The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-06-22
THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS.

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The Richmond, with Rear Adm. Gills on
board, was at Barbados Tuesday, bound from
Brazil to New York She is expected to reach
the latter port about the middle of the coming
week, when, it is altogether probable, there will
be some interesting news in the way of court
martial matters 1t is said that things have
not gone along as smoothly as they might on
board the Richmond.
P. a. Eng W. A. H. Allen has been placed
on the retired list.
The Sec has awarded the contract for the
construction of the SOO-ton practice vessel to
the Samuel L. Moore IL Sons Co., of Elizabeth
port, \. j., at their bid of S250,0OO, which was
$4,000 higher than that of f. H. Wheeler tG Co.,
of West Bay City, Mich. The trouble arose
from the existence of an old treaty or conven-
ton signed in 1877 with the British govern
ment, stipulating that neither country should
build any men-of-war on the Great Lakes, and
that neither should maintain in those waters
more than two vessels of 100 tons burden and
carrying one gun each. The latter part of this
agreement has been repeatedly violated in the
presence on the Lakes of the Michigan, which
is of about 400 tons and carries about four
| guns The convention, which was less than
! regular treaty, can be terminated by giving six
months notice 1t is a ridiculous stipulation,
! as there is an immense industry now in opera
| tion on the Lakes in the construction of great
]
| ally than the entire output of both the Atlantic
| and Pacific coasts, and there is now on the
Lakes steel fleet of formidable proportions
that could be armed at short notice This con-
! Vention may be terminated before another
! small vessel is advertised for by the Dept. Mr..
| Wheeler, the unsuccessful bidder, is a member
| of Congress.
Changes have been ordered among the gun
| ners OF the Navy as follows: II. r. Jewell de-
tached from the New Hampshire July l, and or
tn 1l1tA OF ./in nt
Island, Cal, relieving William A. Ferrier de-
tached and placed on waiting orders. George
~ Albro, detached from the st. Louis Goth inst.
and ordered to the Pensacola July /, relieving
John Gaskins, detached and ordered to the New
Hampshire.
There was an odd scene in the Office of Chief
Eng Melville the other day, and he is still
being mildly guyed by his fellOw-oflcers at his
experience. His chief clerk, Mr.. Smith, is a
Leading light in the organization known as
society Tor Christian Endeavor," and he has
recently been in attendance at the general
gathering of that body in St. Louis He re-
turned on Wednesday, in company with a large
number OF delegates from the New England
states, whom he was showing through the
Depts. Among the first places that he struck
was his own Office, and he soon had the entire
crowd OF more than $50 streaming up the cor
Ildors word with good-natured Commo,
Melville was enough TO induce him to receive
the visitors, and 50 they were allowed to shake
the hand of the famous Arctic traveller. lie
had passed through this ordeal, and was chatting
with some OF the delegates for a moment before
resuming his work, when the spirit moved those
standing back, and they began all at once to
sing psalm, to the utter discontinue of the
chief and the intense amusement of those in the
other rooms, who enjoyed his predicament
lie has now foresworn receiving religious bodies
in his office.
Ensign N, /. Read has been retired.
The Baltimore has arrived at Norfolk and i.
taking on her Sinch guns
Sec. Tracy has awarded the contract for the
great s,lOO-ton cruiser TO the William CramI
Co., OF Philadelphia at their bid of 81, ,9S5, ,00(
t on their own plans, and the contract for thu
5,5OO-ton cruiser to the Union Iron Works, O
San Francisco, at their bid of II, 100, 900 on thr
. plans Of the Dept This was a simple case o
dividing the spoils, in which it was necessary Il
=, resort to doubtful operation in order to accom-
> plish the object. The plans submitted by th
Cramps were not nearly so effective at first sigh
q as those Of the Dept and they were not accom-
panied by more than one-fftieth of the detail
that the individual plans Of the other bidde
= We're, yet the Secretary, in order to divide tn
Q work, gave the big job to the firm that was real
S the highest bidders, since he has made then
b change their plans so that they are really abou
r the same as those drawn by the Dept. There