The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-23
THE NORFOLK NAVY YARD.
Wonderful Progress in The Construction Of
Vessels Under Way.
ER. BLAINE HAS BRlGHT'S DISEASE
president Harrison Striving to "Craw fish u
out of His Expressed Opinion on the
Boyd Ousting Matter.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., MAY 22.-lSpecial i
Naval officers Who went down the bay 70 wit
ness the Nesuvius tests made a tour ofinspec-
ton through the Norfolk navy-yard upon the
invitation of Naval Constructor Bowles They
,epor, that under his administration most
wonderful progress has been made in the con-
.tuction of the vessels under way there. All
modern labor-saving machinery has been in
raduced. and under the system now in vogue
the labor of drilling, welding and other tedi-
GUS work is BOW done in the body of the YES
sch under construction and electric power is
used
The gratifying feature OF the progress is
that DO assures the future extension and sue
cess of the Norfolk navy-yard. Constructor
IoW.es has pclslstently contcnded that the
construction of naval vessels should be done
at tlc uayy-yards instead of 10y contract. lie
assured Secretary Tracy that the wards could
demonstrate their capacity and ability 10 build
raw vessels more advantage0usly than under
auy system of contracts. The Secretary IN
uply stated that 10 was only necessary to
demonstrate this 70 render him warm par
t,an OF the yards.
his EFFORTs SUCCESSFUL.
Constructor Bowles has applied himself with
extraordinary diligence 10 demonstrate hls
proposition, and the naval officers who went
Oh t8c \cSuyius trial say he has succeeded.
So The Norfolk yard the Texas, the monitor
Ampmtute and cruiser No. Z are bengEcOn-
~tucted. The work is being pushed ON all
three alike. that is neither is retarded
t. make progress ON the other When
tho contracts for the last cruisers We're
Iet Constructor BOwlcs wanted 20 take charge
at the two which were awarded 10 the C0lum-
han Iron Works, of Baltimore. Secretary
lmy thought he was asking for more than
tle yard could do. but according TO the naval
officials who have inspected the Norfolk
yard 10 Is now IN shape 10 perform all the
work that the department can reasonably re-
The naval officers who went through the
Norfolk yard are enthusiastic as 10 ITS ca
p8cty and its future and predict that 1t Will
become one of the most important depOts of
naval construction in the country.
NH. BLAINE HAS RIGHTS DISEASE
The friends of Secretary Blaine in and out
Cf the administration circles are Sayagely m
dignant at the New York Herald's publication
Ot to-day ascnbing mental weakness as the
chief malady of the premier. II Is no longer
denied that the Secretary $ condition has been
much more alarming than the public was per-
Mltt-d 20 know.
Indeed il is conceded that he is still verv
SICK man. and at the best he Is not likely 10
resume his public labOrs bet1<s next tall
his is in accord with the intOrmNlOn tele-
craphed IHE ITazs when the Secretary was
trst stricken. The truth is. il IS not gOut
which troubles Mir Blaine. II Is Bnghts dis
.asn and me has for several years Warded oil
serious effects boy constant care and diet
There is no reason whatever To credit the as
seition thst Mir. Blmnes mental faculties are
failing Ills recent correspondence with Pre-
mler kudlnl and Lord Salisbury affords suth-
Gent evidence 20 repudlate tins allegation.
Secretary Blaine is "a sick man. There is no
doubt about that now. nOr is there any doubt
that bis illness has seriously impaired ms
presidential chances. But according TO the
most reliable information hls mind is still
working with its usual vgor
HAS HARRISON TWO FACES,
President Harrison has availed himself Of
the medium of the press associations to IN
directly deny the assertion of Governor Boyd,
OF Nebraska. that While the Executive was
passing through Nebraska on ms late cleo
tiOneering tour he expressed himself as de
precatiug the snap Judgment of the Nebraska
court in ousting Boyd. Mr.. Har1sonma utter
as many eyasiye denials as the friendly press
viii publish. bat he cannot escape from the
fact that he has censured the Nebraska court
He has SD expressed himself since ms return
.0 Washington and % prominent Democrats.
Only several days ago two Southern Demo
cratic congressman called upon the President,
and in course OF "a conversation the latters
tour and his reception IN the South were
naturally mentioned The President expressed
uls qualification at the cordial manner IN which
he was received by the public of the South.
and paid q high tribute 10 those people
and that section. II was a pleasant cOnver-
tatiou throughout. and as etiquette required
politics was cschewed: but when the Demo
Gratis We're about TO leave the subject of the
Cincinnati convention and It's possible III
huence upon politics generally was mem
toned. and i'm speaking OF what might occur
Iu the West the President said be regarded
.tff Df
uuvi-e and unfair and feared it would give an
impulse to the newly-arsen antagOnlsm TO
the Republican party in the state.
ECONOMY in THE NAVY.
Secretary Tracy to-day issued an order to all
naval officers in regard 20 the consumption OF
coal. The order directs all officers command
ing vessels r0 make experiments IN order to
ascertain the most economical rate of speed
for their ships. They are directed 10 report
To- the department the consumption of coal
per hour at varying rates of speed from ilNe
to eleven knots the kind and quality
OF coal used, the condition OF yes
sells bottom and such remarks IN refer
ence % the most economical rate of steamlng
0f the vessel as the experience OF the com
mander may suggest. Vessels with sails are
directed when they have sufficient wind to
carry them four knots an hour, to use sall
only In conclusion the order states that
it is expected that vessels cruising under
steam viii not exceed then most economical !
speed cxcept in cases of emergency and the !
service requires % high speed, and in such !
cases report must be made % the depart |
meat explaining tie necessity for the increase !
~ speed.
Mr.. BLAINE's MIND SOUND.
Secretary Tracy. in am interview tonight |
about publishing statements casting doubts |
upon Secretary Blaine's real condition men, |
tally and physically. denies emphaucally the |
truth of such statements, and any state
ment. he said. THAT Alr. Blaine is not as
strong. sound and alert mentally as he ever
has been. does him grave injustice The |
la.t time I saw Secretary Blame. he added. (
was onlva few days ieforc he left New
York We were together IL long time in con-
.uIta-i0n over "a most important public docu-
neut. II was criticised aud discu sed at
great length and have never seen him when
be appeared TO better advantage than he did
on that occasion"
CAPITAL MOTIFS.
I'm virginia. special postal service has been
ordered discontinued as follows: bo1wo3d,
Floyd county. from fastuew, from May
so. 1884, on route l1.748. Delaney, lloyd
county, from POscy. from May -, 1871. on
route u .735. Weddle. Floyd county, from
Lastyew. from May 30, 1891 on route
1873
IN North Carolina the name Of the postoihcee
m.A