New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-28

RATING.
IN the last few days the vessels Of the North
Atlantic Squadron have bc"one scattered IN
various places near here. FasiN IN last week
the rev cruiser Philadelphia left Ncw-I"rk liar
hor and started for Glrdlner> Bay. where N':n'
target practice is 10 hr held. III" wooden waiNhiP
Enterprise, recently ordered 10 tai, s'ii"d-
ron is also al Gardeners BAY 80 Lave
TARGET practice. An order came from Washing
ton yesterday that the vessels of Ne Moth
Atlantic Squadron shall assemble at Newport a.
soon as Thursday to undergo speed and tactical
trials Those of the Philadelphia will he wa'"hc!
with intense interest. The problems 10 bc deter
mined have special reference TO the speed ami
manoeuvring qualities Of the vessels. AID the
comparison between those Of the Philadelphia ana
the other vessels will show the advantages Of Inc
lines upon Which the latter is built over tlU% Of
the older type of Vessels. The qualities Of tine
slips under different conditions Of manarcnlCn
will be tested in the most c\actihg manner. ana
ihr material facts thereby observed VII he of tnc
utmost importance 10 the Navy Department
Among the most important data rrqriird to
ne known i'll the present h'ate "i "h-ii"'Tllg
science" says Commodore B. /. Islcrw"od. of 'ic
Engineer Corps, q" is the enact speed "l >i"ali"Is
The spced required Is Ihr speed through iln
water uninfiucnced bv wind or wave. and II. there
is no water navglted by stran~rs tina, Is not
so Influenced. the lscer,ain,nrnt of TIN, speed
becomes not only difficult, hut prop 'r'ion;iiN
dificml. as these influences are greater "n' MOI"
variable For the accnI,te 'ictcImIna'i"n "i
speed base Of known length Oh shore i absolutely
essential. II the tide or current w"!" niif"i"'.
and ais, the wind. the longer I'll" h.s" h" NOR"
accurate would be the result. h~cansc the errors
Of ranging and tuning occur a, the end OF H."
basG"
The trials in Narragan~ett Bay will he over
measured mile course, and there will hr :rste
of turning ship at different ang les Of the ridder
These are called the tactical dian"'"r,. or
djauptrrs of the curves. The steel cru"r Dolphin
;s nov in the drydock hchpg sr!apcd ani
cleaned and receiving n"ccssary repairs
The dynamite cruiser NcsuNins ais"
a, the ward The work Of r~pairin, the injdli">
done 10 the Dolphin by her collision with Tie
cruiser Baltimore in Boston Haihor a few weeks
ago has not We, been hcsun, hut II is expected
that orders to 90 on with III" work VIII soon
arrive. ,,. .
taken al the Navy Yard yesterday as the vessel
lay in still water. The ship was listed over I"
one side ny means Of heavy weight, OF pig-irom
Then the number Of degrees which she tipped
WIS found This test Of the ship was made -
ascertain how much she could roll without cap
sizinu The ship is 10 leave The yard on Wc,ihrs-
day and 20 to Whatever place the flagship Plila
drpha may be- TO report 10 ar-Adinir'l ti"r.
arli and get further orders. II Is pro'mbl" that
some practice with her guns will I've made and IT
| is said that tests will br made TO learn whether
a target can be hit by a sho, from her guns Will"
tie vessel is in motion. She will piohohly also
90 10 Newport 10 undergo the speed aud tactical
,rsts Since she was las, tried in sIsrd-rnns over
tho measured course changes have been made IN
her running.gra and the pitch OF her propeller
has been increased abOnt nine inches
II is Thought that the broken crank-shaft on
the cruiser Boston will bc taken out some time
within the next week. The hnlkhead has been
torn away, the parts Of the engines winch wer"
in the way removed, and some Of the hrasscs"
taken ont. \ draft Of about thirty men was
taken from the Boston to Fort Wadsworth yester-
day to unload tue ammunition which was trans
ferred from tie ship 70 q canalboat on Thursday.
The cruiser No. is beins rapidly constructed
and shows changes every week. Nearly ali Of the
frames and the rounded beams for the arTnorrd
deck. which are rvetcd to them are in position,
and many OF the plates have been put in place
on the outside Of the frames The non arrival OF
the casting OF the stcrnpOst stops the work on
the vessel in that direction. The great mass Of
steel with men scattered around engaged Mt putting
it together, and making racket Nith their rivct-
ing hammers and other TOOLS and the CLEAN OF fire
from nh occasional portable forge present pleas
ant and curious sight TO the visitor at the yard
One Of the eight valves to he used in the engines
of the new cruisers Nos. and was cast ut
the yard yesterday.
The flagship Chicago, Of the White Squadron.
was surveyed few days ago. 1t was found that
there are number Of small repairs TO Ike made