National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-05
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD.
ONE OF TIE MOST INTERESTING
PLACES IN THE MErROPOLIs.

VISITORS AND WHAT TsFo BE sEEN-THE
FORENEN, CLERKS AND WORKING FORCE
OF THE YARD.
Among the many points Of special interest
to vissors 10 the National Metropolis, the
Washington navy-ySEd may Re prominently
meuaaOned. That ehis should be 80 b by no
me1ns strange, for Il Is kere, and, 1t uight be
trGfAfully added, here alone, that the citizens
of Rhis and other cities can get glimpse n
that distinctive Feature Of life, termed nautical,
(Which people ashore kno wso little.
Here can be seen all the branches Of ship
building in their interesting details; and should
one stay long enough, be might see the oak
beam taking On its ribs Of metal and Its coat
ing Of timbePs-receiving It's spars and masts
of unyielding oak, and It's rigging Of tar-covered
rope, then adding its canvas wings, or life Of
steam, he could see the thingof beauty glide
out into the waters with It's stars and stripes
kissing the breeze, then vanish In the distance
as it goes 10 do nations bidding. But there
are besides the ships, interesting lights in the
construction a5d packing Of ordnance, and the
visitor can handle unframed the bomb so preg-
nant with destruction when applied with mis-
sive power. The manufacture Of percussion
caps, so recently the great Invention Of the
day, is an interesting sight, and one can while
away the hours as II only Moments reviewing
the many points of interest To see the stall
wart smiths hammer away with q tit-tst-to
until they forge the mighty anchor above which
the proudest ship may ride unframed by wind
or wave.
The throng that daily traverse the yard by
courteous permission Of the officers, attests the
great interests its scenes possess.
We have, therefore, deemed it Of interest 10
lay the following details before the readers Of
The REPUBLICAN:
TIE OFFICERS OF THE YARD.
Commodore T. h. Patterson, United States
navy, is the commandant, but he is now away
In Rio Janeiro on g board Of inquiry relative to
one of the vessels of the South Atlantic squsd-
ron. During his absence Captain Crosby, the
executive officer, Is In command, and CON-
mander Vim. B. Gushing Is acting executive
officer; Pay Director T. II. LOCKER Is psymas-
ter, and the following named officers are in
charge of the different departments: Yards
and docks, Civil Engineer Franklin A. StrattoD;
equipment and recruiting, Commander H. De.
Haven Manley; ordnance, Commander Mont
gomery Lizard; navigation, Commander VIM.
B. Cushing; steam engineering, Chief Engineer
Edwin Fithian; construction and repair; Assist
ant Naval Constructor Frank L. Fernald; pro-
vision and clothing, Pay Director j. 8. Guliek;
medicine and surgery, Surgeon Somerset Rob
inson and Assistant Surgeon J. j. Page; in
spector Of machinery aaoat, Chief Engineer
VIM. II. King; commanding officer of the re-
ceiVing ship Relief, Lieut.. o. W. Farenholt;
officer of marines, Bvt. Major G.
Porter Houston; assistants, Bvt. Capt. Charles
F. Williams, Lieuts. Carlile P. Porter and w.
s. Muse, United States Marine Corps.
THE ENTERTAINMENTS
are usually under the charge of foreman.
In the yards and docks the jeiners are under
Mr.. William L. Childs, the painters under Mr..
John II. Peake, the machinis.s under Mr.. W.
W. Mesds, and the lsborerers under Mr.. Thos.
F. Russell.
In equipment the blacksmith and ehain-shop
is In charge of Mr.. R. NJ. Green, the galley
shop in charge Of Mr.. VIM. Young, the forge
shop in charge Of Mr.. ]. Wilson, the sAil-loft
In charge of Mr.Wm. L. Cowan, and the rig
ging-loh In charge Of Boatswain Cooper.
IN steam engineering Mr.. Geo. R. Wilson, su-
perintendent Of machinery, exercises general
supervision over all the shops. The machine
shop Is under the charge Of Mr.. Geo. smithso1,
the boiler-shop under Mr.. Lytell, the iron
foundry under Mr.. 8. E, Gelston, and the pat
under Mr.. i. Chase.
