New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-13
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
CHANGES IN TWO soUADRoNs.
pErAcHMESrs FROM ADMIRAL WALKERS FLEET

DEPARTMENTS FROM ADMIRAL WALKERs rLHHA
WHERE THE CRUISERS WILL GO.
The most interesting incident In connection "iVh
.be Navy in these waters in the last week mas UGH
the changes in the North Atlantic oquseron' IN
manded by Rear-Admiral Bancroft uheraru'' a"u ~
souadron Of Evolution, commanded by kear-n"iita
John G. Walker. The changes were noted IN inc
Woehington dispatches on Thursday, or four DAYS
after The Tribune announced that such changes "ere
20 no made in a few days. 1t was SAID III uieSe
columns O week ago that the Newark Au"n's anu
Boston were to be detached from the squaniVh VI
Evolution and ordered to other duty ana olA' 'lo
Enterprtse and the Petrol to be detached from
the North Atlantic Squadron, the former 10 q" i"
the Naval Academy and the latter 10 Nicaragua
That these predictions were close to the truth Is
shown by the orders issued by the Navy Department
On Thursday. The Squadron OF Evolution mas Vco"
composed of the following vessels during the suhhor
Tho Chicago Newark Atlanta, Boston, Horktown' Con-
cord Bennington, Cushing and Vesuvius. The ben-
plngton however has yet been with the squadron
but Is still at the Navy Yard The orders on THURSDAY
detaoh the Newark, that she may become nagsfhp OF
the South Atlantic Squadron the Boston ana COncou
are to DO transferred 10 the North Atlantic squadron
the Yorktown is to be sent to the Pacific station e
Vesuvins Is 10 be made ready for the final tests OF
her dynamite guns the Gushing has been scnt 10 o
torpedo station at Newport. This leaves only the
Chicago, Atlanta and Bennington with the squadron
and it is rumored that one Of these may soon be or
dered to European waters, where there has been no
regular squadron for nearly two years, and not
United States naval vessel since the Baltimore LETT
there last spring TO go to Chill.
The North Atlantic Squadron has been composed OF
the flagship Philadelphia and the Kearsaree Enter
prise and Petrol The last has been detached to be
sent out to the Asatic station to go by way Of the
suez Canal. The Enterprise has been detached and
will be sent to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, to
take the place of the Wyoming training ship for
the cadets.
This arrangements has been decided upon. 1t is said
in lieu Of consolidating the two squadron as urgently
recommended in Navy quarters and Is expected that
It will continue until February next. when Rear
Admiral Gherard will have completed the three years
of sea service, and will be detached and placed on
waiting orders get other duty. At the end of this
time some of the vessels viii be detached from both
squadrons and ordered to foreign waters and those
remaining will be merged into one squadron WIN
Admiral Walker In command. In the meanwhile the
vessels remaining In the Squadron of Evolution VIII
continue their evolutionary exercises, gong up the
Mississippi River during the coming winter The yes
sells az the North Atlantic Squadron will perform the
Legitimate duties Of the station, and will probably 90
10 Haytian waters in the course of few months 10
act in conjunction with the American Minister,
Mr. Durham, in connection with the negotiations LOT
Mole st. Nicholas a c0aling station.
1t is expected that the Newark will start in about
station The Essex IS the only serviceable vessel at
prssnt on the station the TallapoOs being in such an
unseaworthy condition that she Is TO be sold at aucuoh
The order of RearAdmiral A. E. X. Benham 10 COM
uand the South Atlantic station puts aI
end 10 the intended orders to Rear-Aunli'u
Harmony 10 command that station but had ke@r-Au
miral Harmony followed the original schedule ana
stonped al Rio Janelro he would, doubt have fouu
orders there to remain IN command. The um0rs OF suc
intention reached Admiral Harmony at Flnchal, anu
he then concluded not to avail himself Of the diocre
onary orders to stop at Rio, but pushed on 10 OSPe
Town.
The Petrol has already gone to the Navy Yard TO be
made ready TO 20 away for her cruise Of three years ID
Asjatic waters There are many things TO be done 10
the little vessel although most OF them are smSh anu
minor Jobs She will receive new pllot-house' ana
her decks viii be cauked. Her boilers and engines
will be overhauled and repaired and this will PROBABLY
take about six weeks little ordnance work IS also
necessity Possibly the ship will be put into the dry
dock to have her bottom cleaned and painted Then
there will be great many stores to be taken on
board besides coal and ammunition, before the Fetrel
can start The Newark and the Yorktown VIII be
fitted ont at the Navy Yard and made ready to go on
their service.
The work OF fitting out the Bennington for sea SER
vice still continues. some changes are being made in
the boat davts, and other proposed changes are also
being made The list of watch officers the vessel
is one short of the complement the fifth not having
been ordered to the ship yet This keeps the four
watch officers at present on the ship constantly EN-
ployed giving each OF them only thIrtysix hours on
duty in four days. including both day and night work
The repairs on the Despatch about finished, and
the vessel is practically ready to go to sea- She Is,
however TO receive sails, and these have
not as yet been delivered boarl of her. The vessel
Is in the special service OF the Navy Department and
receives her orders from the Secretary Of the Navy.
At present she has 10 orders, but is expecting some
this week.
The sloopof-war Yantic has been taken out of the
dry dock, and IS being made ready to stalt on her
cruise TO the south Atlantic. The leak In her stern
found and repaired; dock trial Of her engines
will soon be made, and II there is any leak st remain
ing in her stern 1t will probably be discovered at that
time. Men were busy yesterday feshenlng the paint
on the ships hull The complement Of the crew is
being slowly filed by means OF the small drafts Of
men that are constantly sent TO 1t. The Yantic is a
stout little vessel, and has done good service
and westhered strong gales within the last two
or three years
The on the various vessels that are being built
in the Navy Yard is being carried all the time.
Gangs of men at work on the two monitors Puritan
and Terror, and the mounting OF the two big l0inch
guns in the forward turrct occupies attention the
monitor Miantonomoh. When the gans arc mounted
the Miantonomoh will be ready TO be put info commits
sion, and tie long work of TecJnstructing the old mon
it0r will at last be about completed.
The work on the Maine and the Cincinnati, the two
new cruisers now being built in the yard is carried on
steadily by the gangs of wOrkmen. shp-itters,
machnists and rveer needed In the construction
department to carry the various works OF that de-
partmcnt
The flagship Philadelphia, now that she is about TO
come here is TO receive her new masts in the Navy
Yard. II will be remembered That there was some
trouble with the vessel last winter and that an
given to replace the vessels steel masts with
wooden ones In order to Increase her stability AZ
sad % be somewhat jOpneayy. These wooden
maStS ready 10 Dc put into the vessel.
Another set Of engines are being pat up In the
erection shop thus far the frames and cylinders In
place This makes two OF the four Of engines that
being put together now.
In the steam Engineering Department some accurate
weighing machines being made. There was no IN
strument in the shop that could test high pressure
gauges and hence one has been made that viii test
them up TO 1900 or 1000 pounds pressure. In
marked contrast 10 thls Is an instrument that be
adjusted to weigh even grain. This is for IN
during steam trial. and which indicate the power OF
the engines There is little friction and conse