New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-29
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
NEARLY ALL THE VESSELS GONE.
THE PORTSMOUTH SOON TO sA1L-IMPoRTAN1
CHANGES OF oFFICERs-PLATEs FOR


Navy Yard and she will probably start shortly
after Ncw-Years Day, and sails for winters
cruise in the West Indies this port will be with
ont war vessel in commission for the first time
in more than two years. True, there will be
the receiving ship Vermont at the Navy Yard
and the training ship Minnesota at West Twenty
sxth-st, both OF which in commission. but
the former is without machinery, spars, sails.
or any other propellng power, and lies in a bed
Of mud with great claiming cables hold her fast
70 Cob Dock, and q line OF spars around outside
Of her TO prevent anything from drifting against
her side and damaging her planking. And the
Minnesota is not only training ship for boys.
hut her hull is not in the sound condition TO
withstand the buffeting of high seas. and her
boilers have so badly corroded by many years
NJ hard usage that they could not stand much
more than the atmospheric pressure. The vessels
which were at the Navy Yard less than two
months ago are now distributed in several seas.
The Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Yorktown
compose the Squadron of Evolution, and are now
in the harbor of Lisbon. The Galena, kearsarge
and Dolphin are in Haytian waters. The Yantic
is in Cuban waters with the expedition
which is determining longitudes, and the Pensa-
cola is at South Africa with the expedition
which observed the solar eclipse on December %.
The Pensacola is expected back here in the lat
ter part of January, but she is to remain only
long enough TO make such repairs as may be neces-
sarv and to replensh her coal and other supplies,
and then is TO go around TO the Pacific Squadron.
The Galena, Kearsarge, Yantic and Dolphin may
he expected back here about the first Of April.
But New-Yor< will not be long without repre-
sentative war vessel, for the new cruiser Balti-
more is expected TO come here in a few days from
Philadelphia TO receive her final fittings for
oil fba INST Tho will
at the Navy Yard for more than few days, how
ever. and during that time she will doubtless be
visited by hundreds if not thousands, who are in
terested in the building of the new Navy, the mod
crn floating Notifications. The final report of the
board Of officers who conducted the steam trial is
awaited with considerable interest especially as
this report is 10 announce officially the indicated
horsepower developed. The ship ran four hours
with the wind favorably from abeam, and she
averaged speed Of 90 1-l0 knots an hour.
But even now there is much of interest in the
Navy Yard. One of the most interesting pieces
of work is that on the new cruiser No. T. Inc
keel-boclls and the poles to support the scanold-
Ing are up, and now the actual work on the
vessel has begun Within the last few days the
first consignment of material for the new VesseI
arrived at the ward. This consisted of thirty-tWo
plates for the different parts of the Vessel-keel-
plates longtudinals, etc. Among these was INC
kcclplate which goes amidships, and the work
On this plate was begun at the yard yesterday
II is expected that more material will arrive IN a
few days and then the work can be more rapidly
carried on 49, -,
Dnring the last week worllmen have been busy
chipping the coTrOslOn or scale from the ooC'on
Of the monitor AiiantonOmah. which was put ihuo
the dry-dock a few days ago. ohc hdu not ueen
in the dock for three years, and yet the corroSloI
X SLIGHT. When the work of chipping is Nnlsheu
l. IN bp scrubbed
he will probably not he brought out Oh Uhe uoch
for about' two weeks Yet. After she comes OuV
the Terror another monitor reconst uctlng III the
Inrd is TO be locked and 10 have her DOItom
.craped and painted. An interesting feature III
tic painting of these vessels is the competitive
test which is TO be made On the bottom OF lhc
Nliantonomah is 10 be put coating Of the McInnls
aaSgP9Ssb Pbb a %he hne paint "
Much interest is manifested over important con-
teuplatcd changes in the Navy commands on the
first of the new year. II IS fairly certain Indv
Captain Henry Erben, who is about 1ourth from
the top Of the list for promotion To GOmm99HoIeii
and who was president Of the Board oil Naval
Inspectors az this port for three years ana was
recently relieved, will be ordered 10 ihe COMMAND
@. the Norfolk Navy Yard, TO succeed Commodore
George Brown. The latter has been ordered 10
The command Of the Pacific Squadron, TO succeed
Pear-Admiral /. A. Kimberly. OF Samoan fame;
II is rumorcd that Rcar-Admiral Kimberly viii
be detailed as chairman Of the Board of Inspection
10 relieve Rcar-Admral James 4. Jouett' who Will
be retired on account Of age on February %
Another important change III command
viii occur OF, January =, when
NE D@ scSrd as CHEZ of the Bureau Of
Ordnance will expire. II has been reported that
Commander William NJ. Folgcr would succeed
Commodore Scard. and il hc does 1t Is probable
That Commander Charles O'Neil. the present com
mandcr Of the Dolphin, and who was IN charge
% the ordnance department at the Navy ara for
three years. will succeed Commander folgcr as
lnspector of Ordnance at the Washington Navy
i few days ago board consisting of Chief
Engineer George W. Stivers and Assistant Naval
Constructor Joseph j. Woodward went TO Eliza
tc,hDort y. J.. and made an examination OF the
resent Iron Works, owned by Charles Moore
sons a Co. This was made upon the Application OF
the company for permission TO MD for the CON
struction of one OF the .00o-tOu steel gunboats
which have been authorized by Congress- and bids
Tor which have been advertised for. The cXamlna-
ton showed that there Is an excellent machine
shop there but as vet there is shlpbuildlng
plant The Crescent Iron Works Company SAYS
however, that it IS willing - put in plant suit,
able for the building of such vessels, ana
with proper plant the works would De
excellent for building a cruiser. there is
sufficient ground and a good water front The
Board has sent its report 10 Secretary Tracy.
Proposals have been advertised for for placing
IN electric lighting plant in the Newly Ork Navy
iSrd. They VIII he received until II O'Clock
q. N. on January t. al the Bureau Of Yards
snd Docks in the Navy Department at Washing
ton. and Immediately after they 10 he pub /
hciy opened. The plant is 70 extend over the
whole yard, and is efficient TO light It's build /
ings, workshops. and streets. The success Is so
great OF the portable electric drill which for
sr[TrM al months has been in use in the yard'
ana which did efficient service when the Boston |
was o9cted after to accident near Newport !
Nhich NhocKed hole in her bottom that sew |
w. .ioIc nave been ordered, and il is thought |
maj they Will begin 10 arrive in a short time. |
Now lhat Tue curiositics are gone from the 1
lNceuin hhiidlne n the yard, the work of reiit- !
ting Inc rooms IN which they were kept is going |
on Iaihlcrs are now busy throughout the build |
lug and soon II viii be in a better condition !
for Offices than il now is
Yesterday many young men taking advantage
q the bright sun and the HOLIDAYS were in the
Navy 1arG, catching with their cameras prob.
spE ChiIls'naS presents too pictures Of the
NEVIS From TIE ARMORIES.