New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-03
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
INTEREST IN THE WHITE SQUADRON.
REPAIRING THE YORKTOwN-To MAKE THE
VEsUvIUS SWIFrER-SOME OF THE
OLD VESSELS.

turned home, and all In serviceable condition,
except for a few minor defects which could soon
he remedied, q new interest has awakened in this
neighborhood with regard to the Navy. Every
day at 10 o'clock, immediately after the morn
ing quarters, inspection and drlli. al and
D. m aud al sundown, nj IwentN-th,rd-st. and
North River fpe-looking men in citizens clothes
WIN nrr scarcely recognized after being seen in
their cilt-bedeckcd uniforms on duty on ship-board
md men in Handsomely trimmed blue shirts and
! trousers and fat-tOpped peakless caps, around
which are ribbons having printed upon them the
name of the ship 10 which the men belong.
| seen 10 trip ashore and hurry mp toward the
scene of life in the business streets. or 10 their
| homes from which they have been separated
! for seven months Officers and men are deli GIFTED
| with the prospect Of little rest in home
port; for the vessels have been on a constant
| move from the time they left here, on November
! 10 1880. until they returned on Tuesday night
These three vessels have sailed a distance of
| "a 04O sea miles or about 1890 land miles
Tho longest distances were from Boston to Lisbon
| 900 miles; Madeira 10 Porto Gronde. on the
Island of St. Vincent I.0l0 miles Porto Grandc
IN Bahia. Brazil 2.O30 miles; Rio Janciro 10
Port Castries. capital OF the Island of St Tncia.
1850 miles and Port Castres to Ncw-York
/ $50 miles The future movements of the
squadron subjects for future determination.
but il is very probable that there will be
series of man0euvres by squadron. division. small
boats etc. in the autumn in company with the
vessels Of the North Atlantic Squadron These
evoutions will probably take place in Narragan-
sett Bay or Boston IIarbor. although an effort
is being made 20 have them in the Lower BAY
ond off Sandy Hook II was not known at the
ward Yesterday when the vessels are TO come
there. The Chicago has several defects in the
work Of the spar aud gun decks which leak badly
into the ship, and there is bad seam
in one Of the boiler shells which must be repaired
The Boson's electrical outfit needs considerable
overhauling, and the boilers and engines need
some repairs, and the shaft has 10 bc refined |
She will also have a new steam launch The
Atlanta also needs various repairs To those who
give no serious thought the first impression will
be, with an ominous shake Of the head, Weak |
n-sscs. Weaknesses These needed repairs indicate
rottemcss." BIT if they will recall that all uhc |
merchant steamships are overhauled by mechanics |
as they arrive in port. and frequently lie |
MP trip for more extensive ovcrhauling, the |
will come 20 the wise conclusion that there is no |
difference between ships Of the Navy and ships |
of the merchant marine in the matter Of needing |
repairs, except. perhaps that those of the former
are taken better care of by the people board |
of them.
RCMOR ABOUT ADMIRAL wATKEE-
Acting Rc0r-Adrnra Walker started for The
Catskills on Thursday night. and will probably |
not return until Tomorrow. II is rumorcd la |
naval circles that he is soon 10 he detached from
the command OF the White squadron, and will |
take command of the feet which is TO be
organized as the European Squadron. with The
Baltimore as his flagship. But these runor,
only.
TIE work in the upper part Of the yard on the
engines Of the cruisers No. and No. { is
advancing rapidly, and the eleventh cylinder for
No is 10 be cast some time during this week.
The vessel itself. in The lower part Of the yard,
is being rapidly put together. Much work -
also being done on the cruiser Maine, and the
work on the hull Of that vessel is nearing ,
pletion. The yard men have begun the job OF
building the launching ways for The Maine Tho
bridge little below the lower end of the Maine
ship-house has been torn away, and a floating
piledrivcr is at work near there several piles
have already been driven. but the ways Will
probably not he completed before October l.
The dynamite cruiser Nesuvius. which was pa
into the new dry dock gu Wednesday, is not oalg
TO he scraped and painted. and Ia have her
bull painted white, but she will receive two ncw
screw propcllcrs in place of Tie two originally
put on her. The two new ones of greater
pitch than the others, and il is expected That !
greater speed will De made with the vessel. with
increase Of power than hes Dncn made. This. ,
however. Is 10 be only an experiment. The vessel
: also being fitted ont with d complete sysi'h
or incandcscent electric lighting 1t viii prof.
hlv be two months bcfoU she is ready for SEA. .
Before leavin the dock her mctaccntric Eeirhi
viii be dctcrmincd or. in and-mbbcr English,
estS are 10 be made 10 prove her stability the
mount % resistance she will make - forces tend
NJ TO turn her over Lying III the new WOODEN I
rydock. directly ahead OF the Vesuvus. is tie :
Alarm. which has also been scrapcd and is q
ow being painted her bottom is Ia De coated il
With anti-fouling paint and protective paint and I
bove the watcrlnc she is 10 he painted white. !
The work on the dOubletnrlpicd monitor 4
iiantonomah is also going ahead rapidly hui u q
iii still De several months before she is finished
~ means Of the portable steam and electric drill,
he gun ports in the forward tnrret have been :.
narged within The last few months. The
lonitors Puritan and Terror, being recon
rncicd at the Navy Yard seem 10 change littr \
rom week to week and from month To month. 2
nj nevertheless good work is being done on them v
The sloopof-war kcorsargc, which returned 10 J.
,e Navy Yard Il few days ago. having left the j.
orLl Atomic Squadron al Bar Itarbor, is now II
Undergoing some slight repairs, such caulking a
nd repairin2 the deck and other small Jobs ~
he is 10 De ready for sea the latter part Of this il
eek and will probably then sail for Nicaragua. &
PAINTING THE YORKTOWN. W
Tho steel gunboat Yorktown lies in Tie stone e,
-ydock where she is being painted. When her {
Jttom was scrapcd it found that
lly two of the steel plates were IN
very bad condition Her steering gear II
being repaired, and il is Thought that she v i'll il
q Ilat for the PRESENT while sh" is in American {
lters instead Of having new S,eerng-gear pat II
although She will receive new apparatus event 10
llv II is said that the Yorktown is 10 act as I 20
cOrt to the Baltimore when she goes 10 Dos -
n with President Harrison board, and that +