New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-21
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
TIE CRUISER MAINE ADVANCING STEADILY.

The approach of the day on which tie new
armOre1 cruiser Maine is to be launched has III
tcrested visitors at the Navy Yard to see the
finishing Of the construction Of the vessel ana
the final touches which are put upon ship be-
fore she is permitted to slide into the water.
Those who have followed the building of the big
cruiser from the time when the first kce-pate
WAS laid, watching the construction as the frames
one after another, AM finally the plates. were
riveted into place, observe with peculiar INFER
est the nearly completed hull now so nearly rcndy
to seek the element TO cleavc which II WIS puil'.
Almost all Of the plates have been riveted Into
place. aud now the bcJ rings for the tWin pro-
prllcr shafts are being bored by means OF small
engine. Onc thing III connection with the Maine
which has greatly interested visitors TO the Haru
in the last few weeks is the work OF the divers
who are employed at building the 0nt-poar"
launching ways for That vessel. Two Woo'e"
floats are placed in tie water near the lower end
Of he Maine .hip-iod>c. AMI Oil each OF these Is
the apparatus of a diver. consisting OF 4 box for
his suit an air pump. Bubbles of air rising
10 the surface OF The yatri indicated where earh
diver WIS AT WORK, and groups OF people might
us,lalt be ;4ch standing on the shore and wai'ihg
to get Il limrsc Of the diver with the rrca, metal
hell over his head the heavy suit OF rubhcr en-
cnding in one piece from his neck "a his Feet ana
the weights of lead about his waist and on his
feet. aS he came to the surface of the water or
climbed up the ladder 70 his hoat wherever
the diver was below water. tw" men might be sfch
turning Tie crank Of the air-pump winch keeps
him supplicd with air. The work Of constructing
The Oui-boari launching ways j. amest fnishcd
IL is Sail thlt thu upper portion OF the Maine IS ~
ne completrd in such way that tic armor-brn
can he put in place aitcrward by this means
tlc construction of the vessel can steadily CON
time, and any delay in receiving the arnor pla'">
reed ease delay in building tie ship. Naval
Constructor Mintonyc has been TO Washington
ON business connected with this during the last
week.
Tic work on the new Cruiser No. :, being built
in the Navy Yard alongside Of the Maine ship
house. is making rapid progress. large num%r
of the frames are in position The work on the
engines for this cruiser and also for the being
built al tie Norfolk Navy Yard-CrCiscr No. ~
is beirg ind istro,isly carried at the yard
Thirteen Of the sixteen cylinders required have
been east, and all successfully. and are now being
made ready for ;>e in the maclunc-shop. Some
part, of the engines are already In the erection
shop
Tie two new boilers on the wooden corvette
Yantir an rapidly being made ready Tor hs@
The deck piakIng. which was torn up In ofdrr
hat tie old boilers might bc taken ont and the
new ones nut in place, is being replaced by new.
and worliinrn busy preparing tine boilers :"
HAT connections with the engines may hr made
It was found that some repairs needed I" u"
made Ia the furniture. and hrnce another sur
Ncy Was held on thc cruiser Dolphin Yesterday
Al the survey held on Friday il Wa, fouud that
;, ne If the stern plates had Ecn badly bent
Twelve inches inward hy the collision with Tie
f. H. .v f.tl.
T. is sad that tie estimated cost for repairing
:, c damage 10 the ships stern !, nl"'it 81 ,2"i.
and tha, the other general rpalrs 10 the vessel
Will cost about $4,000 She i, soon To come 10
Tie Navy Yard 10 receive thr>. repairs
The repairs :" tie decks 81 tlc cruiser Boston
are finished. and some minor repairs I" the
boat daV!ts. etc, are tr hr maze" lhr hi"S'-
pi,r ~ the bow on the s'afhoard side j. ais" 7"
Ike repaired new steam launch Is Icing built
for the cruiser in the ward. The work In the
engineering department. III connection with u"
injured crank shaft. keeps humber Of men CON
siantly at work. II is said that the dynamo us'd
On the vessel has never been paid for and that
the l,.,isI Electric Company IL I" put IN a new
machirc ALTHOUGH II has not yet h1n done.
II Was said on the Gynainii" cruiser Nr>nviIs
Yesterday that nv" fortY-'ight-hour fest Of IL"
DYNAMO Will probably ic h"aun Tomorrow. Tie
repairs The leaks III tlc pipes which were dis
covered IA the trial run Of tie dynamo last week
were not finished soon enough and hence the
trial could not b" held before. The lighter Of
coal which lay aiongsidc The vessel on Friday
wa, sen, away ~ tie coal WAS found to bc vet
fiom the recent rains. IL is not safe To Stow
the soft coal IN the buukcrs II 1t is vet, rs this
IS liable TO cauS. Spontaneous combustion
ire caused by Spontaneous combustion ~ the
roal occurred on The Naniic about three years ago.
and was stopped Is OF The men, who bravery
took "A losc down irto the coal hunkcrs ana
flied the compartment with water. Some Of TIC
eek plaiks which have lsSn torn up III re-
LAYING the part torn open for putting In tho new
boilers were found Ia bc clilrred ON the under |
SIDE 10 rcsu.' VI tins fire. l'ut 10 return I"
he Vcsuyius The three rapid-hring guns which |
are 10 be pu, Oh board her one in the stern and
,nc in each bnw. and the mounts tor them. ar" |
tot Yet all in the yard. and will probably not
*, mounted until the vessel returns from New
,ort After tie trial of the dynamo and after |
mother lighter Of hand-pckc dry Focahoi'hs |
.unl Tor use the Newport trial has been re- |
riycd and ~ tons pat ON board. the vessel |
+, to leave tie yard I" undergo speed and tactical
rails 1t Newport. II Is thought that she VIII |
ct away tuinc time tins week
The work Of putting SOME coal on the corvette
Enterprise to t.,kc the piece Of that used III
re last few weeks. finished on Friday, ana
yesterday Tie deck, Wei" h"NS'"""l ana
..r,hIcd.nrd the hras..s polished, and "a" Snip
e., a wr1r clrnnc! is'ioIr lie ,,r, 10 she
All i.,hr on her ammunition, and It Is inou,ht
I;Et tcu with all lrr -t"ns coal, and ainlnIinl
nom on board when si," once more sinks to her
,> ,,ri- lime and STRIKES the roughcr water Of the
.c,an. size viii rak almost much II, "yrr.
cain ui
boa, l,ay III the yard. and IL i, not known wien
she will 30 To sea
For several months 81 the guns to No
mounted - the after turTt of the monitor
,l,utonoriah, now beng reconstructed III the
Saw Yard las been lying OH the deck Of that
,s,cl few days ago tie other gun belonging
N that turrct Was put on board. The mounts