In construction Mr.. H. Hoover is foreman Of
shipwrights; Mr.. w. E. Hutchinson, principal
brass founder and fnisher; Col. B. r. simp-
son, foreman Of jofners; Mr.. Mathew McNelly,
Of the copper-rolling mill; Mr..
Geo. w. Sheffield, foreman Of calkers; Mr..
James Kemp, in charge Of the ssw-miI, and
Thomas H Risley, foreman of labofers.
In ordnance Mr.. Davis is in charge Of the
Mr.. J. W. Thompson Is in charge
Of the laboratory, and Mr.. Adam Rose IL In
charge Of the gun-carriage shop.
The clerical force In the yard was reduced
about one third on the first OF July last; the
office Of time clerk ofthe different departments
was abolished, and the duties attached TO those
positions are now performed by the clerk to the
head Of the department. The services Of sew
eral writers were dispensed with.
The working force Of the yard at present is
about 500 men. When there is plenty of work
at the yard force of from 1000 to ], 800 can
be easily employed.
THE NEW SHIP NIPsIo-HER DIMENSIONS, ETC.
There is now being constructed In the west
ern shipihouBe q new sloop- of-war, 70 be known
as the Nipsic, TO take the place OF the old yes
sci Of that name now laid up IN ordinary at
the yard. The design for this vessel was made
by Chief Naval Constructor Isaiah HGnseom,
Of the Bureau of Construction and Repair.
The work of preparing the timbers for the
frame was commenced In September last, and
her keel was laid on the 9Th Of November.
About one half Of the work on her hull is
done, and 1t is said that should occasion require
Il that she can be launched in thirty days, but
It is not probable that she VIII be IN the water
for many months to come, as the force Of
in the construction department has
been very small lately.
The dimensions Of the Nipsic will be as
follow: Extreme length, 201 feet; length be-
tween perpendiculsrs, 1873 feet; beam, extreme,
IS feet 5inches; beam, nodded, 81 feet; depth Of
hold from throat Of floors TO gun deck, 10 feet
2 inches; timber and room, 2 feet 8 inches;
siding of frames, 10 inches; molding, size Of
frame ct throat, foot 2 inches; moulding,
size of frame at head, 8 inches; thickness of
planking, 4 inches. She is 10 be barque rugged.
The length Of her mainmast will be 60 feet
above deck; maiutopmast, Al feet; maintop-
gallantmast, % feet; mAinroyalmast, Is feet 4
Inches; gad, "a feet; length of foremast above
deck, 81 feet inches; maintopmast, ~ feet;
topgallantmast, 81 feet inches; roy almast, IA
feet inches; gaf, q feet; length Of mizzenmats
above deck, IS feet; miLzentopmast, 81 feet;
zzentopgRllantmast, 10 feet; gaf, SO feet;
length of boRsprit, IS feet 8 inches; jIb-boom,
q feet; flying jib-boom, IL feet. She Is to have
a cabin so feet long, fitted up with two state
rooms, q wash and bathroom. Al the for
ward end Of the cabin is to be the captains
office, pantry, armory, and signal store-Tooms.
The after-berth deck contains the Ward-room
and storage.
The Ward-room is to be fitted up for ten state
rooms for officers; the storage is to be fitted up
for eight berths, with necessary pantry and
store-rooms. The forward berth-deck Is to be
fitted up for the crew. The forward part will
be used as q sick-bsy. In the afterpart Of the
berth-deck will be the dispensary and issuing
room Of the purser.
When the Nfpsic is finished abe VIII be
classd as third-rate and carry five guns, four
brosdside and one pivot, but should emergency
require 1t four additional guns can be mounted
on her.
The engines intended for the Nipsic were TO
be compound engines. A contract was made
with Messrs. VIM. Wright & Co., Of NeWburg,
N. T., for the building Of them, and they were
built and finished in frst-class style, but the
building in which they were stored was burned
down few days ago, and the machinery for
propelling our new ship was also destroyed.
The Government does not suffer from the ae-
cident, as the work, according TO the contract,
could not become the property Of the Navy
Department until it was delivered at the yard
in thil city.
DURING THE YEAR.
The following named vessels Of the navy are
now at the yard: The Wyoming and old Nip
sic, with the iron-clad torpedo boats, Hero and
NJ latd In The