New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-21
THE NEW Nays MACHINERY
ANNUAL REPORT OF CONFERENCE.-THE
MELVILLE.
FITTING OUT CRUISERS NOS. AND ga YEARS
WORK At THE NETWORK NAVY YARD

FITTING OUT CRUISERS NOS. AND ga fEAhs
WORK At THE NETWORK NAVY YARD
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TkIBUNE.I
Washington, Nov 3O.-'rhe annual Dpore Vi I'm
gneern Chief Melville will be read with interest as
has do with the work Of one OF the most imors"'
bureaus OF the Navy Department. Among thc p'ia
cpal features Of the years work in the navy yarns
has been the construction Of machinery for cruisers
Nos. and and new boilers for the Gaiena Ut ING
New York yard This yard Is incfuded WIN 'ho oo'
ton and Mare Island yards in special reerehe of "p
preparation for the Improvement OF the machinery
plants at those points. 1t Is greatly 10 NC
however,, says Engineer-inChief Meville tha' '"i'
appropriation not sufficiently large to allow the pur
chase Of a 8OOton testing machine, one In winch 1''c
members Of a marine engine might be tested enure'
instead OF simply the material as at present. INC
value OF machine Of this class, not only 10 ''c
Government but to the entire community. cannot pe
overestimated ~ has been proved In the case OF uo
Emery machine at the watertown Arsenal, when Is Ill
almost daily use testing all kinds Of materials OF con-
struction The expenses of such a machine are very
small after it Is in place, being merely the pay u
an attendant two
In summary Of the work OF the year at u'e
New York Navy Yard IL Is reported that OH TIC
Essex new boilers, to work under forced draughe'
have been fitted, and the machinery generaiiy oVer-
hauled; for the Gaena, new boilers are in course
of construction, and the engines are being thor
is being removed preparatory to having two new
pins fitted after which 1t will be replaced, and the
machinery Is also being generally overhauled. Two
boilers from the Intrepid are being fitted WIN
Klotzses system OF induced draft for the lantic,
and the machinery Is being Overhauled.
OF the New York Navy Yard, the Engineer-n-Chief'
after speaking in terms OF high praise Of the character
of the work done there makes the following recon-
mendations "Tbe original plan contemplated wing
m the present machineshop building to be used ior
an erecting shop. / recommend that this be buhp
the heavier machine tools moved INTO H. an ereo"hs
bod but in it, and an overhead travelling crane pro-
vided capable OF handling the heaviest parts. ="
prcseut there is q wooden shed to serve Temporarily "
which the machinery for cruisers Nos. ana Is DC
inp set Nd Besides this wing recommend that Tic
boiler shop be extended and made of the dimensions
designed for it. and further additions made to com
plete the quadrangle. All the shops OF the Bureau eA
cent the foundry, would then be under one roof ana
could easily be connected by railways, enabling WORK
TO be- done more expeditiOusly and cheapiy thah AZ
present.
The Eugneerin. Chief devotes much space in his
report to discussion of the personnel Of the Engineer
Corps lie says in port 1t is with regret that
have 10 report that matters are in still worse
condition than they year and that troubles
that were mentioned likely TO occur are already
apparent for the number Of engineer officers now III
the service is not sufficient for the proper performance
OF the duties required or tlell lie nuinoer vi o'
gneer officers is now 1914 OF whom four have not had
the proper engineering education, and two at ieast
did wish TO be appointed in the Engineer aotps
A. had been foreseen the worry ana anxiety 1 h
gone by these officers In their endeayor TO Keep Things
going and in Order with the Insufficient number ,c 81
trained men at their disposal, has proved 100 much
for some of them and they are breaking down
We not only need very much larger number OF
officers in the Engineer Corps but We also need very
much better course Of instruction for the young men
who are each year appointed into 1t. There Is sun
another aud very important point, that Is generally
overlooked when considering the Engineer Corps OF the
Navy and that is that they are part OF the military
organization. and second to none In importance
Touching the defects in steel castings; when nave
so troubled the Department Commodore Melville says
Reports have been received OF failure aef failure 10
produce sound castings Of comparatively simple FORM
and moderate weight and design, and patterns naVo
been altered in the hope that better results might be
obtained with change Of form. The truth Oh tie
matter Is that the manufacturers have not Kept PATE
with the demands OF the consumers, ana nnes, ter;
* very great improvement in the making OF ,teci
ca stlngs and very short time, return 10 castroh
will be inevitable .,.,.,- e.. .,o
In conclusion the report gives the estimates for the
neyt fiscal wear as follows: Steam machinery: S'VO,
600 ian increase Of S5OC00; salaries Sl2o90; clvii
establishment $4,000 increase OF the Navy, @f.soo'
94G Cthis on account Of machinery for the new sup
plant at Norfolk Navy Yard, $4,000 experimental
DrpOSes, $4,000.