New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-19
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD
A BUSY FORCE OF EMPLOYEES.
PROGRESS on THE NEW CRUIsERs-THE In
TERPRISE COMING HOME.


in the Navy Yard that there is when a lleet OF
ships is lifting out there yet there is large force
of workmen employed in the yard-about l,9"o'
But most of these men hidden from sight, as
their work keeps them in the various SHOPS
The work Of construction and of reconstruction III
the ward has been carried on rapidly during ,hc
last week The Maine, perhaps the moso III
portant thing there, is fast growing INTO sh"po
which would show her to be a naval VeSSel III
fact. a large amount of plating has Dceh Ii'c'u
into place and the noise made by the rlve'ers anu
their hammers at that work is almost dedieIiii5'
in the ship-house Part of the bilge-keei has oeeh
laid but the wooden filling is yet 10 w put
in. There is rumOr and some taik ,n"U WY
Maine is to he launched on the 4th OF July heA''
bnt il is doubtful whether she will be ready TO
launch by that time. The interior OF 'ne "is
ship-housc in which the Maine is building pre-
sents an odd appearance. On her oo''oni
lie various pieces of iron and tools; here ana
There on staging in the air, ohc
sees small FORCES. with their red flames cleaning
in other places there is the flash OF Inc lho"n
descent light, while men are hosting heaNS s'ecl
plates into the air and above all IS the lhcesSan'
din of the hammers.
FACILITIES FOR NEW WORK.
Tho work of building the 3O00-ton cruiser
No T. has made necessary additional laclh'ieS
for ship-building in the yard. During the "'eN
much of the work !or providing these has oeTuh'
The frame is up for new forge or blackSnl'h
shop to be erected alongside of the one pull' lor
use in connection with the building OF the MAINE
Part of the work has been done. too. on the
circus" in which To be slowed the plates
for Cruiser no :. and much of the railroad has
been laid Although the wooden machine shop
in which the plates are prepared for the Maine
has been slightly enlarged, still the space ana
machinery are insufficient for two vessels. ana
il is proposed to erect near the new forge
new wooden machine shop. 10 be fitted Win ma
chinery similar 10 that in the other one
A CONSIGNMENT of plates for the new cruiser was
unloading at the yard yesterday
The ESSEX will proabbly he ready ior sea III
about a month. and ii is TumoTed that she Is
10 take TO California part OF the crew LOT 'ile hc"
Charleston. and thar she will then join the Pacific
squadron.
THE TORPEDO BOAT ALARM
rto ,,o,i.or Niantononah is nearly ready to
leave tho drydock and the painting and scrapihS
vct to he done will probably be finished III ABOUT
. ,veot She is now in such condition 'h"i
The wires for her electric plant could he lald al
any time and it is probable that TINS VIII DE pcEun
i'm a short time II was lhou-nt ul"' Wv
would be locked after the Mlahtohoih1n am ou'
but il Is now decided TO have the Marin ~ IA
neXt This is due TO the fact that oTdeiS nav
been received at the Navy lard TO nave me- p u
INFO the drydock. By inquiries made at 'le NaNS
Vard il was found that while the exact conuItloiii
of her hull could not be fully deteflnleu u1.iI
the vessel in the dryd0cK; SeU ny Shi,Io
iuspection of her as she now lies IL j. piop""iit
that she is worth repairing. II TINS Is done' !.
is tbou9ht that She will be used as drliIDoav
in the torpedo squadron. go - ,..,ooo,oo,+
Tho Alarm is a vessel of 500 tons displacement
and was built at New-NOrk in 49, Tor toIPeuo
ram. after designs by Admiral Porter. th i'l
Tnoineer c. w StiVers had charge OF Put'IhS
L.
was fitted with a Mallory propeller, when I9oKeu
very much like featherne paddle-wheel l'Iu
on its side She never saw much service pelh5
used principally as an experimental DOdt' anu
about the only long run she ever maue Vas lLoln
here TO Washington she dld not Sitlt ~ 1 eIn
She was expected and 1t was thouehi Una, BIZ
was lost much apprehension beng tclt lor heI'
She now lies in Rotten Row, in the New-lork
Navy Yard, where She has been 1or several yediis
Her hull is of iron, and her armament S9Isi si
of one smooth bore 5-nch gun, situated dlfecuN
in the bow. This gun could not be shlited ABOUT
in its place but was trained on the target by
Shifting the helm. Word was sent TO the NAVY
Yard from Washington TO know whether there
would be room in the bow for one oil the modeIli
brcechoadng 6-inch rifles, and II was asoer talTu
same position which the present gun mas ,o 10
be trained BY means feasible ' to mount
6-inch gun slightly on one side OF !he reSSr ~ >
bow and further aft than the present gun. by
this means it would be possible 10 &c, 'i% go ,To
the horizon Of sixty degrees on one sue Oh nv
vessel: bnt if mounted in this way, at some angIes
the positon for firing would be cramped ms
was ascertained in an unofficial inspection whloh
vas made on the vessel in response 10 letter
from Washington seeking that information
TIE ENTERPRISE COMING HOME.
II is expected that the Enterprise, of the Euro
pean Squadron, which has gone to Antwerp Tor
the body of Minister PendletOn, who died there
several months ago, will arrive here some time IN
February, and that she will then be repaired and
fitted for another cruise.
The marines at the yard are dissatisfied because
they have not yet received their pay, which they
should have received on the l3th ih@I 'nfy
have moi been paid is due to the fact that the
clerk of Paynascr GOOdlOe ran away with Sev-
eraI thousand dollars, and Paymaster GoodIoe Is
now in Washington trying to stralghlen 'he &c
counts.
SYMPATHY FOR ENLISTED MIN.
Captain Henry Erben is president of court
martial sitting at the Navy Yard TO Try enlisted
men who have absented themselves without leave
and have been arrested deserters The evil
dence brought out will probably result IN
some amendment 10 the Navy Regulations which
will tend TO general improvement Of the en-.
listed personnel and lessen the number OF deser-
tions. The testimony III many Of the cases tired
shows that the desertlons were not Intentional,
but that the men, after going on leave, would
give themselves up TO the weakness 50 common
10 salors-whiskcy indugence-and in their con-
dition of responsibility would wander away
from the city. and finding themselves destitute.
would be unable TO get back. In many instances
they write to their commanding officers review
inc their circumstances. but the officers either
from Indifference or because they having no au-
tbority to extend relief, let the men remain away
more than ten days beyond the expiration Of their
leave and they arc then recorded rs deserters,
a description is sent TO the police with an order
10 arrest the delinqnents. and they are brought
back as "apprehendcd deserters" and tried
such This trial as a rule. results in loss Of
several months pay and deprivation of liberty
nm shore for six months. II the recommend tons,
,ucb as are to be made. approved, il is be.
Iieved that the service will be much improved.
AT THE PLAY HOUSES
The forthcoming engagement Of Edwin Booth and
Mime Modeska will be one Of the most brilliant oc-