Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-28
NORFOLK DRY DOCK ALL RIGHT.
The Straining of the Baltimore Was Not
Due to Any Defect In the Dock.

The board OF naval officers selected by the
Secretary of the Navy to examine the new
wooden dry dock at Norfolk. which was re-
ported to have settled out Of shape. have re-
ported to the department. that after thor
oughly testing the dock they do not find any
thing wrong with its construction.
The report to the effect that the dock
was defective was made after the docking Of
the new cruiser Baltimore, which was strained
30 that her seams started The contractors
the Messrs. Simpson of New York. imme-
diately took the ground that II any such
accident had occurred il must have been due
to faulty handling of the ship rather than TO
the settlement of the dock. and the findings
OF the board fully justify this claim. The old
frigate Franklin, which has lain il the mud off
the Gosport yard rs q receiving ship for several
years. was hauled out and locked. her displace-
ment being over 1000 tons. There was a slight
settlement noted during the docking. which
disappeared when the ship removed, but
the cement about the culverts was not cracked
in the least
coNcLusIoNs OF TIVE BOARD.
The report of the board concluded as fol-
lows: The board is Of the opinion that there
was no distortion of the floor during the test.
but the slight settlement was due TO the COM
preston of the several courses of timber
under the weight, as is the case in the
docking of all vessels The movement shown
is not sufficient to cause damage to any vessel.
The dock is in good condition and no remedy
is necessary"
This report has been approved by the chiefs
OF the bureaus of construction and repair. and
OF yards and docks, and by the Secretary Of the
Navy.
COMMODORE WILSON SAYS
in his Endorsement: 1.-The bureau. in view Of
the boards report, is of the opinion that any
straining of the Baltimore. whereby
any of the butts of the plating
were caused to weep, as reported by
Naval Constructor Bowles. U.S.N.. under date
April IS, 1890. must have been produced by
causes other than the settling OF the dock. as
alleged. the bureau therefore feels fully justi-
fed IN approving the report of the board and
expressing the opinion that the structure will
sustain without danger of straning any vessel
which its dimensions will admit"
Nominations and Combinations.
The President sent to the Senate late yester-
day afternoon the following nominations:
Edmund W. p. Smith of the District Of Co
lumbia to be secretary of the legation and con-
sui general Of the United States at Bogota~
Geo. ii. Wallace of Missouri to be consul gem
eral of the United States at Melbourne. To be
consuls of the United States: Aquilla J. Baugh-
erty of Illinois at Callao. Peru; bonneville
NIldman of Idaho at Singapore: Samuel L..
Gracey of Massachusetts at Foo Chow. China.
Rockwell J. Flint of Wisconsin to be marshal
of the United States for the western district OF
Wisconsin. Levi A. Hughes of New Mexico TO be
collector of internal revenue for the district of
New Mexico. Withdrawn: Samuel Gracey. TO
be consul of the United States at Cardiff
Boetus II. Sullivan of South Dakota. TO be
surveyor general of South Dakota; Thomas L.
Cheney Of New Hampshire, TO be pension agent
at Concord, New Hampshire; Auton Mehrlich
of Colorado, to be register OF the land Office at
Central City. Colorado: William II. Hoyt of
Wisconsin to be commissioner IN and for the
district of Alaska. To be receivers of public
moneys--Thomas ID. Meads. of Michigan. at
Marquette. Michigan; Charles +. Augustin, of
Wisconsin. at Menasha, Wisconsin: George c.
G.nty. OF Wisconsin. to be marshal OF the
United States for the western district of Wis
consin.
The Senate in secret session has confirmed
the following nominations: Collector OF Gus
toms-George Christ for district o: Arizona
United States Attorney. W. Dyer for district
of Maine. United States Judged. +. Bryant,
for eastern district of Texas. Consul-Samuel
L. Gracey of Massachusetts,. at Foochow.
China Postmasters: Kansas-George Ritchey,
Leavenworth; ]. 7. Cougdon, Sedgwick; W. J.
en-, Webster. Miehigap-H. c. King, 0scoda;
y. ]. Davis. Berrien Springs. Iowa-H. h.
Hopkins, Nashua; J. L. Whitley, Usage. New
York;. q. Green. Oxford. Pennsylvania
J. r. Roberts. Siattington. South Dakota
Robert Dott, Alexandria. TenDessee--Thomas
II. Prince, Gallatin.