New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-25
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
CHANGING FROM NEWPORT TO NETWORK.
REPAIRING oLD-TIME wARsHIPs-THE TAsh o'
BUILDING A NEW DRY -DocK-FoR THE

8uIIDIYG A NEW DRY-DOCK-FOR THE
GOOD OF APPRENTICES.
The vessels at the Navy Yard have been playing
q sort of game Of chess during the last two weeks
and one rash move on the part OF the cruiser
Boston brought her in check. and she mas oeen
.sstled-put into dry-dock with the gates cioS''
II is more than likely that she will not be mo'oU
for another six weeks. 1t is two weeks now slhcc
the Boston was moved from the Navy 1aru "
Newport Harbor to undergo a series OF speed anu
turning trials that had been planned Tor her anu
the Atlanta, Chicago and Yorktown IheSc "'iI
to be made under the supervision of technical
hoard of which Commodore John u. walker 10
chairman. The move of the Boston did not prove
/, successful one. for she was brought into cheek
by a rock or wreck, the obstruction to be denheu
,,,.r a snrvev is made of the Newport IIarbor. OF
hat part of it about Rose Island Iheh Ine po''''
was moved back to her starting point, the navy
Yard. and covered The Atlanta was the neAO
move but she had only completeo MI
AIRED trials when she was moVed o"oh
Aare 10 obtain another supply Vi
.oal The engineers are fitting new crahK-p'h
orasses TO the main engine, and she VIII De mo-
into an advanced position at Newport son'o ul-S
this week In the meantime the AorN'o"n H~S
been moved to Newport, where she VIII remain :"
q sort of knight until the Atlanta, which mas "'On
used as a bishop on the observation-disclosures '"o1
nd forth in the same direction-will be moved
back The next piece on the chess-poafu 10 ~
moved will be the Chicago, the castle, puV siu VIZ
not get away before the last of the week Wn'n
these three vessels arrive at Newport the Ari",
Board will reassemble there and resume Vhc 'p0e"
aud tactical trials
OTHER FLEET MANoEUVREs'
Then there have been other moves on Ihe l'"V"i
ehess-board. but they are pawns only Inc HsSeA'
which arrived recently from the Asiatic Squadron
has been taken out Of Rotten Row ana puU IN
the hands of the mechanics to fit out for anotnef
orn;so The Rroolxlvn. another recent arrival from
the Asiatic waters, has been moved from her 'e'h-
,orarv berth in Rotten Row." and IN t"o OF
three DAYS will be ready TO be towed down TO the
'NorfoIk NAVY Yard for repairs. She is having
her old spars rigging, water tanks, etc. 9uU Oh
hoard some OF which will be utilized i'll rent
ting The principal change to be maze III Aer VIII
he the fitting of new boilers. Inc Lancaster ID
found to be in fairly good condition SINCE h'I re-
,nrn from the European Squadron, and on friday
was moved from off TompkinSvlle to the Navy
Yard. After being put out of commission sur
vev will be made upon her, and after estimates as
10 the cost of repairs are submitted, she wil pc
reftted for service. But it is doubtful II elther
80 these three vessels will have more than three
the scrap-heap as the ships belong to an almost
hraope ace The old Yantic, which came ont
second best in battle with Neptune and lost her
forer,ast besides suffering other damage, is slowly
.ohanoipe her appearance to what she was before
she went out to destroy derelicts along the coast
two months ago.
The balf-hundred mechanics at work transform
ing the doube-turreted monitor Puritan into an
armored vessel of modern type and OF great power
have already changed her appearance TO lhuicate
that after lapse of nineteen years, she Is at iasC
eoine TO DO finished. She has. however, been
monitor only in name. The dOube-turreted MIah-
toaomah which made cruise to England, Ter
MANY and Russia with Admiral Farragut soon ai'er
the close of the Civil War; is in the most 1or"afu
state. The work is well in hand, and she VIII
probably be finished inside of another we'e-
month. The most busy of the hives in the Navy
Yard is in the shiphouse where the aTmored patte-
shin Maine is building and in the shops where
the great plates and angle.rons are being cut and
shaned for her hull The work thus far done
hos already given the shape of a vessel which
will be the largest craft in the United States
Navy when completed.
THE NEW DRY DOCK.
Rut the work at the Navy Yard is not confined to
the sbips. for of on the east side of the yard
&. being completed a difficult and great work Oh
engineering 1t is dry-dOck, ana Is eN-
pected 20 be completed within the next TWO
months All the presidents were for structures OIL
stone but as a stone dock would require elght OF
TON wears TO build and at an expense reaching
into the millions, it was decided that the pines
90 tho American forests were fitting enough for
the temporary residence of Uncle sam 5 SHIPS
bopcs the contract for timber dry-dock Its
site was once covered with the waters Oh the
Wallabout Bay and to eXcavate to depth oil
,b;r,vfve feet for a dock 500 feet long by $50
feet wide in what was once a part oil inc river
had was a hazardous undertaking, and a feat
worthy OF the best engineering MINDS Inc eA-
cavation was done by steam dfeage Wllh d
capacity of ! 1-2 cubic yards. and thousands
of tons were taken out.
After cutting down through the curious strata
Of deep blue clay and vari-colored layers OF mud;
there was found an extensive 1ouhoatoh OF rear
ouiclxsand extending TO depth oil Ioriy Ieet.
a monster difficulty TO overcome. AT intervals
along the bottom and along the sides piles were
driven 70 a depth of thirty-nve ana 1orty teet.
shrs farming an impregnable barrier to the shift
inc sands The dock, now so nearly completed
with machinery OF new ana powerful deslgI, Is
pronounced the most perfect structure oil us KING
:" copy Of general order, promulgated by
Secretary Tracy, which, in effect approves the
system proposed by Commodore Schley when Chief
OF the Bureau of Equipment and makes
law Of the plan outlined by the
board appointed by Secretary Tracy, ptomisiinG
Tive Involvement of the apprentice or training
aston of the Navy. was received at the Navy
Yard Yesterday. The Tribune announced on Suh-
day that this subject under earnest consldera-
ton by Secretary Tracy, and within forty eight
- ~ etornr,rd IL rcceyved his signature. IL
gives to each apprentice boy who hereafter enSis
In the service credit for S45 on TIE payneser
books TO pay for his first outfits OF UNIFORM ana
small stores The pay Ct the apprentices Is So
$40 and sl1 month during their training ana
while they are serving on regular cruisers. IL
often results that during Their mlhorlty my
scsrcelv earn money enough 10 keep properly
clothed: but greater trouble begins when they hrst
enter the service and arc compelled 70 draw an
onfft Of clothing which costs, on the average SAD
Tba 70 guIatious prohibit the issuing OF money TO
An apprentice and do not allow HIM TO so on shore
60 long as he is in debt, and tins results III the
lad being confined on board for months, when mas
= aiss.;.i1inr efiacf and does more 70 promote de-