New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-03


nj the dapidated OF that valuable piece property
known as The Cob dock" This dock las been caimcd
from IT'S original condition Of mud BANK by the zeal
aud energy OF naval officers and s"amen IL Is now sec
ond only in importance to the Navy 1ard user,
and something be not ss69 GeIy buf surely
Slide hack TO its original condition, encumber the chan
with is OF mud and the work OF years VIII be
entirely lost TO the Governments IL Is hoped mat con
gTcss will the prescott urgent necessity oi saving s
reclaimed land and of rendering of greater value 10 the
country. .,
The estimates for improvements at This yard are small
and the timber and coal sheds the crihwork ana hie-
engine house objects OF prime necessity;
BY the Act Of February % 1877 &c u statute az
ized TO organize commission OF three members VINO
were required 10 arrange equitable rms ior ~. ~,
to the city ~ Brooklyn OF norton or inns yaI ,
uate in Walabout Bay for public market by ,o aSr
IL provided that when the comm sl0n OF ~, M
81 its members shall report their conclusions 10 e
rotary OF the Navy it shall be his duty 10
lay thom before Congress at ITS nrst ses-
sion thereafter, and shall make anu utlIa ~
20 the city Of Brooklyn a sufficient deed OF convey ance
the land described in the act or such part rs e
sion has been organized has thus far made no report
in view OF which fact deem IT my duty TO say from
The conclusion that this important Navy Yard
would be very seriously injured by tb i., SAT-
will answer the public demands at this inp9flahIt
point its territorial limits should not be Ieuteir
walls will be needed FOR wet docks WORT shops Timer
sheds and other public buildings II Is noa bscInte
that Congress intended the act referred 10 rs an
SALE and tnat the deed OF conveyance Should DC IN
upon the report Of The commission witnTI n matter
of frm merely Bnt n il be otherwise and Congress
sim retains fnl power over the it is yet 10 is
discretion 70 decide whether or not property shall be
sold The subject is worthy Of considerations
ToRPEDoEs.
The following tine secretarys remarks Oh inc SN''
jet OF torpedoes:
The lorg list Of casualties during the late war a. vel as
many f,ilnrcs have stimulated invention III dCvlsng
irnoyd fhons of attack ana defence H. 1853 tot
prio school established al Ne"p0i ana ufM"u %
attended the practical exercises, ad h1trucoii III I'LL
istrv and 81. circity very com ele course on Tue
isv Of expos yes and of electricity rs appea 10 ssaI
ling and lighting and To exploding subaqeouS hinrS ~
contact automatically or at the VIII OF the olti", .s
lrru staD ished The experience Of The war. ana ue
suggestions Of numerous ohccrS rave n'ch IT,
ard the subject wei advanced so Tar as uei'ucc II
concerned either Of ships rom attack OF h"1'orS Vi
passes. -, ....,,o,,4e g. demonstrated
by The TACT thai eltcr,c ssus ifou Cc' uI' lo
vessel. o. mOOycd ~ channels denote an all VtclihE
darkness They moreover enable an operator 10 hio
guns land in advance, or explode ~ %i any tOIPCuo
may PASS while Tie electric light renders MS movements
visible, The offensive modes OF attack WIN slbd Nos
sells or launches paralc of the nature OF i0Toh nope
with little chance Of against Watehiu enthN'
provided with slliaOf IN aus OF dfcUN'i' anu w
Fulton .he towing torpedo. the self con aimed locomotive
torpedo. such the small gI-Shaped boa's usei during
to accuracy Of direction; and finally thceoutroIng oric-
does of Lay and Ericsson. and those poysea iIOn no
for steering These for the present are me most cec-
i've methods OF attack. and Is believed that 9 eAlr
m the most important improvements.
