New-York tribune., 1889-12-22
WORK At THE NAVY YARD.
BUILDING THE NEW DRY-DOCK.
DISCUSSING SECRETARY TRACY's REPoRr-Ii

| DISCUSSING SECRETARY TRACY's REPogT-IN
PRovEMENTS GOING oN-THE PROPOSED
REVISION OF THE SALARY LIST.
Near the eastern end of the Navy Yard, 81 the
upper end of Wallabout Bay. is an immense ex-
cavation about thirty-fve feet deep and several
hundred feet long and wide When completed
this will be the new wooden dry-dock, which for
many months has been in course of construction
After the excavation had been made, heavy foun.
dations of piles and cement were constructed and
then the sides of the dock were built, consisting
of great beams laid in tiers or steps The dock
is about completed, with the exception Of the end
in which is TO be the entrance, and here rapid
work is now going on. In the upper end Of the
dry-docS stands the caisson gate. When the
other work has been done it will be necessary to
remove part of the quay wall along Wallabout
Bay in order to connect the dock with the open
water II is thought that the new dry-dock will
be ready for use in three or four months. IL is
to be much larger than the stone dock in the
yard, TO have the modern improvements, and 70
be fitted in both size and shape to hold the naval
vessels now building. Such dock as this is to
be can be made to last about as long one built
of stone; for if by any means one of the timbers
should become injured, it can be removed and re-
placed by new one; then, to keep the wood
from rotting, after it has been wet it is to be
scrubbed and wiped up carefully the decks
of a vessel.
During the week the armor plating belonging
to the after turret of the monitor Miantonomah
has been put on, and the forward turret will soon
be ready for its armor. On Friday the vessel
was put into the drydock, and yesterday the water
was pumped out of the dock. The Miantonomah
was docked in this yard three years ago. and this
&c tba first ti,naf nof cta hoc haar in, 81.
since then she is to have her bottom scraped and
painted, and will probably remain in the dock
about three weeks. The work the Essex IL
advancing rapidly, and when the repairs are com.
pleted she is to have, as far as is possible the
! latest improvements. Among them are an electric
light plant, Baird evaporatOr. and steam wind
lass II is thought that the work to her machinery
Will be finished in about month.
THE'NEw RAILROAD.
Within the last few days, too, work has beguA
| on the new railroad which is to be put into the
Yard. This goes from the Receiving Dock through
the old ship-house, to the new machine-shop and
so communicates with various shops in the Yard:
another branch extends along the place where
the cruiser No. is to be built. A large amount Of
railway was laid to be used in connection with
the construction of the Maine, and the new ad-
dition is to De used TO take material shipped BY
water from the vessel to the machine shops and
also to carry the heavy material used in the build
ing of the new cruiser to the place where II Is
needed.
That part of Secretary Tracy's report which
referred to the plans for the gradual Improvement
of the Brooklyn and League Island Navy Yards
has been commented upon freely by some Of the
officers of the Navy, both favoably and unfavor.
ably. The reports of the special boards appointed
to consider the propositions in detail favored
large and expensive scheme OF development, in
volving an outlay of $l4,OOO,OOO in the case Of
League Island and of SS,000,000 in the case Of
| Brooklyn
present time TO warrant such an understanding
All that il recommends for the Brook
| yn yard is a sufficient appropriation TO prevent
destruction of the property. The INSURGENCY OF
| appropriations in recent years has permitted the
! Cob Dock TO go 10 ruin, and the wharyes ana
buildings to become dapidated. according to
the report of the Board on Permanent Improve
ment many of the buildings nave fallen into de-
cay, and few show signs of ultimate collapse
| . II the door is once opened to large
! schemes of sO-called improvement upon officm
recognitions ably seconded, perhaps IN part N.
| duced by local influences, the Government VIII
! soon find that instead Of maintaining It's yarn
for the benefit of the fleet, it is maintaining in
fleet for the benefit of the yards, and enough
| millions will in short time have been spent 10
build the best navy, in the world, with nothing
to show for it but large nun15cr Of imposing, bu'
unnecessary shore establishments.
HOW 1T Is REGARDED.
This is not looked upon generally as a reflection
| upon the good Judgment and best intentions Of
the able naval officers comprising the Board, but
il is interpreted as cOmmonsense, business-lh
| proposition of a Secretary who recognizes The
the Importance of encouraging private enterprm
| in naval construction.
OFFICERS WANT MORE PAY.
One thing of special interest to all officers Y
the proposed revision of the salary list, aud any
| one acquainted with the individual experiens
OF the officers of the Navy realizes that the salaries
of the officers especially of the junior grades, do
not meet their actual and necessary
| expenses With the exception Of a very few,
the officers are urging their friends in Congress
TO pass the bill drawn up by Passed Assistant
| Paymaster Thomas j. Cowie. =.
During the week the curiOsitles whicn VeN
| formerly on exhibition in the Lyceum Building IN
the Yard, and which were packed few weeks
ago for shipment 10 Annapolis nave oeen tak.;ii
out of the Iyceum and stored IN the Yard unNI
they can be shipped. The extra room thus
| furnished is TO be fitted up for Offices and used
| for the commandants clerks -,
! Chief Engineer David smith has been ordereq
TO special duty at the Yard Lieutenant w. \
| Chambers has been detached from the Yard ana
ordered to duty on the Petrol
| -
! 4 GIRL CHASES A BURGLAR