New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-12
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
A DECIDEDLY MYTHICAL CRUISE.
SPECULATION ABOUT THE NEW oRUrsERs-coN
eTRUCTING THE MA1NE-Two DIS

MANTLED VESSELS.
The officers at the Navy Yard have been much
amused over galley yarn that published
a few days ago concerning the future movements
Of the steel ram cruiser Chicago, the cruisers
Boston and Atlanta, Of the supcrstructurc pattern
and the new gunboat Yorktown The scheme that
was outlined was for n flying squadron TO 10
around the world under the command of Com
modore John G. Walker whose term of service
as Chief Of the Bureau Of Navigation and Detail
will expire on October %. As he has been eight
| years at the head Of this Bureau and as so many
OF the other officers of his grade want an oppor-
tunity to succeed him, it is probable that he will
| go on sea duty. II is not likely however that
| his duty will be OF such a nature Us that so care
| fully arranged in the publication. The story
| which rather a pretty one, said that orders
! may be expected any day for the departure Of
| the cruisers But no orders have as yet come
| und, when they do come, 1t 10 most probable that
| the Chicago, 80 far this vessel Is concerned
| viii go to Europe the flag ship, and that Com
modorc Walker viii be ordered the comman
| dant Of the squadron 10 relieve Comm dorc james
| A. Green.
The article began as follows: News has reached
| the Brooklyn Navy Yard that the steel cruisers
Boston, Atlanta, and Yorktown are TO be fitted
| cut as a flying squadron and sent on a cruise
/
| saying that it would begin with a run from
| Ncw.lOrk TO Queenstown, then around the British
| Islands, up the Sea and Baltic TO St. Petersburg
| hack again TO Portsmouth,, England; across TO
CLcrbourg France, thence down the French coast,
visiting Brest; over TO Spain, and down the
Portuguese coast, touching at OpOrto and Lis
bon, and thence 10 the Straits Of Gibraltar. BE.
ginning with the Rocks the cruise will extend
all around the Mediterranean, the squadron cross.
ing to Tanger before starting for the eastward,
and then starting for India by way Of the Suez
Canal on leaving the Lcyant,' In addition, the
article also outlines the movements Of the squad
ron IN Indian and Chinese waters, saying that
from Japan the feet would go to Honolulu,
whence II would 90 TO san Francisco, coming
home by way Of the Straits Of Magellan, stopping
at South American ports on the way.
\ MEASURE OF yAGUE.NESs.
All through the article were sprinkied such
indefinite expressions ~ these. 1t is thought
ut is said.7 :" 1t is known 1t IS believed
" 1t Is generally believed When Secretary Tracy,
one who l. supposed 20 have the first knowledge
Of the contemplated movements OF vessels OF the
Navy, was asked about it, ho sad "No doubt
~ would be good thing in many respects, but
We are not now - well provided with vessels |
Tor station duty that W" could afford {, send
al Of the new ones OIL On a trip that suggests
more OF pleasure than OF utility IN the prospectus
Commodore Walker said IN reply TO "a similar !
question " don think ! shah get away with |
out letting the Secretary know something about
II. As he has not sad anything 10 me about It, or |
| 70 him, there might be embarrassment TO scv. |
crai OF US II we were to act pre- ipitatey in the
matter AEn,n, the writer Of the article before I
quoted said: The NOrktUW can quickly run ~ |
Washington and take aboard six OF the G.inch !
rifles now awaiting consignment thrfc.' At The |
time the article Was published all Of the gun, |
for the Yorktown were Of the Navy Nard and |
had been there two or three days They are |
rra'y TO be put on board, but that work ha, not
being slightly repaired. II is the general mprcs. |
sion among the officers that the Yorktown VIII Dc |
sc1t 70 n" European Squadron 70 take the place Of
Tie Quinnebhug, now returning home
WHERE THE ATLANTA MAY GO.
As for the Atlanta, although no orders have
yet been received, she will probably resume her
cruise around the world which was interrupted
by the predicted disturbance on the Isthmus, due
10 the stoppoGc OF work on the Panama Canal She
viii ultimately, no doubt, become the flagship OF
thr Asiatic Squadron, rs the only vessels now at-
tachcd 10 She squsdton are the Marion the Mo
hican, the Omaha. the MonOcacy 10 be condemned /
and soldi thu pslos and the SwRtaEa The At
hnta Is now In the drydock There are, how
ever no important repairs necessary, but her bot
tom Will Ike scraped AMI painted About two years
ago she partially fractured the crnsshcad OF her
main engine. Although the vessel could go 70
sea as she is yet under full pressure Of steam the
engine would be liable 10 break Hence 10 WAS
not deemed prudent 10 permit the vessel to 20 TO
sea again until new crosshead had been made.
which work Is now being done. But this viii not
delay the fitting Of the vessel as IL is expected 10
be ready by the time the vessel comes out OF the
dry-doCk Rumor hrs il that the Boston viii be
retained on this coast and become the flagship OF
the North Atlantic Squadron.
INTEREST IN TIE MAINE.
One Of the most interesting pieces OF work in
progress AT the Yard Is the building Of the twin
scrcw nrmorcd cruiser Maine Especially in
tcrcSung is II because may get an idea OF
how ship is begun The keel is LAID on blocks
four or five feet apart, which form inclined
plane toward the water, 80 that the huh may glide
down easily when the time for launching CONES
his is lot projecting ridge, as some would think !
hut Is simply the central series OF plates, from
which inner keel Is built up like enormous
backbone, and TO this the ribs are attached. Tie
bars OF iron, which after heating are Ueut to The
needed curve, are delivered ~ TIC place where the
skeleton of the ship has begun The banding is
done by laying the heated IRON upon a metal floor
perforated with holes, INTO which iron p"gi are
inserted, corresponding with the cmnlkllnc CurNa-
turc first laid down Then the mechanics attach
their tools TO the iron bar and shape IT, Us each
rib must he Of the same curvature on both sides
OF the ship they must be- bent with The utmost
precision. Af,r the RIB IL cooled IT Is taken 10 u
mae hine, phcrc the holes for the TlyCtS are | ,
punched II is then taken 10 the ways and put
into rs proper place, and the plates arc then
4 person going into the Navy Yard would not
recognize the Brooklyn and the ESSEX as the same
inrned from II thrcCTycdFh cruise ~ Chncs2 ana )
ia pancSe waters. Then, although they are Of the |
old wOodeE type, one might BEE two fully rugged
lnd manned ycssels but now diSnantl d. and with
everything taken of them, the vessels look almost
like wrecks. The vessels have had all Of the
guns, equipments, tools, provisions, etc, taken
of, and only the lower part Of the mHsts are
LETT standing The Brooklyn will go out Of
on Tuesday, and has on board only I
enough provisions 10 keep the officers and men |
until that time. She will then be Inspected, and I
II the report Is favorable, may be repaired, and
gain fitted for service. This, however, will not
be- done II the repairs necessary exceed twenty |
per cent OF the original cost.
THE ESSEX OUT on CoMNt sSGoN.
The Essex went out of commission yesterday,
and so completely was she dismaEtlcd that the
5alors who were casting out the last things con-
Sistng OF Old pieces Of tin and iron and other '
log thinrs could not nhtain ON hon I'd ,nt,r