New-York tribune., 1891-05-24
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
REPORT OF THE EXAMINATION BOARD.
TRIALS OF THE vEsUvIUs's TORPEDO TUBES
MTNTS WITH PAINTS.

The report OF the examination DOarn ulat HIS Doei "
session IN the Navy Yard since May was finished ana
forwarded to Secretary Tracy yesterday. There were
appcans for the fourteen places OF foremeh
and master mechanics the yard and the report SHOWS
the comparative merits OF each OF these IN the eA''
tion and indicates which OF the apptants Is, Ill i'S
opinon. best qualified for each place NOW tha' INC
work of the board is finished, another board VII, Do or
nointed o carry on the further details OF the plan out
lined by Secretary Tracy in his recent speech oeiore c
Republican Club In Boston:
@Frst-The appointment at each yard OF esi9.r%
tion board to register all applicants for employ menu III
the department OF unsked labor to be scecteo rs r
ouirod on the principle Of First come hrst served
preference only given to those VINO nave hau Ca
ncrience in the class Of work for which they apply 10
boso who have served I'm the Army or Navy TO those
who have families 10 support and where all other COLI
sidcrations are equal TO those possessing superior
physical qualifications. H., ,,,ooos
"second-The registration Of all applicants for places
~ skilled labor who give evidence OF eXpereoe d
,h,r trade 70 be certified in the order of application
rnder the same rules Of preference ana thelr epoS
mcn on trial for period of probation after the heces
r test of proficiency TO be ultimately graded Ut us
charged according TO their merits.
An examination similar 10 the one Just nnisnou at
the New York Navy Yard is to be held al tie NorI'i
Navy Yard and afterward at other yards III 'ne
The trials of the torpedo tubes OF the us n''ilio'
r,ser vesuyius at Hampton Roads last week were ho'
.or,, os tbe advocates of the dynamite guns
Itch, hove wished and the results VIII, II Is DeheVen'
corsa the Navy Department definitely to ABANDON inc
nroiect of constructing another vesse hhe ohe ,'"
v,ue The tests were made not only I'd aooc''aih v,
determine the future OF the Vesuvius herseh' D'
70 settle definitely the question whether the Navy DC
natment should prot ed to build that duplicate vi hei
,,.h Concos authorized on condition Of her proving
effective The Naval Appropriation bill OF lsoo ploViu
d for the construction OF additional vessel OF I'll"
vesuyius type contingent on the satisfactory peior
ance Of that vessel with her guns, under cohui'oe ~
nearly as may be approximately those OF actua war
fare The limit of cost Of the aHditiohai 'e'S' W."
s45o,OO0 ,oo,
tbe ability of the guns the Nesuvius 10 thio"
nroiectile containing 500 pounds Of dynamite 70 'o
distance of one mile At the first trial III OcUoDer'
1sso wooden dummies eight feet long and hiteei
inches in diameter were used. The tests laSt "eoA
wore conducted with dummy projectiles only ana ot
WITH tbe h,ah explosive bursting charges for when her
service shells are designed Therefore the fact mas Dce
demonstrated that in a vessel specifically dynamite
cr,eer there has never yet been any hrng Oh uSii%
mite or other actual explosives, and the wooden dull
os hitherto used would not njure an enemys vessel
One of the officers Of this station remarked:
alt is possible that there may never De any hri"s
y, HIGH explosives from the vesuvus The construc-
, naranteed tlat each of the three 15nch pneumauc
guns would throw projcctes containing dynamite VI
~ coto, or Other high explosive at least mile, WIFI
a snec6ed and more than sufficient rapidly OF hre.
