New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
FOR THE BENN1NGToN'S NEW TRIAL.
MAKING INRoADs on GOVERNMENT VESSELS
SOME CRYING EVILS.


SOME CRYING EVILS.
The new steel cruiser Bennington IS no" ieoerns
careful attention. and her contractors are enuc"e
10 mt her into condition to improve on INC reoo'u
OF power which she made on her trial hcid aoo' 'ee
eeps ago on which occasion she failed to come up 10
the contract requirements Of 3,4oo horSe'po"ei. 1"
the last week the vessel has been taken 10 'ho Navy
Yard and put into the timber dryd Men "cic III
vor, upon her yesterday, altering the pitch Oh 'c pro-
pellers which, It may be remembered, was aoo"' TWO
inches coarser than the pitch OF the Concords propc
lcrs The blades OF the propeller are fastened 10 inc
big steel hub by bolts. and to alter the pch Oh 'e
nroneler the bolts are loosened and the BLADES o'eo
an as TO have greater less angle, as the case may
he with reference to the shaft greater angie gives
a coarser pitch and less nngle finer pi''h'
few weeks ago. when the engines were being run
with tho vessel alongside Of the DOCK one OF inc oiaucs
~ the propeer on the port side hit against iog OF
wood or some such thing nonting IN the water anu
thus hccame nicked This little damage is also to be
,o,a,red while the vessel Is IN dock II Is thought by
.omc that the force Of the blow might have oeeh SUI
fcien to alter slightly the pitch OF the popeo' ny
worNn: the blade and that this might account III Soc
way for the unfortunate results OF the recent u"''
But representative OF the ountard Works sad yes
tcrday that the pitch OF the propeller had not altered
and that 1t would lie impossible to alter II by dow"
that the shaft would break first. Inc snip ""rheu
admirably I'm other respects at her trial, ana "hen
completed she will probably be one Oh ''e noS'
efficient vessels ahoat OF her class IL Is hopcu ""'
ny means OF reducing the pitch OF the propciier' III
Ia now being DONE by some meas the bchi'"s'oh
will come up to- IL not exceed, the contract require
mcnts in the development Of horsepower The prvi
Icge OF holding another trial has been granted 10 to
contractors and this will probably be held III the
latter part Of this week early In next week.
Tho last few DAYS have been rather disastrous ones
70 the Navy Department. First comes inc hc"s VI
the wreck Of the sloop-0fwar Galena as size was vi
her way 20 Portsmouth 10 be repaired ana pun H'o
commission and Of the Navy tug Nina "hch ll"d
tbe Galena in tow The Galena was loaded with her
.hoo now boilers her small boats and various stores
and articles OF equipment. Then the Navy torpedo
ing Trana going to carry supplies to the crews u
the wrecked Gacna and Nina, was cast on inc ehoro
nm Cannapitsett Cuttyhunk In northwestern! Fun
And lastly on Thursday night the receiving snip yer
mont was badly damaged In the middle OF the hlsh'
tho steam collier Wkesbarrc ran Into tie vermont
and stove hole in her port side abnit the DOW" "V'
twelve foot long and four feet wide. and slightly above
Tho water line The blow was SUFFICIENT 10 push 'io
vcsscl against one Of the shores winch he'p " '''
49, ,r nI,ce with such force that hole was also
stovc in lie starboard side by It, ON pom soeS u
A. os,e, somc Of the capboarllnC was torn away.
rhoro continues 10 be great difficulty In h'iinR inv
-. s.,s,art surccon IN the Medical Corps OF
,ho Navy With the necessary complement OF ncn'
Tint. denarnlent Of the service Is hlled from ".''0
sources. As candidates for this place fh"s' u''uo'
o,.aro cxamination and as the paw and conditions OF
oncers Of this grade board ship are not e''"cH
, s,tI.foctory Young medical mon are not ahN'
iors N try for an appointment ot Inc
sororal candidates recently examined by INC
Ncw.York Board not one was SUCCESSFUL anu
Cor the reason that candidates presented
themselves the Examining Board at san Francisco mas
becn dissolved II is said that tempting circulars are
sent around to the various medical coHegcs ny INC
Navy Department. with the hope that many cahdi-
dates will present themselves for examination ai'cr
their graduation. But the officers. Notwithstanding
have their doubts that the full number OF succeSiu
candidates will be obtained. II Is sald mat secretary
Tracv has refused to lower the standard Of the ex
animation but it is thought that unless either TINS is
done or the pay and general conditions OF assistant
SURGEONS on board ship be made better, IL will be very
difficult, IL not impossible keep the corps with It's
| proper complement Of officers.
The Naval Committee Of the Senate was authorl1ch
by resolution Of that body Of Congress 10 st CURING
the interval before the beginning OF the next session
in December to consider changes In the law
necessary 10 improve the personnel OF the Navy, to
investigate the condition Of the vessels Of the various
c,sescs including those not yet finished and to inspect
tho navy wards and the manner Of carrying on work
therein. Some Of the newspapers have gone much out
Of the way in tho last few days to characterize II as
"iunkcng trip but those who have kept Informed
Of the reports Of officers at the various stations and
On the several ships being built and IN commission, VIII
recognize that the committee can accomplish great
deal in obtaining Information and formulating In in
general report
one Of the fields embraced in the resolution for In
vcsticatlon which was suggested by the several bills
introduced In Congress and which failed In their pas
sage Is the personnel, both officers and men. The
best officers in the service will be ready to offer all pos
slblo assistance. and by getting the views OF few