New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-27
WORK At THE NAVY YARD.
GETTING READY FOR A LONG CRUISE.

! The Navy sailors in their working garb have
been busy during the last few days, carrying
various kinds of packages and boxes on board the
four new cruisers which comprise Admiral Walkers
SQUADRON Of Evolution" at the Navy Yard. pre-
| paratory 10 the active service upon which they
are making ready to start. These packages are
the Ships stores and the officers stores They
comprise canned meats and vegetables" salt
horse lcorned beef, cOrned too frequently with
the triple extract Of picklc hnrI-ticI' Tor ships
bread, dcsiccated potatoes, -four rice. coffee,
beans, pork condensed milk, etc. In fact, the
quantity Of pork and beans taken on board would
satisfy even the most loyGl Bostonian, for, that
The sailor is fond of the dish, this toast to which
he drinks would signify:
Pork and peas, as often you please,
But give u more Uf your salt cOd.'
Rores and rigging are taut and trim, the ma
chinery is being put in excellent working order,
the vexing boat dayits of the Chicago nearly
completed, the Boston has been made as good as
ever with the new steel plates and transverse and
longitudinal frames in her bottom, aud the York
town and Atlanta will soon be ready.
PROBABLE DATE OF SAILING.
The present expectation is that the, squadron
will get away from here on November 10.
1t may be said here, for the benefit OF
petty political alarmistS, that these vessels are
ret detained to exercise any influence upon the
elections There has been no deviation from
the original programme, Notwithstanding the active
efforts made from many quarters to have the
route changed from the European TO the South
Atlantic or Pacific stations. In fact the report
of Admiral ellis who commands the South
Atlantic squadron, that yellow fever is breaking
ont in various ports of Brazil, besides Rio Jancro,
and at so early part of the season, before the
arrival of warm weather, would put an end TO
any such plan. Admiral ellis strongly urges
that unless circumstances should arise making
the presence of vessels i'm peratvely necessary
mono should be permitted TO visit any of tho
infected ports, and that all supplies and stores
be sent 10 Montevideo. The orders TO Admiral
Walkers squadron will not be changed with the
| purpose of sending it to the South Atlantic. 1t
| is probable however, that the squadron will
turn to the United States next spring and after
series of evOlutiOns with the home squadron
will start for a cruise in the South Atlantic and
the Pacific, and, possibly, will go to China and
| Japan
The gunboat Yorktown is almost ready to start
| The Atlanta is still in the drydocll but il is
| expected that she will be taken out of it about
| the middle Of this week. Her bottom has been
| painted, and il necessary to do some cutting
and filing in order that the screw might be fitted
securely into place When this has been put in
| place she can come out of the dock. If the
| Squadron of Evolution should not start until
November 10, it is probable that her boilers will
be retubcd before she leaves the yard. 1t will
! take about two weeks to complete this work. and
| it is probable that part of 1t, at least, will be
| done before size sails. Probably each of the
vessels i'll the squadron will need some coal before
| she sails. This is left for one of the last
| f,h hat Tho
the yard with her bunkers full The Atlanta will
need about 400 tons of coal to fill her bunkers for
cruise in addition to the hundred or more tons
now on board.
THE NEW CRUISER
| The work of preparation to begin actual work
on the new cruiser at present known as No. :,
but which will probably be named the New-Yorll,
and would be named the Brooklyn were there not
one vessel of that name in the service, is
going ahead with energy. Visitors to the Navy
Yard are much interested in the preliminary work.
which is the laying of the kecl-bloclls nearly OPP
rose the Lyceum and alongside of the ship
house, where the armored cruiser Maine is building
These blocks are nearly all laid. The work on the
Maine is also one of the great attractions at the
yard ard during each week she grows more like
an actual ship
|
elevator" painted in great white letters in several
places it, has been lying for several days across
the mouth of the dry-dock and the officers of the
Atlanta, which vessel is In the dry-docl. get the
full benefit of the noise and also of tie coal dust
This boat-machine has coal slowed in the hull and
HOSTS it by means of machinery to the top of y
high framework, from which it slides down
| through big trough into "a box on shore whence
il runs into carts. The coal is slowed in the ward
| for use the tugs and for running the machinery
| throughout the yard. Over 1000 tons have been
brought into the yard during the last two months.
CONDITION OF THE ossIpEE
The report of the Board of Survey on the sloop-
of-war Ossipc, that the condition of that vessel is
much worse than was at first represented. was a
surprise to many officers. Not only are her boil
crs worn out, but her hull is in
need of extensive repairs, and it IS thought
very doubtful that she will ever again be
fitted for cruise The Ossipee was built before
tbe War and did some excellent service She is
| ,bc vessel which Captain Miller the present ey
| erutive officer of the Navy Yard, commanded when
| So made her memorable cruise in 1872 from the
South Pacific through the intricate passages of
| Smyths Channel and the Straits of Magellan to
New York
| Engineers have been for long time
| eXpcrmcuting with various mixtures for the
| preservation Of steam boilers. Thin incruStntion
rom tile constant use of salt water has always
bccn q subject OF pressing importance 10 engineers
| and many remedies have been proposed to Obvate
! chat is not only an inconvenience, but often a
source Of danger One Of the latest remedies
| : suggested by an Italian engineer, Colonel Patio.
lie maintains that he has tried introducing about
four pounds OF sugar into a 30 horse power boiler
once a week and after four months continuous
service only thin film of incruStation formed
! and this was easily removed by simple washing.
| Chief Engineer George H. Whit has been dr-
! tnchcd from, special duty au the Navy fatd and
ride. ed T. supcfntcnd the repnlr to Ih machinery
| Civil Engineers ii. S. Cronen and NJ I. Endicott
| have been ordered 10 duty as members of the
| Board OF Permanent Improvement Of the Ncw-iork
NAVY Yard