This was done at Fort lafayette on shore OH ",'u
nlatform but it has not been shown that the 'eSuNS
moving and firing at O moving target Wouiu give ne
that would be effective The shots this week Nar1cu
in accuracy from deviation Of wenty-four yards from
he target TO one $40 yards at the fixed target "u
when moving the SHOTS went Do Id' do f0' 'N -
quarter Of a mile beyond"
Returns received at the Navy Department rom inc
various stations and the vessels In commission ao
sufficient to conclude that the demand Tor the meuae
withdrawal Of the marines from duty on the snps uocS
not meet general approval. The petitions oDaihed
small minority of signatures and did not attract enough
,torost n affect tbe goodwill and cordial relations
bet,veen the sailors and marines 1t is therefore I'M
nrohable that the Marine Corps will be abolished at
present - y,
The Philadelphia has now been at the Navy Yard
t,r = ,reel and tomorrow she Is to be put into the
granite dry dock to have her bottom scraped ana
painted The warm waters Of the South are Dad lor
steel vessels and the Phadelphas bottom is covered
with grass and other growth After the bottom
has been painted the vessel is to leave the drydock TO
have her unkers filed with coal. Then the hull VIII
be repanted Daubs OF red paint have already been
nut ON the ship In varous places to mark out inc
leaks In preparation for this painting The steam En-
eneerng Department has few repairs 10 make on inc
vessel What orders will be given to the Philadelphia
which is the flagship Of the North Atlantic Squadron,
when all the repairs nave Decn II liOI
1t is said that there talk of shortening the Pha-
delpha's snasts.
Inasmuch as so much attention. time and money are
required to keep the steel vessels in proper con-
don account OF the foulng of their bottoms, there
has been much discussion TO the best antifoulnG
paint Several times tests have been made with rival
paints One way that has been tried for testing the
relative merits Of paints Is 10 coat one side of ships
bottom with one kind Of paint and the other side with
different kind me Of the vessels that have been docket
I'm the yard in the few months have been coated In
way the Squadron of Evolution started for
its cuise abroad the Atantas bottom vas covered with
an American composition. the marine gcrmicide paint,
white tie bottoms Of TIE other three vessels were coated
with the McInneS and-foulirg paint. 1t was reported
that the Atlantas bc.tom in the best condition
when the vessels put into dry dock abroad. Tho
bottoms Of the Chicago and the Boston were painted
In last January with the germclde paint on one sde
and the McInnes PAINT on te ether When the Boston
was doched a few days ago it was found that while
the side coated with Mclnnes paint was coveed with
barnaces TO within about four feet of the waterlne,
the germicde paint was in almost as good condition
as when put on. The value OF efficient and prac-
teal anti foung paint would be great, not Only to the
vessels of the Navy, but 10 those Of the merchant
marine also. The Navy Department yesterday ordered
enough Of the American paint to be sent hom here to
paint the entire bottom OF the Boston. Thus the Amer
lean paint nas got first place.
ton and now some work ls being done on the rigging.
The snip IS % be fitted for service as the Concord was
a few months ago. Some steam engineering work is
being doac on the vessel. The machine shop con,
tainng tSols for work which might be done on board
the ship when necessary, is being fitted out. The
regular work Of construction on the Maine ard the
other vessels in the yard continued steadily work
men aIe bnsy fastening p.ates 10 the hull of the Gin
cnnad. while the work on the boilers and machinery
is going on rapidly in the department under whose
charge that work lies. The cOndensers now being
prepared.
The snperstructure is being erected on the deck OF
the monitor Terr0 The turrets and turTet machinery
take up much room below decks and hence the quar-.
superstrmctIre. The Miantnnonoh will probably not
be put into commission until the two guns have been
mounted In he forwerd turrct One OF the guns now
lies on the deck Of the vessel hut the other although
ID has been tested has not yet arrived ~ tho yard
The work on the Lancaster is approaching compile
ton Tre fittings of the guns and the repairs 10 the
gun ports are now almost finished. The complement
OF the crew is, however stu Incomplete. 1t Is not
known when the vessel Will sail.
The Yantc is still in the drydock, and may not
The dock Is narflallr fu