New-York tribune., 1891-08-30

NOS AND BEING SET UP.
A casual observation in the direction OF the navy
Yard by those on board Of fery-boat OF d oo.""
steamboat passing the wallabout would give ue n,'
preston that there is little Of interest there NJ INC
moment because Of the conspicuous absence Oh heiy
all the great floating fortresses tat nave oe NV o.
intervals and not at any time leaving the yaru vae'
q, two or more of them for a few days But once
within the boundaries OF the great white walls OF tne
vard the impression OF inactivity or lack OF m'eres.
is at once dispeled The rata-tat OF tne hainiho, "a
the riveters, the grinding and cutting Oh '"e u.,i'
through the 12inch steel plates the cruncmns Oh u
punches and shears about the new cruiser NO. - aS
every bit OF material for her is marked, or for ue
Cincinnati rs she has become welBnown TO the reau
ers OF The Tribune is alone Of interest TO VsiDors'
But there Is much more.
The new cruiser Bennington is at the Navy faFu
waiting for further orders from Washington III oo
meanwhile some minor work is being done upon per
to have her ready for any service to winch sne has W
detailed. The old wooden warvessel fanuo' ""'."
has really done more valuable servce-in the way Oh
blowing I'D derellcts and other WORKMAN any ouio'
vessel on this coast In the last year. Is mdhne i'u'
for her three years cruise in the South Atianto' o
troublesome leak about the stern has oeen iouiu az
last and she will remain in tue dry-dock unul liS 10
repaired 1t was caused by holes which had peeh
punched or had eaten through the copper lhis III 'o
stern-post about the screwshaft. The propeller aua
shaft have been removed and it Is expected tnat sne
will be ready for sea in about four weeks Ihe "orh
ON the armored cruiser Maine and the monitors ful''
Miantonomoh and Terror is being pushed forWafo'
But the most interesting work that is being hurriea
forward toward completion Is that on the engines VI
the Cincinnati and Raleigh These engines arc credi'ea
with being the finest pieces of mechanism ever Vureo
out at any engine-buildng shop and their bulohg s
been under the direction and supervision OF Chef En-
gineer James II. Chasmar assisted by Passeo AsSsN
ant gineer George II. Keaney. Consideraoie Ioupe
was developed, however, in getting the engine eoiue'
These are Of caststeel and, after numerous atemp'
the contractors reported that they could not MAKE
them. The trouble appears TO have been due to the
cores which could not be removed In ume 10 pieVehV
shrnRage cracks. This remedled later, anu prac-
tcaly all of the work of making these engines has
been done at the Navy Yard They are now De'nG
set up I'm the annex of the machineshop In the same
order that they will be when put into the vessels
themselves and they interesting study 10 ooth
experts and lay people. They show every part OF the
engine and when all put together and in WORKING
order as they will be four weeks hence, VIII prove a
decidedly attractive exhibition as well as Instructive
to the novice. They will be perfect in completion
fpm the bedplate TO the tops of the rods above the
cylinders with steam and exhaust pipes added. Inc
engines are Of the tpleexpanslon, vertical inverted
dlrectacting type, with four cylinders to each or
eight cylinders for each vessel. There VIII DC ror
each engine one hgh-pressue cylinder Of thirtysix
and two lowpressure cylinders Of ftyseven inches in
diameter the common stroke being thi y three inches
Owing to the series CT delays in obtaining the ma
eras especially the steel plates, from the contractors
for the building OF the cruiser Cincinnati, it Is now
believed to be doubtful II the vessel can be launched
before next spring. 1t originally intended to send
the new cruiser into the water in October, but the
DELAY in getting the materials for her construction has
made postponement necessary. She will probably
be ready for leaving the ways couple of months
later but it would not be advisable to put her into
the water in midwinter and as much Oh the work on
the vessels superstructure and her boilers and ma
chnery can be Just well finished before as after
she is launched and without detrment to the vessel
or service it will be well to delay the launch Until
spring. Besides, this method may prove more eco
nomical in the end.
The approaching meeting OF the new Congress and
the inspection tour of the Senate Committee on Naval
Affairs together with Congressman Herbert, VINO has
served the House Committee on Naval Anars ior
several years, has given an incentive 10 the
discussion of more new ships and wha'
they will be like. There are now seven
vessels under construction of from 1000 to 3Ooo tons
displacement, and it is the general sentiment among
Navy officers that if vessels are authorized
they will be not larger than the Cincinnati or the At
anta and Boston. which about 1900 tons displace
ment. 1t is also believed that there Will be a han
dozen authorized of not more than 500 tons dlsplace
ment for service on the Mississippi and on the China
station. There is great lack Of small vessels now
and the Tallapoosa on the Brazil station. aud the
Monocacy on the China station, have both been con-
dcmned and new vessels must be built TO take their
places. There is unexpended appropriation for
dynamite cruiser No. q but this vessel will not be
built unless 1t is demonstrated that the dynamite tubes
now the Vesuvus are suitable for use In vessel
of her character 1t having been demonstrated opon
more than one occasion that there lack Of enlisted
In nnnunic
is likely that this will enter largely into the advsa
blity or inadvsabiity of building such vessels
like the coast-neofbatte ships. 1t Is possible, how
ever that another like the armor-clad NewYork NAV
be authorized as she is highly thought of for her all
round efficiency.
Since the case of Lieutenant John F. Megs to whom
was denied prvmotion TO the next higher grade, and
who was placed on the retired list because Of color
blindness. there has been considerable uneasiness
felt among other Heutenants, who are TO be ex
amned for promotion on the question OF normal
eyesghtn and they fear that they. oo may be forced
upon the retired list the ground of deficiency in
eycsght although they Ignorant of such defects.
Lieutenant Megs did not know Of his falling until the
examining board pronounced him "cOlor blind as to
red" and yet he had been o Most efficient and
valuable officer. 1t will be generally admitted that
color blindness I'm officer charged with responsibility
in the navigation Of a vessel, and when he must be
Obliged to determine the direction of his vessel by the
different c0ored lights OF an approaching VesSel, is
serious defect; but OF the officers now near the
op Of the list of their grade contend that they should
not be retired II found defective in eyeslght, but be
continued such special duty they might be best
fitted for.
The Navy Department is looking forward to putting
tho monitor Mantonomoh in commission at an early
date The last Of the four 10nch rifles having arrived
on board OF this vessel. the work OF mounting IL and
its companion in the forward turTet is being pushed.
II IS likely that she will be ready for commission about
october l. Efforts have already begun to enhst
special class Of for the vessel, and the engineer
officers are preparing a system for the trimming OF
0remen the object being to her sort OF school
for instruction of both guns crews and hremen The
completion OF this vessel will put the Government In
possession Of an armor-clad that would be able to lie
at the mouth OF New York Harbor any other large
rnrt 10 defend Il AGAINST the enemy. She Is of