New-York tribune., 1890-08-31

which is full Of interest to the student of naval
affairs The Despatch is receiving some repairs.
Her decks are being caulked, and there are some
other minor repairs to be made before she again
leaves the yard. These will probably be finished
In about ten days. and the vessel is then to 90 to
Washington The work of lifting out the Pbila.
delphia is advancing rapidly. AS soon as she il
ready for sea she is to go ont to encounter gala
if possible; that is she is to have fair trial at
sea TO find out how she would endure hesyy
weather.
MONITORS CHANGE POSITIONS.
On Friday the monitors Puritan and TT.
ror changed places. These two with the Mian-
tonomah have been lying side by side in the
order named the Puritan nearest the shore, but
now the Terror lies where the Puritan lay, and
vice versa. This change made in order that
one of the skeleton turrets of the Terror might
be put in place. This skeleton turret has been
lying on the dock for several weeks, where work.
men were busy rivetng the plates into place and
making it ready TO be put on board the vessel
The turret will probably be put into place some
time this week. The other turret is in course Of
construction in one Of the machine shops In the
yard Only one of the 0-inch guns Of the four
for the NIiantonomah has yet arrived, but the
work on the vessel is so far advanced that were
been Immediately fitted in place. The work on
the forward turret is not far advanced, but II
will soon be ready for its guns.
Tie cruiser Boston, Of the Squadron of Evolu.
ton, lies alongside the Miantonomah, where she
is being repaired. The work of putting in q
new cranlI-rhaft is being done while the vessel is
in the water. A force Of workmen from the yard
assisted by the ships own force, is at present
employed taking ont some OF the machinery OF
the ship in order that the broken crank-shaft may
be reached. so that it may be taken out and
another put in There are also numerous other
repairs to be made to the vessel, to do which
will take about three months 1t is said that
it will probably cost about 100000 TO make
her again ready for sea service.
The job of putting the electric light plant on
the dynamite cruiser Vesuyius, which has been
carried on for several weeks, is nearing completion
The contractors have put in the dynamo, and the
yard are now engaged at putting in the
piping to the dynamo. The work of cutting
a door in the coming tower is also being ad-
vanced rapidly. In order that an opening for the
door might be made, holes were drilled through
the steel plates by means of a portable electric
drill The metal between the holes - now being
cut, and thus the piece may be taken out and an
entrance made The hull and superstructure Of
the Nesuyius are being painted white. As soon
as these various jobs completed tie vessel, II
is said is to report to the North Atlantic squadron
but what she will do then is not known.
One Of the new boilers for the lantic was taken
10 the floating steam derrick yesterday, from the
new boler-shop, where 1t has been made ready
for use The other will probably be taken down
to-day. The derrick will then be Drought TO the
vessels side, and the boilers lowered into place
in the hull The two boilers were originally
built for the Intrepid.
TROUBLE ABOUT CASTINGS
The machinery for Cruisers No. and s, tho
former constructing at the Navy Yard here and
the latter at Norfolk Navy Yard, building at the
Navy Yard, and work on il is advancing rapidly
OF the sixteen main cylinders thirteen have thus
far been cast without single failure, and the
other three will soon be cast, and then ne Drought
out of the foundry to be bored and lifted. Many
of the small castings have been made. and are
being machined. Work on the boilers Is IN a
backward condition, on account Of having to
wait for the erection of a hydraulic fiange plant.
Conn lerabe trouble has developed in getting
the engine columns: they are Of caStstee. and,
after numerous attempts, the contractors report
that they cannot make them. The trouble appears
TO be due TO the cotes which cannot be removed
in time 10 prevent shrlnkaee cracks; but as other
makers Of steel castings have succeeded Win
similar forms, il is likely that the columns can
be procured from them. Some delay has been
caused in the progress OF the hull work by the
rejection Of defective steel castings.
Work on the hull of the Maine is well advanced.
and there is no doubt that she will be ready
10 be launched before November Is. the day
specified. The outer plating is completed 20 the
protccnve deck me dcay IN peeenS some Gt
The machinery is well advanced, and re2rly all
of the cylinders are finished and ready
for erection. The line and propeller shafting
is finished, and will be put in place as soon as
the stern bearings bored. The propellers
have been cast and are almost fitted. rs in the
case Of the columns for Cruiser NO. Z, there has
been much trouble with the steel castings.
Eighteen hollow cylindrical columns for the main
engines have been rejected on account of shrink.
age cracks. and the contractors have received
permission to substitute hollow forged steel COL
umns Fifteen valve chest-cOvers have also been
rejected for failure under hydrostatic test.
loss OF DIGNITY.
The pulling of the Quinnebaug out of her mud.
bed in Whitney Basin, where she has so peace.
fully lain for several months. and merely for
the purpose OF experimenting upon her with tor.
pedoes. is enough 10 bring tears 10 the eyes Of
the gray haired officers who have served upon
her on the blockade and in squa.lrons during The
last thirty years. The numle of old wooden
vessels that have been withdrawn from active
service, condemned TO the lunkheap or disposed
Of for the purposes of ccal-hulk brings 10 the
lips of those who have sailed the seas upon
them, Il How are the mighty fallen" When
the Limit of the cost OF repairs was placed oy
Congress at not more than 90 per cent of the
cost 10 bnild similar vessel, there were
some who wanted the limit placed az
80 per cent. If this had been done
however. there would 9e many lame dacK' DUCK
Those which have been stricken OF the list BY
the force of this 30 per cent limit have gone INTO
honorable and well-earned retirement. IN ponle
of beauty. lines speed. carrying and hghunS
qualities. they were, in their day and senerauoh,
unsurpassed. and in the few which remaln-lN
the Hartford, the Pensacola. the Mohcan, tne
Iroquois-those familiar with naval archtec'ufe
can trace the qualities which made them famous
When the Quinnebaug was first bullt, ana ior
many years attcrward, She was able 10 snow 4 4
clean pair Of heels to many Of the FAST ,l man
steamers. When she returned home IN 'uV;
1889, she had completed about eleven years ..
active and continuous service. She was preseh,
at the bombardmcnt of Alexandria. Egypt, ~.
during those troubles was the first war veSse
send armed men 70 the protection Of the forelanen
She was also NJ the opening exhibition or bA%
Iona and Cadiz; in fact. she was pronlneh,r,.
various ways in the European Squadron. Ss
returned home, was surveyed. reported 10 w ~
such condition that she could not he repalrsun
within the 90 per cent limit of the cost OF a new
vessel and was sent in 10 Rotten Row 10 g
haulcd ont on Thursday and sent on nilsson an "