New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-27
THE FAILURE OF THE CHARLESTON
WHERE DOES THE BLAME RBsTi-MR wHrTNE
INDIGNANT.

, DOES THE BLAME l-oih'
INDIGNANT.
washington, July 90 Special Ex-secretary Whit
ncy is said TO be- the war path and nothing SNORT
OF the scalp Of Naval Contractor Scott, OF san Fran
cisco Will satisfy his thirst for vengeance. Mr. Scott
has asserted that the blame for tho failure OF the
Charleston rests directly tho shoulders OF er'
whitney who refused to consent 10 any modihcauOn
of the English plans for the machinery. Tbs stare
ment the latter denies, and he will try to Show that
some notifications OF tho original plans were maue
upon Mr. SCOTS suggestion and that the latter never
asked TO savc the plans for the :" Slides changed IL
IS understood that a clause was inserted through inc
influence OF Mr.. Cramp, In the contracts lor
the Baltimore and Charleston, providing FOR
changes I'm the plans upon the suggestion
Of the contractor with the approval OF the Sec
rotary Of the Navy and that such notifications were
made in the of both vessels but that was aiso
provided that In changes should be fouhu hec7s
sary which were not recommended by the contrac or
the latter should not be entitled to extra compensa
ton for making them. 1t Is claimed that under uls
provision Mr. Scott will be able to claim pay for
the alterations which he Is now making In the maenii
cry of the Charleston. On the other hand' IL Is
claimed that the English plans sent to Mr. sco' oy
the Navy Department for his guidance varied IN az
least important particular from the plans Oh inc
Nariwakan. as finally revised and corrected by inc
English builders of that vessel In the original plans
OF the latter vessel the slides were OF castiron ana
Il was found that the friction great when drv-
ing the engines at high rate of speed that the shoes
became heated. They werc therefore discarded and
replaced with slides made wholly or partly OF gun
metal, or brass. The plans received by the
Navy Department though LieutenantCommanoer
Chadwick from the gs company provided for cast
iron slides. This apparently was an oversight on tho
part OF the Engshmen, but of course the American
contractor could know nothing about that and he
.,p1r fotfnr "a tI,A opHc n
There Is interesting history relating to the
purchase Of these English plans which has never yet
been officially published. The plans were bought on
tho recommendation OF acknowledgements Chan
wick. of the Navy-the Naval Atache at London when
they we're received here blue printed copies were
made for the archives of the Bureaus OF CONSTRUCTION
and Repair and Steam Engineering and after the con-
tract awarded the Union Iron Works tho original
plans were to the contractors for their guidance
The Bureau OF Steam Engineering never asked for
its opinion respecting the plans for the machinery OUT
It IS we'll known that Engncer-n-Chief LoHng was
strongly Of the opinion that tho plans were deiecuve
The Bureau OF Steam Engineering was not represented
in the board Of officers appointed by secretary WHIT
was smdonsly ignored until after the resignation
OF Commodore Loring. In place OF an onlcer Oh the
~ New. York. civilian Who served for months
and then dropped ont. Mr.. whitney seems 70 have
accented the plans for the machnerv for the Charles
TON On tbc strength OF Lieutenant Commander Chad
wlcks recommendation alone, or supported by the
opinion ~ Mr.. Winter ~,
Mr. Whitney had the utmost confidence IN me
british plans which he took ocrasion frequently 10
nrase and vet In the records Of his own Department
is letter signed by the chief officer Of the Bureau
Of Naval Intelligence through which the plans were
transmitted to tho California contractors, which ind
Gates that that officer by means satisfied re-
specting the ability NJ the machinery OF the Mani
wal5an. OF which the Charlestons machinery IS
English builders Of the MAMMALIAN and by secretary
whitney THIS. letter was addressed to Chairman
Herbert OF the House Naval Committee on January 20
Isso In IL the Charleston Is compared with the
MAMMALIAN After the entries showing the indicated
horse mower and speed OF rho latter Is the Significant
remark: az IT, p and speed reported, but comes
from not very reliable authority