New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-27
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
THE GALENA's RECENT ACTIVITY.
ANOTHER wARsHIP MAKING RAPID STRIDES
TOWARD CoMPLETIoN-CNDERGo-
ING REPAIRS.

The Navy Department has aWaiueu oio coh'iIcp
for building the launching ways for the new
amored cruiser Maine 10 Richard Cronin ~ Son,
Of BROOKLYN Their bid $4,000. The only
other bidder was Cuom & Lane, Of New-iork.
who offered to do the work for $4,000. The
Maine will be the largest of the new steel war
vessels afloat when she is launched, her dtsplace-
mont being estimated when sunk to the load line,
6.64s tons. But there are bigger vessels now
under course of construction. The preliminary
work Of LAYING the launching ways Will begin in
two or three days, and they must he finished
by September 7, about which date she will be
launched The vessel itself, so far as she will
then be constructed, will weigh about 200 tons
(but she will not have her engines, boilers arlna-
ment or masts in her, and TO sustain this weight
there must be driven ninety yellow-pine logs,
forty-ve feet long, into the earth TO lay the ways
upon. Her construction was authorized by an
act of Congress approved August 3. 1886, the
limit of cost being $2,500,000. The contract
price for her machinery alone being built by the
Quintard Iron Works. $735,000 The first
shipment of plates for the vessel was made from
Pittsburg, Penn, on July 20, and the first frame
was bent on September O. If one wants 10 study
beautiful lines, immensely and formidableneSs, he
would better see the ship before She takes her
first dip in the salt water. But 1t will be at
and ready to meet an antagonist. The Maine is
built very much on the plan Of what is called
a battleship rather than that of cruiser proper;
for the battleship is vessel with heavy belt
Of vertical armor, with two more heavy guns
mounted either in thick steel turretS barbetteS.
The Maine has also these features; but her armor
and guns are not to be so heavy as those In the
English and German built battleshipS. yet she
will carry coal sufficient to travel between four
and five thousand miles and develop fair speed
as well, hence she is called an armored cruiser.
But she will be mighty powerful cruiser.
Statements have been published in several of
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. papers that more men
are at work at the Navy Yard than have been
there before in several years. The statement can
be admitted as a fact There are more men at
work" there than in five years before. at least and
they earn their money, too. There is not horde
of political workers, as there was during
1ss6-'7-'s. but to-day will be found old-school
Observation-Disclosures, boer-makers, blacksmiths,
Ship oiners, caulkers. riggers spar-makers, sail
makers, etc.-oll following their trades on the
new vessels building. on the Older vessels
being Overhaucd and repaired. These men are
made TO do honest work, and if any droneS are
found they are discharged. And the credit for
this is due TO the thoroughness of system by
Secretary Tracy. who has been admitted 20 he
the most attentive administrator of naval affairs
and the hardest working Secretary that the Navy
Department has had for many years. And he
recognizes tie officers of the different branches
of the Navy as better qualified 10 govern the work
than are the politicians.
1larl down. was the lest order given by
Commander George w. Sumner on the vesselot-
war Galena on Tuesday, and for the first time
since August &c. 1850, the main truck was bare
OF the pennant which desgnatcs that vessel is
in commission. Officers and crew. who had been
together as family for three years. sailing the
ocean blue when it was calm and placid or when
turbulent and defiant. in the yelow-fever ports
Of the West Indies, in the pleasant Yankee |
ports along the Atlantic coast, separated. the |
officers going to their various homes and the
sailors going TO the receiving-ship Vermont to
be discharged and paid off Ten minutes before
the ensign and the pennant hauled down
the order rung out from between the lips OF the
officer Of the deck All hands lay aft for muster -
and the jolly sailors ambled aft as happy and
jolly set ever stood on the quarterback of q
man-of-war. Then Commander Sumner appeared
and made brief address Of farewell 10 bis officers
and crew, and praised the latter in most compli-
mentary terms, they responding generously with
cheers for both ship and officers. It is safe to
presume that two-thirds OF these men, IL not all,
|
months.
The Galena has record that any vessel may
be proud TO have male in peace times. especially
in the last five years. For instance on March
80, 1885, when at Colon, party Of revolutionistS
seized the steamship Colon, of the Pacific Mail
Line, but she retaken the same day by
a detail Of officers and men from the Gacna. On |
the following day Colon set on fire and |
partially destroyed by the revolution party, but
The promptness and eXertOns of the officers
and crew, who were sent ashore saved a part |
IF the town and the property of the Pacific Mail !
Line. The vessel was also refuge for The Amer
can families there during the trouble. In De-
,ember of the same year the Gelcna went 10 the
mouth Of the Magdalcna River to the relief Of the
stranded English steamship Historian, which she
succeeded in getting ahoat In February. 1886, y
ihe Gacna sailed from Colon to ST. Andrews u :
investigate the circumstances attending the de- :
entiOn of the American steamer City OF Mexico. v
Finding that she iilibustcIing ex petition
% violation Of the neutrality laws, the Galena q
put prize crew on board ami sent her 10 Key o
West, where she was surrendered TO the United IS
States Marshal II August the Galcna went on a v
cruise around the fishing hanks OFF the Cana o
dan coast 10 protect American fishermen and went
on a second cruise of this kind in July, 1887, "
In December, 1855 she was sent 10 por, an II
Prince 10 recover the Steamship Hayten ReDnbIic u
That had been seized by the Haytiau authorities a
Tor alleged violation Of The blockade She ar a
rived there On December 90, and few DAYS later
tle Hay ten Republic surrendered TO tile force o
81 Admiral Luce. TIE Galcna was aftrrwnrd IT
acuyely employed in liaytan waters In October n
ioo0 sue was sent 10 Navnssa Island where IL
mere had been an uprising and riot of
american laboIers. She secured nine of
the nngieaders aud brought them to Baltimore. Z,
marshal. "'-''N "'''e' NJ
There is some disappointment on board the Es u
'eX since IL has been determined that she is nor
% so To Sweden with the body Of Captain Fries p
'on on board. The Essex has been ordered b,
. go to the Sonth Atlantic as soon as She is "a
eady' and she is to sail in about two weeks !"
Shen some slight repairs now being made In | g.
ier engines have been completed. Although il
rumored that the Pensacola is to take the BODY IL
4 captain Ericsson TO Europe in place Of tbc
;sseX, !, was sand at the Navy Yard Yesterday III