New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-20
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD
CHANGES IN TWO BIG soUADRoNS.


| 49, % warfare This condition of affairs mas
hoon brought about by the return to tins port Vi 'i0
| hro largest squadrOns OF the American Navy VI" ~
| Navy aaoat. The Squadron OF Evolution 0oi"po'0I
~ oirht steel vessels, arrived here weeh aeo iu
| since then il has been reduced to four einPS "0
| chicago the Newark, the Atlanta ana inc EoS"'i
and soon another, the Newark win be ulNen 49,
| "a cent Ia the Yard TO be fitted for the uuS Vi
| eaesbp in the south Atlantic Squadron. Inc VoP0uo
| 80. cushing was sent to the torpedo stauoh al
| ~ou,rort for experimental duty; the Yorktown -
going to the Pacific. the Petrol to the Asiau.' anu
| Iho pos+on and the Concord to the North Atanuo'
| Tho Nagship Philadelphia, Of Tho North A'an''
! eosr,, which IS one Of the largest OF inc u''-
onorod steel cruisers and which flies Rear-Auilrai
cbo-ardis fag arrived here three OF four oSs "eo
| and &c now at tho Navy Yard. Then comes Ihe Dos
ton one of the first of the steel cruisers bu, WIN
her supersructure deck amdshlps, presenting '0 "P
| ncorance Of a small battle-ship Then there arc ue
| Ranninrtown Yorktown and Concord, all U1iiu'A
cr,isers or gunboats, of the 1,7oOton class anu tno
| smallest O fthe steel gunbOats the PetreL Oh inc
| ao5+,n class These vessels arc practically au cA
bibtion OF every class of ships OF the ne" navy u
ioeetbcr with the battlcship Maine ana the
| cruiser Cincinnati in course OF consWuotIoi' ~ -
| teresting TO everybody. But these VeSsels N"'0 ~
| come here for show alone. There Is more OF NSS
work to DO done upon them. The Phiiadeipnia' 10
| ,e4o,co & IN have some alterations which VIII not
only change her I'm appearance, but VIII also cHaso
| bnn eooyrortbiness. Before the Philadelphia sailed
! from here for Hayh year ago test Oh hoi iu~ 80
centric height showed it to be SO 10" UhaC ~ W.
| advised by the Naval Constructor TO put -V0 '
NJ weight in her bottom, to overcome the top
or the danger Of keeling over During 'ne '.u'9He
,r Tho west Indies the following winter THIS Top
| boavinoss was confirmed by the action Oh one ''o
| col and II was decided to remove her tin0o ~
masts weighing j6,05O pounds and replace unel "iv
| two wooden masts. The former Were "iiA"Ii1
| masts hut these latter Will be USED as BIS
nal masts. They may also be utinzed lOi
sorcodinp storm sails in heavy weather 10 sVcau' ~
shin They will have the effect OF inailg V"o sp
,i, Iorcor Reside the substitution Of wooden maSVs'
an cvaporator for supplying fresh water 10 the Dooi
will be put in. and also an lce-maAinh iH"'"'''0
in the tropical climates. . -.,.
The Kenrsarge also OF the North Atlanuc oqua"'o''
which has been in such constant active service uuie
tbo last three years that scarcely any time couu 10
Ia ., ronor ber has been put I'm condition Tor
yirtcr,s cruise I'm the West Indies. BY liberia; use
% old material the vessel remain in/serVce some
fine longer although efforts have been maze 10 Ee'
her detailed as practice ship for the caue's ~ ti1
Nbval Academy. Her foremost has peeh Nlio'0u ",u
one Of the sound sticks from the Galena put III itS
nloce and her rotten malnyaTd has been replaced py
Tho forward OF the Galena. The vessel VIII pIooa
hI or4ve here from Portsmouth in the latter part OF
this week. .. r.,
As soon as the vessels are ready they viii start LOT
Uavtion waters rs ii is desirable TO nave II h"'''
force at Porau-Prince early as possible not Only
in view Of the early arrival there oil the TIC"
can Minister Mr.. Durham, but also on account u
,bo nroscnt unsettled condition Of affairs there
The Petrol will probably be detained IN THIS por'.
before she con start for tho Aatic Squadron several
weeks longer. She is at present IN inc urS uo'N'
After brooming of the ships bottom the otner u"!'
when the water had been pumped out OF the DOCK
tbo men found II to be in frstcass conditioi' Inc
bottom Of the vessel is coated with the mhrhe GERM
eide naint which IS being tested in the Navy side by
side with an English paint on the Chicago Boston
ord AtIonta The paint now the ship Is In eN
couont condition. but the bottom Will probably De
repainted before the vessel starts on her cruise l"o
boilers are being ovcrhauled, and some new tubes are
TO be nut I'm them. The tubes that were suoHlVcu
for This purpose did not pass the Inspection ana con
seoucntly Others must be obtained. And IL Is TINS
that will delay the departure OF the vessel Ihere
are also minor Jobs TO be done on her.
II will also probably be some time before the
Yorl,toyyn will be ready 10 sail for the Pacific. her
new station The work Of getting her ready adj
vances rapidly. but there many things to he done
Many stores must be put on board ana thcse must
Grst no inspected The Concord is being made ready
for her winters dutIes Some repairs are to be made
10 4bo engine The Boston reached the Navy Yard
vcstordoy morning and anchored in the stream until
she coud get n place at dock. while she Is IN the
Yard her boilers arc to be retubed. THIS IS an cX-
tensve piece Of work, and as about 1sOo tubes VIII
be required. the ship will be kept IN the Yard Tor
some time
The Despatch. which looks so much like steam
oht hos NOT left the Yard. She Is st awaiting
orders from Washington.
The complement OF the crew OF the iahtc Is no"
fnll The vessel received permission to snip men on
its own account and then It was not long In obtaining
IFS complement and moreover, men had to De turned
oU-,v because they were not wanted. Many changes
he
Il * probable that one two more will be made
II Is not known just when the vessel will sail
The monitor Mantonomoh will be ready some time
This week 10 have the two big guns lowered into place
on their carriages in the forward urret Then the roof
Of the turrct will quickly be rivcted into position
There IS runor that inc Vesse VIII NC pun ii'o 'o'n
mission on October l.
A change will be made in the position OF some OF
the vessels in the yard, probably tomorrow. The
new cruiser Maine will be taken from the dock near
the shphorsc whence she launched, at which she
has been moored she first struck the water last
November and be put into the granite dry-dock. 1t is
said that she will probably be In the dock nearly a
wear AS fast the arm0r plates arrive they VIII be
nut into position In all this time the vessel VIII
probably take great strides toward her completion
while the Cincinnati the other vessel beng built In the
Navy Yard. will probably be launched and treated in
ncb tbe same way that the Maine has been up to the
present time The work in preparation for erecting
the travelling cranes at the sides Of the drydock Is
well under way piles are now being driven These
cranes when completed, Will be OF much use in carry
rrc on the work on the vessel At the same time
that the Maine is put into the dry-dock tho Phlladc
phia will be moved forward and put into the place
tbat the other vessel has occupied under the big
stationary crane. Although the ship has been In the
yard only four five days, and her own men have had
TO do most Of the work, progress has been made
IN removing the masts The upper parts have been
removed and when the vessel IS under the lofty crane
the main masts will be lifted ont.
The laying of n third set Of the engines for the
Cincinnati and the Raleigh has been begun in the last
week
Tho medical department Of the Navy Yard will soon
IA IN better and more comfortable quarters than 1t
now is. small brick building Of an Octagonal shape
standing near the Lyceum Building is being converted
Lullhlnn mill