New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-20
WITHIN NAVY YARD WALLS
WHAT DIFFERENT VESSELS ARE DOM
IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING Manu.
DIGNATIoN FELT ON BOARD THE rssvy


DIGNATToN FELT ON BOARD THE ESSEX
The change of orders as to the shipofwar 10 RAJ,
the body Of the late Captain John Ericsson the sweat.
inventor TO his native country has caused more erc
discussion among Navy people and common ci,i,.
the past few days than is usual for them to engass
during the hot 1t is natural that the OFF,.
Of the Essex should feel keen disappointment in NJ.
being permitted to have short cruise in Enrons.,
waters, which they had anticipated would be a,,ena.I
| with 50 much pleasure after the body Of Captaj,
Ericsson had been landed at Stockholm But Fa.,
were made indignant at the unjust criticisms M
uulger In by one newspaper writer that she is N
| ancient craft thrdclass tub "unseaworthys
docS not possess single modern improvement TIA.
her boilers needed extensive repairs, that her battery
was composed ent rely of smoothbores,7 ana
| that she is an nsgnihcantly small vessels
| Ihcse were all mlssatements of fact An.
other misrepresentation that the selection a
'c Essex was declared by the executors OF the Ercs
9Dh eSVt'e as q slight upon the great mans memory
i"o executors themselves not only pronounce ts
statement untrue but add that they thanked the Nav
Department for its consideration when il selected ths
| Essex for the mission. They are Of course sre,n,
pleased that secretary Tracy econsidered the detail and
promised either Of the new cruisers PHILADELPHIA a,
Baltimore instead. The Essex will start In cOuuls "A
weeks for the south Atlantic Squadron 10 which aha
| has been assigned.
advSablty Of sending the Baltimore to Europe and n.
cruise in the Mediterranean 20 show foreign Gocen
| ments what progress has been made in shipbuildn,
especially Of war vessels. in this country He saws
that the new cruiser Philadelphia Will probably be a.
signed 10 the place Of the Baltimore as the 6agshp a
llear-Admiral Gherardi. The Philadelphia is now n,
cevDg her armament the officers detailed for her ar.
TO report and put the vessel in commission on July "a
and she will probably leave League Island for Yoh
about August l. II Will then take three or four weeAs
to put IN her steel mass and TO complete her othe,
| rigging.
The Baltimore Is still with the North Atlantic ne.2
| on the New England coast, and will probably
return here before the end Of the prcsn,
week. and can be made ready 10 sail 70,
Sweden as soon August 10. Since the orders 70
the Essex were revoked. and the secretary promised
that the Baltimore or Philadelphia should be sen.
with the body 10 sweden, the papers which decred
the Essex have brought the Pensacola into prominence
for the mission But if there reason 10 oppose tho
choice Of the Essex because she is Of ancient build the
objections might be raised against the Pensacola
She is patriarch, anedating the Essex by several
years II has also been suggested % send the double
turrcted monitor MlantOnomah. This would be appro-
pirate she has the gular turrets and other features
Of the original Monitor, but she could not be mads
ready under six months time. The body Of Captain
Ericsson, which is now in vanlt in the Marble
Cemetery, in SecOndst. in a Theoretically sealed metal
will then be lying in the North River The ceremonies
will be OF a military nature the escort being the
officers and sailors and marines Of the Navy now n
this station. Naval and Rankin Posts Of the Grand
Army Of the Republic and Arethusa Lodge Of ODD
| Fellows, Of which Captain Ericsson was a member.
| The coffin will rest upon catafalque on the after
part Of the vessel and there will be guard Of honor
over It night and day IL is possible that Colonel W.
c. Church, Editor OF " The Army and Navy Journals
and writer Of ErcssOns lfe will accompany the body
| 10 sweden.
