The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-05-25

tion of his successor. and he has been granted
years leave of absence for the benefit of his
health, upon the recommendation OF the medi-
cal board, which recently examined him. with
a view of discovering whether or not he should
be retired.
The dynamite cruiser Vesuvius has been ac-
cepted by the Sec, and the contractors are now
making arguments for the remission OF the
$4,000 penalties that have accrued for non
completion. About S130,000 is in the hands of
the Dept. on this contract, aud the penalties
will be deducted from this sum before the final
payments are made. The builders will have to
go to Congress for relief.
Commo. William p. Mccain has been de-
tached from the command of the Boston Navy
Yard and placed on waiting orders. upon the
expiration of his regular tour of duty he VIII be
probably placed in command of the European
station, which is at present without an admiral
and without ships. Capt Thomas O. Selfridge
has been detached from duty as member of
the board of insp. and survey, and ordered to
duty as Commo. McCann's successor in com
mand of the Boston Yard.
Mr. Fred Neher, of Troy, n. Y. has been APP
pointed chemist on board the Fish Commission
steamer Fish Hawk.
The Boston Yard will probably not be opened
just at present. The CON- struck out from the
bill the provisions for $4,000 worth of new
plant and another item for the repair of the
dry-dock.
The Senate Com. on Appropriations have in
serted several large items in the Naval bill, as
follows: Torpedo cruiser, 750 tons, speed of not
less than 23 knots, exclusive of armament,
5000: torpedo boat. S125 900; armor plates for
the test proiectiles, $4,000; repairing dock at
Brooklyn, increased from 100000 to $125,000;
testing torpedoes, $40, ,000 public pumps for dry
dock, Norfolk Yard, SIS, 1000; repairs to sectional
dock at Mare Island Yard, &15,000; repairs to
granite slips and extension of ways at New York
and Norfolk yards, so as to permit the launch
ing of the cruisers Maine and Texas, $4,000:
improving machinery plant under Bureau of
Steam Engineering, Boston Yard. 1000: the
appropriation for this purpose at Mare Island is
increased from $4,000 to 100000; for purchase
of land to open King George street, Annapolis,
$4,000. The appropriation for the special course
of study of naval cadets is increased from 50 500
to $1,000
Rear Adm. Gherardi sails to-day from Key
West, Fla, on his northward cruise, on the
way 10 rendezvous at Portland, Me-, for the
Fourth of July celebration. He has received
orders from the Dept. to stop with his feet at
tion to stop elsewhere as he likes. This is in
order to give the citizens of the larger seaboard
cities chance to inspect the fleet, and partc-
ulary the new cruiser Baltimore, which is the
flagship of the squadron.
The revenue steamer Rush has been sent
orders to sail at once to Alaska and cooperate
with the Bear in the protection of the seal fish
cries. She has the same instructions as the
Bear as to the dismantlng of all foreign YES
sells caught sealing within the prescribed
waters
The revenue cutter McLane is now on duty
at Cedar Keys Fla, endeavoring to keep peace
between the city and Federal authorities. The
mayor still rules the place, and is terrorizing
everybody but his clan of supporters.
P. A. Engs. w. A. H. Allen, r. D. Taylor G..
j. Habighurst, and w. r. King and Asst. Eng
c. c. Willis have been ordered to examination
for retirement.
Carpr. n II. jenkins has been ordered to
duty at Baltimore, Md, relieving Carpr. d. NJ.
W. Nash who is ordered to the receiving ship
Franklin.
Lieut.. William 2. Conway has been detached
from the photographic Office, Philadelphia, and
placed on waiting orders.
Carpr. Z. H. Hay has been detached from
duty at Brooklyn, and ordered to duty at Bath,
Me.
1t is reported to the Navy Dept that the gun
boat Petrel will be ready for sea by June /. She
has been undergoing some slight repairs to
breaks, but all the castings have now been re-
ceived. She will be attached to the North At
! lantic Squadron.
The trial Of the Concord will not take place
/ on Monday, as the contractors have discovered
/ that they were too hasty in announcing that
they were ready. There are several things to be
done to the vessel that may delay the trial 3 or
/ weeks.
The Pensacola arrived at New York Friday
with the African eclipse expedition on board
\ com. of Philadelphians, headed by Mr..
Charles Lawrence, came to town last week to
persuade Sec. Tracy to have the new cruiser
Philadelphia finished and equipped at the
League Island Navy Yard. 1t is not likely that
this will be done, as the League Island Yard is
closed.
Sec. Tracy stirred up the capts of the Navy
TO large extent Friday. Capt. Frederick v
McNair was ordered to duty as superintendent
of the Naval Observatory in this city July l
relieving Capt Robert L. Phythian, who was
ordered as superintendent of the Naval Acad
emy. Capt. Sampson will leave the Academy
on the lst to take comd. of the new cruiser
San Francisco. The other changes were in the
vicinity Of Boston Capt, Sefrdge's orders tc
comd the yard at the Hub necessitated change
in the comdr. of the Wabash, as Capt. Carpen
ter ranked him, and so that officer was detached
and placed on duty at the Portsmouth Navy
Yard, relieving Capt. f. o. Matthews, who wa
sent 10 comd. the Wabash Capt. Albert Can't
was also relieved from the Portsmouth Yard
and ordered to hold himselfin readiness for sea
lie will comd, one of the new vessels. Capt
Henry Erben, late a member of the McCalla
court, was ordered member of the insp
board, in place Of Selfridge.
DISTRICT MILITARY.