New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-09

Mr.. Whitney of the administration of the Navy
Department there was not a promising show
ing for the expenditure of money and the sixteen
months time that had been put into the ship.
Secretary Tracy at once took hold with that
force that has ever been characteristic Of him. and
from that time the Maine has grown into form.
Naval Constructor w. II. Mintonye and the other
officers that have since been in charge Of her
construction have been found at their work early
and late every day since that time, and Secretary
Tracy has granted every facility which could tend
to hasten the building and the contractors have
been vigorously urged forward to the supply Of
materials. The mechanics that have been en-
ployed upon her gained their places, not through
political influence, but only after satisfactorily
proving to board of officers that they were
capable of performing the work required of;them.
Extraordinary care was taken by the Govern
ment to insure the quality and fitness Of every
piece of iron and steel that was required for the
construction of the cruisers hull and machinery.
All the steel material inspected and tested at
the place of manufacture by a Naval inspector Of
material, and even after being passed by
him has been subjected to certain restric-
tons before final acceptance by the Gov
ernment This material was required to be clearly
and indelibly marked in three places and with
separate brands First, there was the brand OF
the inspector; second, the stamp OF the manu-
facturer: and, third. the regulation Government
brand which is not placed on any of the material
until it has been inspected, weighed and passed
ready for shipment. No material could be re-
ceived at the place of building Of any of the new
ships unless it should bear all of these brands, and
even then it was possible to have it rejected for
surface or other defects developed in working.
Readers of The Tribune will recall that only two
weeks ago the struts or hangers, for the cupboard
section of the main shafts Of the Maine were found
to be defective and that it was at once ordered
that Others be made and put in place of them.
These steel pieces seemed in every way perfect
when they were put on the hull of the ship, and
only alter the boring machines had taken off some
of the metal on the inside to fit the size Of the
shafts were holes discovered. These holes were
caused by improper casting, and may have been
due to the metal being too cold when it poured
into the mould i'm fact, there may have been other
circumstances which caused these impcrlectiOns
over which the contractors had no immediate con-
troll. and which imperfections could not be dis
covered by the Inspector except by the deficiency
Of weight
It was fortunate that these defects were dis
covered in the boring, else the strain upon the
shaft by the running of the engine at some future
time would have caused them to give way at some
time when it would have been most embarrassing
and also impossible to repair it until she could be
got into dock As it is, the vessel will not be
delayed in launching beyond the day set, Novem-
Der 1s, for the reason that new struts may pe
cast while other work necessary before the vessel
may be put into drydock is being done, and then
when she goes into dock the new struts and the
propellers may be put in place.
The work of getting the big ship ready to
launch has been an enormous undertaking in itself.
Divers and pie-drivers have been at work for
several weeks building launching ways from the
stern of the Ship which is fifty feet from the
edge of the water and extending fifty feet from
the waters edge out into the channel. These
launching ways will be completed day or two
before the launch is to take place. Then the
whole of her cradle will be taken apart on the
day before she is to be launched: the upper part
of the launching-ways and the lower SIDE OF the
bilge-ways will be rubbed over with composition
of tallow and CASTLE SOAP and after that with
fab oil. The talow is used to fill UP the pores
Of the wood and give q perfectly smooth surface
and the oil to lubricate that surface The bilge-
WAYS will then be showed back on the launching
WAYS. and the several pieces that go to make up
their length will be secured together at their
butts by rope lushings passed through scores
in their ends.
At the upper end Of the bige-way is an OAK
plank called sole piece. 1t projects some four
or five feet onto another piece or chock. and Is
securely fastened by screw bolts passing through
the cbock and launching-ways, and set up below
with nuts and washers. 1t is this plank or sole
niece which is cut when the time for launching
arrives The cradle is then replaced and the
launching wedges are placed about a foot apart
between the bilge-ways and packing all along the
cradle
Then the chain lashings on the puppets and the
rope lashings on the packing will be passed and
properly secured, the packing hastings being wet
down to shrink them as taut as possible. Mean
while powerful warps and cables will be led
down from the ship and made fast to the anchors
ar moorings ashore to bring up the ship when
che floats and 10 stop her sternway in the water.
Anchors and cables have already been put on
hoard and will be made ready to let 20 II the hold
AZ an anchor should be required. Special prccau.
lions will be taken immediately TO remove the
ertire cradle, bilge-ways and packing from under
thS ship tho moment she has taken to the water.
For this purpose chain cable, Or tftppang-ehafn,
fast to an anchor buried ct the upper end Of the
,~ sy~ an6 the ends will be ACQUIRED to bolts
" tie uuper end Of the bilgewsys. The two
Its Of ne chain will then bc led down on the
inside OF the bilgeways and stopped up ont OF
-. vay with r0pe-yarns. The cables VIII pe
s"S,cisfly long not n become saut until the ship
:ei's ~ 80 I{v khia means the bilgoWaYe X1u