With our limited number of ships, and great extent OF
coast the consideration "i TINS suyect is 9l thr inquest
unportauce. as Vp ocT numerous vulnerable points ia
our dcep hays and broad sound which cannot ne closed
To AN cnterpsiug enemy, 10y any syseu oi Iorunca0s
or subaqucus wires operated from the shore Huiauc
armored torpedo hOlts VIII be necessary ayuhc'S 10
on; monitors and other sysiems OF defence
But me whole subject get in such an inchoae state
that extensive experine T. VIII De necessary 10 ucc
miuc the hest methods and ftmlialzc "hceIs ana hh
with tleir use These experiments are comlhihuEeii
inexpensive. and since it Is only by piaclce lnat SUI
an & ptfc4 ~
be- obtained, recommend the populations asAtu lul
by the bureau having charge OF tbs important ana iu'eI
esllne subject
THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY.
OF the Naval Observatory and it, transfer 10 the SUI
pcryision Of some other department q the Government
or the rendering it independent as has been proposed
secretary Thompson says:
This institution continues to deserve The highest cont
sideraton Of country ana OF he scent ne Noru IN
account OF ITS STEADY progress III al tnc nlaH'io
entrusted 10 its care. Under the management %
able cos o1 Of HT s 5 mas aISiS Sb "SSH
tories Ia the world, aud pTuise~ sue future
ana lost ring OF Congress The location II tie OBJ
s.rvaOy exposes 10 To unhealthy nluenccs tie tHecls
of which have already been Witnessed IN me impaired
health OF frs occupants. II is desirable that u
should Dee chang d 10 some more suitable point Whrh
NAV Dc more economically done Willie ne bindings are
bro1n dIIpidatcd than at some future period after
the money necessary O. put them il good state 0! re-
IL has been suppose, that II would he advantageous to
change tho plan 0f its MANAGEMENT by removing ron
ing it as National Observatory ud' an INDEPENDENT
ORGANIZATION. have conferred upon this subject with
4ors and communicate herewith their opinions While
tney are not all united as to HE proprety and
expepnCy Of this suggestion, majority tlnk that the
pnic Interests require that the change should not be
made In this opinion concur, believing mat for the
present al lc II, II would be unwlse 10 disturb H.
FREEDOM ~ BUYING IRON.
The Secretary makes a Recommendation in regard TO
bnving iron which he thinks OF great deal Of import
ance to the Government both because 1t will delays
in construction. If adopted, and will also be means Of
preventing losses Of Government property and Of the
lives Of seamen He says:
Attention IS called to the suggestions in the reports frm
~ bureaus of Steam Engineering, and Equipment and
Recruiting III reference 10 the purchase Of iron for boil
ers, chains etc. A. lhc IA" now stiA3 tge department
IL inns awarded il has sometimes occurred
and is likely TO again. that upon sub
iertiug the IRON 10 TIE necessary Government
l. f"nud moi ~ answer the purposes for which n is
designed when this occurs new contract las TO be
u.ude after another publication, WnlCh occasions great
anJ sometimes injurious delay, with ne possible
instance Of the kind recently occurred. The Bu-
reau Of Steam En1n,trnG adyernsed Proposals
tle award of the contract which upon actual test have
> III -, come mn 10 the reouir.neuts The contract
made with the lowest bidder cannot be, wlinOut Iurhr
viseinrut The result il that great DELAY has cnsucd
which is without remedy within the authority Of the de
parent, and there Is 40 guarantee mat the same lhing
NAV not be repeated.
The necessity for having very best for boilers
and CHAINS be recognized by all The OF inferior
material either OF these purposes might and probably
would be- tended with The most scrions consequences
either the bursting OF boiler the parting OF chain
BY the former, many lives might be sacrificed and
eel seriously injured By The latter shipand ITS crew
mi-ht De lost al sea.
There can be Dut remedy for this condition Of
Things which Is 10 allow the purchase OF IRON for naval
purposes whenever 10 can Dc Obtained, wltl view 10
The peculiar qualities requisite FOR Tie purposes for which
ID il required. The Iron Board al the Washington Navy
Yard Is constantly engaged in testing the iron OF
any manufacturer VINO may dcsIe 1t, and
should De gwen 10 the department
10 pure ase such has passed tho test established in
the most satisfactory manner AT ITS market value II u