New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-28
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
WARSHLPS ORDERED AWAY.
D1 scUss1NG THE SLOW TINE OBJ THE PHIDA-
DELPHrA-FoR THE LANCASTERS
LONG CRUISE.

DELPHrA-FoR THE LANCASTERS
LONG CRUISE.
In few days the Navy Yard will be almost 90
serted as far as commissioned naval vessels are con-
cerned In the last week the sloop-ofwar Enterprise
and the unboat Petrol have left the Yard. the former
10 go to New-LOndon and the latter going TO an an
chorage In the East River. The flagship Phiadeipma
is 10 depart from the Yard to-day, and the wooden
warshp Lancaster tomorrow. The sloop-of-war Yam
tic has been ordered to go up the Hudson River TO
Yonkers TO take part in the ceremony Of unwilling
monument at that place on July 4. This will leave
only the cruisers Concord and Bennington commits
stoned war vessels in the Navy Yard. There will.
however be still the receiving ship Vermont, the YES
sells in Of construction and reconstruction and
the tugboats and the various machine and workshops
In the Yard all Of which are OF interest But this
deseron Of the Yard by ships will not be for long,
In a few weeks the White Squadron will probably
come to the. Yard, and in the autumn some of the
vessels of the North Atlantic Squadron will probably
return to 1t to receive further repairs.
At O'Clock to-day the Philadelphia, the flagship
OF the North Atlantic Squadron, is to sail from the
Navy Yard She will so first TO Tompknsviile, S. l..
where she will receive her ammunition. The ammuni-
ton that not Injured by water at the time OF the
fire on the ship, two weeks ago, will be replaced
tho ship. This task will probably take the greater
part Of Monday. On Tuesday morning the vessel is
start for New-London. 1t is probable that she will
remain there a few days. and then go TO Gardeners
Bay for targetpractice The caukers and other work
men were still busy on the ship yesterday
The report made to the Navy Department By Ad-
mral Gherard on the steaming performance of the
Philadelphia on the trip up from Hayti. in which the
impossblity to make above fourteen knots shown,
is subject Of much comment The excuse for 1t all
is the bad quality of coal obtained at st. Thomas.
The coal was incapable of giving heat to generate
steam sufficient to keep the engines going at full
power, and when put into the furnaces it would siz5e
crack. fash, and then almost sodify itself the
crate bars. With such coal TO handle, the men broke
down from the hard work, and others sent from
among the sailors to do the work below. During the
cruise In the West indies there much discomfort
fostered among the sailors and fremen. Not only
they almost ont by the fierce tropical heat,
but their food was principally OF canned goods and
fried plantains, and they were not permitted to go
on shore after leaving New York in January until
the vessel returned north, because Of the dread OF
yellow fever. When at Kingston they did not re-
ceive the promised liberty and about twenty five took
French leave" and remained away for several days
Some did not return at all. The crew numbers
about seventy five men less than the original one
Among these a dozen have been discharged by SEN
tence Of court martial have been discharged for
other causes and many hove deserted Some OF the
desertions due to natural dstaste of the life BY
those making their first cruise Many have taken
leave without permission and returned at the expir
tlon OF twenty -four hours, among them the chief
boatswains mate, the ships corporal and other petty
officers.
The Petrol is TO start for New-London tomorrow
The Enterprise has already arrived there. The original
order that the North Atlantic Squadron should
go TO Portsmouth, y. H., to take part in Fourth Of
July celebration, but few days ago the order was
changed, and the squadron ordered to go TO New
port Instead.
The Lancaster. when she leaves the Yard to-mor-
row, Is to go up the North River TO Forty second ST.
where she will receive some stores. The ship will be
cleaned up and made ready for sea. The work
her is about completed, but an order has
been received to the engine OF the steam-seer
ing gear. This ship Will be steered by hand on her
voyage The steam-steerng gear did not work salts
factorily and, as the voyage will be made largely by
SAIL and there will be steam only for the condenscrs
and 1t would take much coal to the steam steering
apparatus, the loss of it will be of much account
The Lancaster Will probably start for her station the
Asatic in about week Her course has already been
outlined. She is to stop at Rio Janeiro the Cape OF
Good Hope, and several other places. The vessel is
still forty men shorthanded
The new cruiser Concord was put into the granite
drydock at the Navy Yard yesterday. Her bottom will
be scraped and painted and some repairs will be made.
There is leak somewhere about the ruddeP: it is
thought at the rldderhead. This will be repaired
while the vessel Is in the drydOck. When the ex-
ploSon Of the steam-ppe occurred, few weeks ago,
the ammunition was wet. This was being removed
yesterday, to be taken to Fort wadsworth, to find
whether 1t was injured by the water.
The fitting out of the Bennington still continues.
Several Of the gunacks have been read and the work
OF reayng the Others is advancing. draft of thirty
two apprentice boys has been received on the ship.
The crew lives the vessel but the officers quarters
are not yet ready. There always two Of them on
board but the others cannot take their quarters there
as yet and probably will not be able to do so for
about month.
The Yantc IS still in need Of for her crew, but
draft of twenty-five apprentice boys has been received
on board.
II was said at the Navy Yard that Lieutenant John
F. Meigs who is considered at home and abroad. TO be
one of the best experts In gunnery of the Navy, had
failed In his examination for promotion to the next
grade above account of cOlorblndness. He has
boon lieutenant for twenty years and this defect was
not known TO him by any of his broth. officers II
he should have TO go the retired list 1t would not
only be q loss TO the service but 1t would be re
pretted by all Of his brother officers He has recently
been on duty with the board having charge Of the trial
of the dynamite guns of the Vesuvius. Lieutenant
Megs was appointed mdshipman In 1862, and was
physically examined at that time as he was also when
promoted to ensign, master and lieutenant
and in addition to these examinations nc
has been employed on signal duty on shore,
besides being Obliged in his official duties shipboad
blind Under the regulations he could be wholly ~
tired from the service, the doctor pronounces .ne
defect congenta but after nearly thirty years 10 Ills
credit he will probably be put upon the retired list
This failure Of promotion now removes Lieu'enai'
Mcgs from being Of the strong candidates ior inc
command of the gunbOat Petrol, whose present com
mander having been promoted to the grade next above
lieutenant commander must be relieved The contest
for this command, which is unusually energetic Is al
pres MT confined to acknowledgements Edwin
Lon gnccker Asa Walker and VI. Il. S. Mackenzie.
on July l the Civil Service order regarding
the employment Of mechanics and laborers at the Navy
Yard will 60 into effect The essential features OF the
system were outlined by Secretary Tracy In speech
in Boston few weeks ago, follows:
"First-The appointment at each yard Of a registra-
ton board to register all applicants for employment
In the department OF unsked labor, to be selected as
IL. IL Ar.t Ill .