Since the bottom Of the cruiser Yorktown vas
cleaned OF IFS barnacles and other marine growth the
corrosion and ptting found 20 be much less than
was expected, in view of the alarming reports con-
corning her All of the damaged spots are being
marked with chalk so that the experts may eve
thorough examination Of them. The damage to tho
plates from striking obstruction at Malta is found
be sIghtsmply long scratch of perhaps an eighth Of
| an inch DEPTH There is more less comment con-
corning the anxiety 10 send this vessel back 10 the
United States because Of the serious CONDITION OF 4
bottom and 1T is intmated that some Of the Officers
were more anxious about their own matters than tfoS
of the ship.
The Navy Department Is arranging 10 close con-
! tract for an Ericsson submarine gun and proectla
for the same in accordance with Che provisions Of the
! Naval Appropriation bill, which allows $4,000 for
this purpose The gun is u be fitted b the Ericsson
Destroyer a vessel built for experimental purposes
more than for service. and which vessel has been lying
| at the Navy Hard since long before the inventors
DEATH. II viii take the place Of the gun originally
built which was fitted into the vessel seyera iees
! below the water-lne, and when fred throws pro-
,ectle containing A high explosive beneath the water
with the same degree df accuracy Of fire az through
air. but with shorter range II is intended 10 take tho
place of the submarine torpedo, and at from 800 10
900 yards an enemy'S ship can be hit with ainos'
! absolute certainty and with sure Destruction y
49, ham
anticipation Of such contract the company mas oees
| preparing for the construction Of the gun, 80 hS
there need be no delay the preliminary work after the
contract is signed At the time the company Will
sign an agreement giving the Government the option
m contract at such prices may be satisfactory, iof
the exclusive right 10 manufacture, By contract OF
otherwise such submarine guns and prolecles "l'n'
out the payment of any royalty. When the new gun
Is completed IT will be taken to the torpedo station
at Newport 10 be tested
Congress has not yet taken any action upon ts
plans OF a torpedo boat to be abOut the size OF inc
| cushing sent from this city. From the plans, the
boot * intended 20 have an armament OF three 5inc'
! rheumatic guns az a hAcd angle, two pointing ior"s'
and one aft, throwing 200 pound proleculeS ioF os'
tant work For close quarters il has TWO suomar'u'
guns one forward and one AFT These latter are cor
culated 10 fire either locomotive torpedoe or SNIP"
/ plOjcctiles. using compressed air or powder l"'
peed Of the vessel Is estimated 10 be eighteen KNOTS
! rheumatic gun for throwing high explosives ID mrS'
/ masses and has always been defender OF 'ne pu,
pos,s OF the dynamite cruiser Vesuyus does not '.
,he I. properly designed. She has no certain ino' "a
of att,-k ii close quarters she has no pOtetoH 90
She can fight only bow, and Is lnadeqlateH ~;
Ia effect mat object. Commander BdrOcr iSy's
me torpedo boat Alarm would be an adhIrdogi IN
for demonstrating the value OF the pIeuInd.aC ssi,S
sincr She has such remarkable powers OF turning VIZ
her Mallory propeller ana tlc ,r designed by AZ
mirll Porter many years ago and j. now y ing ~ IVA
diSm1ntrd condition in temporary 'raGig ~ 80
Nn,,y Yard II Is calculated that SHe ConlE I ma
for service in about Fix weeks 'oIsttnG coIbre
suggests that a pneumatic gun ~ oOlhOn 49,.
mounted in her bow, would prove very aN bs %
and mat the ~ulcalbring principle, wmch rah Oe ncS
easily applied 10 the pneumatic system ,gt enabu
| su,nrislnE results a. regards range "Vulu ~ ~
| ,u.,ntts OF high explosives. varying rom ~ soms
900 pounds, ~ be thrown win ease ron =, Wv
rIn Gur the question of the amodnt OF M nas hin
- his mortarllc gun. when mounted Oh Uoa.S s,cinL
due to the pitching Of the ve>Se!; Is ec Ming ex.
Uin, ~ interest in connection with the cV' III, AZ
eminent, Of the Vesuvus. The NeSuVus - s Ser 20
tG, Navy Yard and day has been SCI LOT n ~, In.
leave There In the meantime fa'seu s,sso%er,ents
',n,cr Ier,chcl Main i making some lihpo - hsvs
- 80 condition Of her machinery; and she Is " nnt