New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-28
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
To MAKE TESTS IN TACTICS AT SEA
VoUR CRUISERS READY TO HAVE THEIR TRIALS
STORIES ABOUT THE HANDLING
OF POWDER.

four new war vessels, the cruisers Boston ana
Atlanta. the gunboat Yorktown and the giant
Chicago. will soon find that their familiar forms
have disappeared from the Navy Yard. Wlthh
the next few days they will proceed to Newport
for their trials and after their return they VIII
he made ready for sea service. The date lor INC
first of the speed and turning trials of these new
war cruisers is set for Wednesday, and the Boston
will be the first to make the tests. She Will hrsV
have dock trial OF several hours 10 ascertain
whether the engines are in a satisfactory cohoi
ton. This trial will be made tomorrow AL
A. m the fires will be lighted, and when 'hefe j
sufficient steam the engines viii be started. IheS
will be stopped about noon, and if everything
ahout them is satisfactory it is possible that the
vessel may 90 out and down the Bay in the AFTER
poon.
The Atlanta viii probably be the next vessel
10 make the speed and tactical trials. III was
,xpected that she would sail on Friday, out
the DELAY of putting the fifty tons of New RIVER
coal on board has kept her here. A hghtef Oh
coal lay alongside her Friday, but as IL was "oV
available for the best steamng QUANTITIES IL was
rejected II the coal be put on board III
time. the Atlanta may 60 out tomorrow evening"
II is expected that the way to Newport sic
will stop al Gardners Bay and have target pracuce
Thence she will proceed to Newport. In the tar
get practice the targets will be placed at distance
of from 1000 to 5000 yards from the hring poih.,
and the regulation amount of three charges Will
be fred from each gun The Yorktown VIII PROD
ably be the third vessel to make the triaS at
Newport and the Chicago the fourth.
THU. YORKTOWN GONE
The Yorktown will first have forty-eight
kours' trial at sea- The final orders to go arrived
At the Yard on Friday afternoon, and at O'Clock
Yesterday morning the vessel left the Yard and
went TO sea- The official board appointed to super
intend this trial is composed of Commander w. X.
Bridgman. Chief Engineer G. w. Stvers and Naval
Constructor r. w. Steele This trial cruise was
provided for in the contract and was TO be made
within four months Of the date of her provisional
acceptance which time expires on August A. There
is still 1000 due to the builders of the York
town In addition to q test of her machinery,
there will also be test of the effect OF the con-
cnssion from the firing of her broadside guns.
part of Secretary 1racy's order reads: whether
the ship is sufficiently strong TO stand the shock
Of firing; but the ship is not TO be run at eX-
tremc speed subjected to any violent or unusual
tests There is a marked and modified differ
cnce between this and Secretary Whtney's order
regarding the test for the Dolphin, when he sent
her out in search OF a Storm" and she found It,
proving that she stancher vessel THAN ne
hoped her to he. After her return the Yorktown
will be made ready for her trials in NarraGanSett
Bay.
Before the vessels go to Newport TO make the
speed and tactical trials they will be supplied with
aZimuth cOmpasses and plane tables; they Will
have fresh water in the boilers and tanks, and
sufficient amount of coal OF the best steaming
qualities for the full power measured trlals
The trial board of which Commander John q.
oil is
the vessel and proceed to carry out the details
of the trial No trial is to be made when the
force of the wind exceeds twenty-tnree miles an
hour No less than six sets of turning trials are
10 be made. in addition to obtaining the tactical
diameter and final curve and runs over meas
ured mile
INSPECTING NAVY YARDS.
Commander Walker Chief of the Bureau of
Navigation and Office of Detail at Washington,
after his visit 10 the Navy Yard, started for
Portsmouth. At the Navy Yard there he will
inspect the training-ship Portsmouth. which is
ready for her summer cruise At Norfolk he will
inspect the training ship New Hampshire and re.
turn here in time TO meet the other members Of
the Trial Board Thursday
The Chicago is almost ready for her trial at
Newport One of her capstan engines has been
sent away TO have a little work done. This
engine is expected back in a few days. The
work on the corvette Yantic is going ahead and
the lower mainmast and the lower mizzenmast
have been put in place. The foremaSts and the
topmasts being made, and viii be put up
when everything is ready.
Secretary Tracy has ordered that The repairs
to the Galena be fastened in order that she may
start possible for Hayu to relieve the
Ossipee. IL is expected that she Will be ready
by August 10.
The contract for 42s tons of steel plates for
the armorcd battle-shp Maine has been given
to the Linden Steel Company, of Pittsburg for
s34, 753 so. The bid of the Carnegie Works was
lower per ton than that of the Linden Works, but
il calculated 1000 pounds per ton, while the
Linden Works allowed 2,240 pounds per ton.
SOME SENSATION REPORTS.
Sensational reports of danger in and about the
Navy Yard, and of a character to alarm visitors,
parents and friends of the officers, sailors and
workmen. property owners and residents in the
adjoining neighborhood, have been published re-
gently without any warrant of fact. These reports
have been elaborated upon the fact that ammuni-
ton is sometimes brought TO the Navy Yard and
put on board OF the vessels lying there instead
OF having them go down TO Els's Island 10 take
in on board " The truth is" as Commodore
Ramsay, COmmandant of the Yard said to "a
reporter of The Tribune, il is Just as safe 10
handle the powder and other ammunition on board
of the vessels as to have IT anywhere else The
utmost care is taken in handling the ammunition
from the time it leaves the magazine the
island 10 the one in the vessel The lighter
goes to Elliss Island at high tide, takes the
powder, shells, prOectiles, etc, and then pro-
ceeds to the vessel where il is put on board
From the time the lighter makes fast alongside
the vessel TO receive the ammunition until IT
is all in the magazines and Theoretically sealed in
the magazine IN the hold red flag is flown at
her masthead.
On the vessel, TOO, every precautiOn is taken
The magazines are so made that no fire could
possibly reach the explosives. Even the light
which illumines the magazine is placed outside
and shines through ground glass window-lght
and this cannot be communicated with from the in
side The magazine is made of iron or steel, and is
entered through a flap door hung on larger one
This small door closes automatically. In "A small
magazine in the interior there is an alley down
one side On the other side are rows Of shelves,
and on these the proicctles are carefully placed
The round ones fit into small cavities made for
them. In larger magazine there are spaces with
shelves on each side of the alley, and In sui
larger one there are two alleys. Each magazine
is provided with pipe, by which IT may be
quickly flooded with water IN case OF fire on the
the ship. There are escapes at the top 10 pre-
vent the water from Overacwing, and drains AZ
the bottom by which the water may be quickly
drained of again.