913 Sept. 22, 1913 Feb. 21, 1914 Mar. 24, 1914 Mar. 29 1914 Palos.. Apr. 23, 1914 Aug. 15, 1912 Aug. 29, 1912 June 17, 1913 96.4 May 20, 1914 Nov. 29, 1913 3, 1913 Oct. 10, 1913 Oct. 24, 1913 Jan. 16, 1914 G-3. July 22, 1911 Apr. 30, 1912 K-1. July 20, 1912 K-2. Aug. 15, 1912 K-3.. Aug. 21 1912 Aug. 21, 1912 Dec. 12, 1912 Nov. 30, 1912 K-6. Mar. 13, 1913 Apr. 16, 1913 K-7. Nov. 14, 1912 June 11, 1913 K-8. Nov. 30, 1912 Aug. 21, 1913 Bushnell. Jan. 12, 1914 63.0 Transport No 1... 1.3 Supply Ship No. 1.. 0.0 Downes. Dec. 26, 1912 June 12, 1913 Nov. 8, 1913 Mar. 27, 1914 95.3 REPORT OF CHIEF OF BUREAU OF STEAM ENGINEERING. NAVY DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF STEAM ENGINEERING, Washington, D. C., September 26, 1914. The appropriations made for the support of the bureau were: Bureau of Steam Engineering: Steam machinery... Equipment of building.. Development of heavy oil engine.. Salaries, Bureau of Steam Engineering. Allotments made by the department for work under this bureau chargeable to appropriations made for the Bureau of Equipment: Equipment of vessels.. Contingent, equipment.. Salaries, Bureau of Equipment. Funds available under joint appropriations: Increase of Navy, construction and machinery. Increase of Navy, torpedo boats... Increase of Navy, equipment.. $6,006,000 60,000 26, 000 250,000 27, 390 2,035, 000 2,000 18, 100 19, 818, 228 3, 353, 275 430,000 The general operations of the bureau have, as usual, been centered chiefly in the maintenance in efficient condition of the machinery of the fleet, in the designing of machinery for new vessels, and in the improvement and extension of the radio service. The conversion of the Vestal into a repair ship was completed, and her assignment to the Atlantic Fleet has demonstrated the wisdom of having with the fleet a vessel capable of undertaking the major repair work for which the Vestal is equipped. The commander in chief has given testimony of her worth during the protracted stay of the fleet in Mexican waters, where many repairs were accomplished which but for the presence of the Vestal might have necessitated the return of a vessel to a navy yard. The work of conversion of the Prometheus is nearly completed, but it is a matter of regret that, owing to a decision of the department regarding the cost of her conversion, she will not be as well equipped for work as is the Vestal. The final trials of the Jupiter, equipped with electrically operated machinery, were completed in August of this year with satisfactory results. Owing to the necessity for her presence in Mexican waters, it has not been possible to subject her to as much work as was contemplated, but it is a pleasure to report that the machinery has thus far responded to every demand that has been made upon it. The work that has been laid out for her should be the means of bringing to light any weakness that may exist in the installation. Owing to delay on the part of the contractor for the machinery, the new installation of turbine reduction gear machinery in the Neptune has not been completed, and there has, therefore, not been any progress in this direction. The machinery is now being installed and she should be in active service again in November. DESIGN OF MACHINERY. Plans and specifications were prepared for the machinery of torpedo boat destroyers Nos. 57 to 62, inclusive, for transport No. 1, for supply ship No. 1, and for the colliers Achilles and Ulysses for the Panama Canal Commission, and specifications for submarine boats Nos. 48 to 51, inclusive (2 sets). Preliminary work was also undertaken on the machinery for battleships Nos. 40, 41, and 42, the California, Idaho, and Mississippi. Complete working plans of the main engines and their auxiliaries were also prepared for transport No. 1 and supply ship No. 1 and supplied to the navy yards Philadelphia and Boston, respectively. Considerable work has also been done on machinery for small craft, such as oil barges, ash barges, freight lighters, and small craft generally, besides the usual routine work. NEW CONSTRUCTION. The machinery of the New York was completed at the New York Navy Yard and the vessel is with the fleet. Her completion emphasized the fact that machinery of this character can be quickly constructed at the New York Navy Yard at a cost somewhat less than it can be procured by contract, and that the workmanship is unexcelled. Mare Island Navy Yard completed the machinery of the river gunboats Monocacy and Palos well within the estimate, and these vessels are now in service. The final cost of each was little more than twothirds the amount bid for the construction of one of them by a firm on the Pacific coast, and indicates a high state of efficiency at the Mare Island yard. The Mare Island yard is also building the machinery for the fuel ship Kanawha, which is nearing completion. Work on the Diesel engines of the Maumee is proceeding at the New York yard, and it is expected that tests of it will begin early next year. Other new work is the construction of machinery for fuel oil barges at Norfolk, Mare Island, and Puget Sound, and a freight lighter and a submarine boat at Portsmouth, N. H. The manufacture of gasoline engines has been continued at Norfolk with most satisfactory results both as to cost and efficiency of opera tion. ELECTRICAL WORK. The work of the electrical division of the bureau has been devoted chiefly to routine work and to the preparation of type plans for new construction and to the revision of plans submitted by contractors. The work of this division along development lines has been hampered by lack of sufficient drafting force. Improvements have been made in lighting fixtures and in searchlights of vessels in commission as they go to navy yards for overhaul. Investigation has also been made looking to increased efficiency in this important part of the ship's equipment. In co-operation with the Atlantic Fleet, several changes in visual signaling apparatus have been developed and adopted which greatly increase the efficiency of this method of signaling, while experiments in underwater signaling recently undertaken have pointed the way |