Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-16

Prsspect 81 tnc Wcru on the Concord
and the acnutngtOu.


The work on the machinery for tte
cruisers Concord and Bennington X getting
along at a rapid rate aud as quality is Ger.
faint, yery sAtsiacjOry. The boilers for The
Bennington are practically finished, those
FOR the Concord are bot little behind, while
che machinery for tHe Bennington reeds nut
che arrival OF the sic.l SHAFTS from tha West.
Point foundry 10 finish up the work. A.
aoon a. these shafts arrive snd The hnal work
on The Bcuulngion's engines is completed
tte machinery viii he tsgcn of the present
bed plates 10 make Way for the setting up OF
she t0ncoTd's engines.
Chicf kngInetr Ashton remarked yester-
day that the boilers had not vet been tested,
and ne hardly thought they would he until
fhc machinery was ready for moving. The
bsilcrs Will either etested right where They
stand M The shops or they VIII be taken out
intO The street Ia testing machinery for
certain strength cold water is PIT INTO The
hotter. ire is lighted. and the pressure IS
applied rs The expansion Of the water. In
tie case 81 TIE Iorkiown's boilers The pres
sure given the boilers was 2j) pounds, and
this viii very likely be- the pressure applied
GO TIE boilers oi tue Concord and benuing-
ton.
Tue cylinders VIII be tested ~ hydraulic
pressure. bat, ~ ia the case Of the boilers,
f4ff viii NOT hc ~NlWrNlCu 10 Tue ~ NS~i ANih
"a ihe work FOR The cruiser in toe Sion is a
sn end OF course the Qlinnrd people are
taking this risk on themselves, for s0me con-
tend that the testing ought 90 be IN keeping
WITH the progress made In The WORK. But
Che Omntprd IRONY Orl,s feel perfect conf
ccnce in their WORK. Much Of the work,
however, has been tested by the naval in
spector, from tine 10 tiue, they beng
able 10 90 This hY tha eye. In AT
cases where any fsw was discovered
the piece was rejected. but as the buidcrs
have eYinrrd - ready a Gesue 10 detect
these flaws as have the inspectors The WORK
has been greatly facilitated. The eccentric
straps gave the most serlOds trouble At u Il.
Piece after piece had TO he made before
uesfect one could be obtained, the great ma.
ioitv showing, when pared down little
on The lathc, a crack near the base OF the
collar. II the work had brcn intended Tor
n private concern much 81 the rejected ms.
teriais would have been considered sat'sfac-
tory. bot Tor one OF TIE Pew naval ships
nothing but the very best work could be
scceDicd
The writer has seldom seen 81 pretty work
- u nov displayed al The QUinisrd machine
shops Tor beauty Of unsh aud perfeciness
80 foim some 81 the yalve-goar Tor the new
cruisers Is simply ia4ltless. To prsise con-
tfaCtQfN rs NOT QiicN ipfitNy bhA tHt NtAiAthih
leOple hsNe 20 maniiestly .endeay0red TO 10
satisfactory work FOR the Government. re-
gsrdie-s Of inspection, thst Il Is 10 justice
due then 70 make pra,sewcrthy note OF Whist
they have turned out The machinery a.
well ~ TIE bulls for the new vessels are be-
hind the contract time, but this has been the
case Vito an Government contract work let
out for the new naval ships.
The Skating torthe Concord and Benning-
ton l. not a. well along a. It might be, but as
the West Polat people are working on It
aight ana GAY II Is fair 20 presume that they
are doing Their very best. When the writer
visited the works at Cold Spring some two
weeks 400 there were 81 least three Of the
fourteen A. tiors completed, aud Il was
learned At the Quintaid Works yesterday that
the West P0inf people had giyen notification
That one shsit was ready for shipment. IL rs
expected down from Cold Spring any day.
The rayy officers Of present detailed Tor in'
gp4cnon duty 4 The Qmniard Works are
Chief. Engineere Robert y. iIine and G. Ash
ton, Passed. Assistant. Eugineer Stevenson,
and Acknowledgement &. +. Manning--aIi
OF the Uui,ed states navy.
The bids on the machinery Tor the new
bstile-ship Maize, now 10 process oil building
1T the Brooklyn payy.yard. VIII ee opened
either tue latter pirt Of the present week or
al the beginning OF the coming week. Tue
Qulntsrd people will be amoag TIE o'deen.
TIE DelaaaLals sEd 0Be or Two osnef NC"