New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
WORK At THE NAVY YARD.
THE NEW CRUISER NUMBER SEVEN.

| ing the plates with rivet-hOes and then sha ping
| them-has been carried on for several weeks, it
was not until last Tuesday that the actual work of
putting the vessel together begun. On that day
some Of the keel-plates were put into place, and
now the work will probably be advanced without
interruption. Some of the midshp kee-plates
! have not yet arrived, but the work on those
which are come goes on Now that beginning
has been made, fast as the material arrives and
| is made ready the keel and the vertical keel can
| be laid, and in a short time some Of the frames
be put in place. Another cylinder for the
chinery Of the new cruiser was cast in the yard
on Friday. The contracts for furnishing materials
! for the machinery of Cruiser No. were awarded
O few days ago to the following firms: j. b.
Morsell & Co., wrought-iron bolts and nuts; d.
| S. Cook Wrightsville, Penn. pig 1ron Linden
Steel Company, Pittsburg, steel plates for boiler
shells Greenlie, Wyatt & Co., New-York steel
rods, shapes and forgings for boiler-bracing,
wrought-iron nut blocks and wrought-iron washers
The work on the shops to be used in connection
with the building Of the new cruiser is advancing.
It will not be long, probably, before the new forge
| is ready for use, and the new machne-shop is
now going up The workmen still busy lay
ing the tracks for the railroad. In the northern
end of the yard an addition has been built to the
machine shop and this elbow, or addition, will
be ready for use in few weeks. The wooden
erection-shop, too, is nearing completion.
THE NEW DRY.DoCK.
The interior of the new dry-dock is practically
finished With the exception of few planks and
the removal of few tools, this part Of the work
is completed, and the caisson, or gate, too, is
ready for use The work now being done Is that
on the approach to the dock. Here 1t will be
necessary to take out large amount Of mud, and
the Job of tearing away the granite wall along
Whitney Basin, which now blocks the mouth Of
the dock, has already begun The dock is pro-
yided with two gateways, into which the caisson
NAV set. one a few feet outside Of the other.
This is done so that if the inner gateway should
net damaged the caisson could be put in the outer
one. and thus the damage could be repaired
without being obliged to first build coifer-oam
To keen the water out while the repair was being
made.
THE WORK on THE MAINE.
Although the propeller Shaft tubes for the battle
ship Maine have not arrived, and the WORK on
that part of the ship has been delayed by their
non-arrival, yet there is so much 10 DC dohe Oh
the big vessel that if the men cannot work at one
mart they can at another and the work mus
keeps steadily on The principal work on her is
that about the bulkheads and the armor-plating'
The Mantonomah has received several coats
of brown paint, and the finishing coat OF green
paint has been put on, and III Is eApecIeu 9naO
she will come out of the dry-dock on Iuesoay
During the several weeks in which she has oeen
in the dock her sinking tubes have been put m
and the work on her turrets has gone on as IL
did when she was not In the DOCK
THE TORPEDO BOAT ALARM.
The torpedo boat Alarm is to be locked when
the Miantonomah comes out. Opinions among the
officers differ in regard to this vessel, but II
seems to be generally thought that she is worth
repairing If repaired, she is to be used as gun
ner's boat for the instruction of apprentices
and seamen at Newport. In addition 10 the gun
which is in the bow OF the Alarm, she Is htteu
with torpedo apparatus Extending through the
thirty-foot ram, which projects from the DOW ana
under the water, is torpedo tube, winch can DC
run out into the water ahead Of the vessel ana IN
that position the torpedo on its end, discharged
by means of electric wires. On either side OF the
bow there are, also, other torpedo tubes Inc
Alarm has already been moved from her position
in Rotten Row, and is where she could be easily
brought to the dock.
About three weeks ago the number of vessels
in Rotten Row" at the yard was reduced by the
sale of two of the craft. One of these was
schooner the Palinors. and the other was small
steamer the Arago. There are now lying there
four of the coast survey vessels which are not
now In commission, but which may be used again
if it should be necessary. Three of these are
sailing vessels and one is steamer.
NEW VESSELS CONTRACTED FOR.
The second board of officers recently appointed
by Secretary Tracy to examine the works OF Sam
uel L. Moore, Sons d Co., at Elizabethport
j. as to their facilities present and prospective,
FOR building war vessels, made its report on
Thursday, and on Friday Secretary Tracy awarded
the contract for building one of the two 900
ton steel gunboaIs and the sOO-ton steel practice
vessel to that company The bids were opened on
January %, and the company is to get S2S5,OOO
for the gunboat. and S245,325 for the practice
vessel The contract for the other gunboat was
awarded to the Bath Iron Works, of Bath Me-,
for 1927 200.
The old sailing frigate Monongahela, now at
Mare Island, is receiving her complement Of Off
GERS previous to her starting for New-York, by
orders of the Navy Department, to be fitted out
for duty in the Training Squadron, to take the
place of the merchandising, which is in an un.
seaworthy condition. II will be remembered that
Immediately after the Samoan disaster the Monon-
gahea was loaded with stores and GOAL for the
officers and crews and what was left of the United
States Navy at Apia. She sailed from San Fran
cisco on February g last year, md hcr long voy-
age caused much anxiety and apprehension The
Monongahea is one Of the old sailing ships OF
the service, and is of 2,100 tons. At the time
OF the tidal wave on the coast of Chilli in s67
she was carried from her anchorage and back
from the beach. but was afterward foated and
put into service.
The recommendation to Congress by Secretary
Tracy that a special act be passed to restore eX-
Naval Cadet Richard II. Jackson to the active list
Of the Navy is commented upon favorably by the
officers of the service. Cadet Jackson was one
of the naval cadets mustered out of the service
in June last because there were no vacancies for
them. and it requires special act to reinstate
him. The recommendation Of the Secretary is made
in recognition Of Mr.. Jackson's services the
Trenton during the hurricane in which that
vessel was lost at Samoa year ago. Cadet Jack
son stood by the side OF Lieutenant r. NJ. G..
Brown the executive officer of the vessel. through
the whole storm. and not only rendered him
valuable assistance, but when the men hesitated
10 obey the orders to go into the rigging to boom
ont the sails. he led the way into it, and thus
the vessel was brought around and kept from
going on the reef in such a position that all on
board would have been lost
The following general order was posted on the
bulletin board at the Navy Yard yesterday: son
Saturday February !. and until further orders
the working hours at this Navy Yard will he
as follows from o'clock q. m to q noon from
l p. m. to p. m.
reception is TO be given on Tuesday. February
L. af.-