New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-15
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
Cruisers NOW READY FOR SEA.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE LAST "rhh


SECRETARY TRACY's COMING REPORT
The Navy Yard ~ the last week has not been d"ii
and unInterestlng nor has the work been slow and
tresome The interest I'm the place mas Dcch causeu
largely by the great effort made to get the several
vessels there ready for sea in the shortest possible time
Tn. vessels I'm active service In the Navy which have
been in the Yard are the cruisers chicago A''ai'p'
Concord and Bennington, the monitor Mah'ohomoh
md the receiving ship Vermont Tic principai hurry
has been on the Atlanta, Concord and Miantonomoh'
About n week ago. In the effort to get the vessels
ready for sea A. n short time, men began working
over hours on some Of them. The Atlanta perhaps,
needed more work than any of the vessels soon
10 sail away. Two OF the hawsc pipes In her DO"
were being replaced by new ones which ha" u
be cast made ready and fitted Into place. her engines
also were receiving some attention; ana she was 10
have her bottom cleaned and painted. Tho WORK oi
PAINTING the vessels bottom was delayed by inc
stormy weather but she finished SO that she was
taken from the dry dock Friday afternoon Then shc
went 10 the coal dock TO receive her supply vi oo
her ammunition was brought down from Fort Wads-
worth yesterday afternoon. While In the dry -docA
she had received large part OF her stores, anu "i'o
mart of her ammuni on-some armor-pcrchS pro
cctilcs. 4 dock trial OF thc VeSseis 's'"o' 10 W
be held this morning. go
There has also been hurry in connection win
the fitting ont OF the Concord TWO or three weeks
ago when the Vessel ready TO start Tor sea- part
OF her steering gear the rudder1uadi'ht was o'oNc
inst AS she was to he taken from the dry -uoch'
To repair this damage new castings hau 10 oc n""o'
borcd and pat into position. The castings were
taken on board the vessel yesterday, and the ooh-
strucon Department said that the work OF putting
them into place would be done by daylight ths
morning The vessel has both her bunkerS nlied
with coal. -,
The Bennington has bccn kept at the YARD
nv her need OF steam launch
boro in ~
week. and then the work Of fitting 1t Win 'ie chs'ne
from the old launch was begun. Tic vessel has been
practically ready for In other respects for ABOUT wv,
weeks and could have sailed without the steam i'"
had II been necessary. Late in the week came al oor
10 mt the Bennington into dock to have her ooto
cleaned and painted. She was put into inc umoer
dry dock Yesterday morning. An order came III the
wool. that all of these three vessels should be ready
for sea on Monday and the work hurried in order
that this might be accomplished The Atlahta anu
Concord will be ready on time II nothing happens oc
Bennington may he ready to come out OF the Dry aooh
tomorrow, and possibly not un1i Inesday mo'hins'
In Yesterdays papers the order published that the
Concord should sail at the earliest practicable DAY ior
st. Thomas to Join the Philadelphia flagship, and the
Kearsargc OF the North Atlantic Squad on II is ex-
pected that the Atlanta will be ordered to Brazil.
There has also been much hurry on the monitor
Mantonomoh in getting her ready for her trial. ana
mucl progress has been made Men have worked extra
the morning until O'Clock at night. The work OF
rvenr the roof of the forward turet, the most i'm
portant lob will be finished, it is said at the close oil
this week. There Is work on the steering gear ana
many other Jobs. The crew was taken from the e-
ceivnc ship Vermont and quartered on board the Vesse
on Thursday The officers have not yet taken up thcir
quarters on board.
The work on the Chicago, the flagship of the Squad
ron Of Evolution has not been hurried but now 1t is
being carried on more rapidly. The new evaporators
being put in there IS some ventiati work. anu
the decks are being repaired The vessel Will be put
into the drydock this week to have her bottom cleaned
and painted She will probably be ready u sail Tor
her winters cruise in about Two weeks.
The Newark, which has been at the Boston Navy
Yard and which was under orders TO sail from there
Yesterday will probably arrive at this port some time
today she is not t. go to the Navy Yard The YES
sci to receive her supply OF stores here. She is also
to receive ammunition which can be obtained az
Fort wadswolth. The Newark is TO 60 to the South
Atlantic where she will bc the flagship OF the squadron
there. under Rear Admiral A. T.. X. Benham.
Naturally there have been talk and surmisc as to
The destination Of all the warshps Naval officers have
said that only the proper precautions we've being taken
With serious disturbances IN Brazil Chill and China IL
could not be told what might happen or what contin
gences might arise and Naval vessels should be ready
| The week has shown how quickly work In the Navy
can be done when it is necessary. The various de-
partInents have been pressed by the hurry. and have
responded to the pressure and turned out rapid work.
one officer said the subject that 1t Is what ought t.
be done every time vessels to the Navy Yard 10
be repaired. They should not be allowed to lie In the
yard for weeks at time. That causes decentralization
| Until the repairs are finished on the Dolphin the
! dynamite cruiser Vesuvus will be used Il Navy
dispatch boat whenever one is needed. The forth
coming annual report Of the secretary OF the Navy
which, 10 Is learned will embrace several recommended
ons to Congress affecting the personnel, both officers
and enlisted men. Of the service. naturally eycites
much interest among the officers. .lt is understood
| that this years estimates will be generally scaled
down. and only such items be urged the exigencies
of tho service demand. II is generally accepted that
the proposed increase of vessels will be confined to
| torpedo-boats and gunbcats.
IL seems reasonably certain that bill embodying
MANY OF the general features % the report OF the
Phythian Board will be considered by the next Con-
gress not a partisan measure nor petition CT
any corps or any particular set Of officers. but
| something needed by the Navy and demanded by the
country for the Improvement Of the military branch
| of tfc Government. A movement intended to pro-
vide the vessels of the Navy with thoroughly efficient
commanding and navigating Officers will be supported
by all who have the welfare Of the Navy at heart:
ercenary motives win lind to thor interest {, change
The present sy stem Of promotion Every year makes the
solution Of tile problem OF organization more difficult
ana IL Is postponed much longer either the efficiency Of
s ss Sa It ie believed t that bill viii be dfe cd
ON the basis of the report Of the ply THAN Board and
will then be amended TO the views Ct Secretary
Tracy II bill, officially Endorsed by the Secretary is
supported by the officers H. would doubt BE recon-
| monded by the Naval Committee Of both houses OF
Congress. The bill would doubt embrace the staff
| as well rs the line officers. aud not only cover all
| needed changes In the laws OF promotion but also a
| REIMBURSEMENT Of tho pay-table that II would be
| more equtablethan now and more nearly meet the
| actual expenses Of the officers
| Another feature which the secretary's report will
| cover IL Is reported, Is recommendation for the
formation of corps OF Judge advocates CORES pond
with the efficient Judge dy0cate Generals department
of the Army. The proposition Is TO have a corps Of
six officers who shall be appointed by the President
from among the officers II the Navy and Marine
| Corps who have by study and experience particI-
larly fitted themselves for those Offices. The senior
member would have the rank Of commodore equivalent
10 that OF brgader general In the Marine Corps and
be stationed in Washington with the title OF Judge
| ADVOCATE General The other judgcadvocates would