New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-30
Il THRILL At THE NAVY YARD
ALL ON THE TIPToE OF EXPECTANCY
OFFICERS WOULD NOT DE SORRY TO START FOR
VALPARAISO At ONCE-AvAILABLE

VALPARAISO AT ONCE-AVAILABLE
wARSHIPs.
There was general air of preparation at the Navy
Yard yesterday such as has not been for some
time. No orders had been received from Washing
ton, but It In the air that the services of Of
The vessels at tho yard might be required in Chan
waters. and aertness and dispatch marked the move
ments Of everybody and there was a general air OF
expectancy. On board the Bennington they were get
ting ready TO go down TO Gardeners Bay and try her
guns On the Concord her sister ship the crew were
hard at work holsng out the broken steering quad
rant and making ready to put the new one in. Sea
stores Icing put on board the Philadelphia. and
the Chicago coalng. On board tho Miantonomoh
hundred things being done TO put her in shape
for service. and the ceascess sound of hammers
resounded from the Maine. Captain Erben. the
mandant Of the yard, said late yesterday afternoon
a. have received TO instructions from Washington
vet, though have rather been expecting some. 1t
would not take long 10 get the feet here ready for
We certainly need strong fleet in Chlian waters under
the present circumstances. These new vessels Of ours
arc Just the things to send TO Chill. They for
midablc enough for TINT service"
The officers nj the ward much ncensed at
tho news that the Intendentc OF Valparaiso had
fused to guarantee the safety Of market boats com
ing ashore early In the morning from the Baltimore
OF the safety Of officers coming ashore at night from
that vessel. "Ths is pretty state OF things" said
colt is placed on our ship. and officers go ashore
only at the risk Of their lives after dark. don't
believe the Government will stand this sort Of thing.
believe moro Ships will be ordered TO Chill and
firm stand taken" In speaking Of the EsmcIada he
said "shc is more nearly Ike the Charleston than
like any other OF our ships: In fact she Is almost
exactly similar She has heavier armament, however,
having replaced her 5-nch guns with 10lnch ones.
Slo was built to make eighteen knots an hour and did
make IT, but now she only make eleven or twelve
do the best she cam The Mlantonomoh make
eleven knots and with her heavy armor might lie
in the middle OF the Gillian fleet and send every
one Of them to the bottom without being
harmed The Esmerada has good outht OF
torp.does which our ships have not but their torpedocs
are such uncertain things that the use Of them IS
sort OF lottery-there more blanks than prizes
The has Just bought ffy torpedoes for Tho
acw ships and We might try them against the Chans
by way OF experiment What place Valparaiso
would be 10 lombard. II is strung along the waser
front so that It's buildings would afford the best target
practice In the world. OF course ] hope we won't
have war hut II you could realize how naval officers
and men have treated for year. By the Chilans
vou v,ould believe that IL would not be hard for the
Navy to reconcile Itself to little war with those
people,
The feasibility of sending the Mlantonomoh to Chill
was not for moment doubted by my Of the officers
spokcn with They cited the Of the monitor
Nonadnock which went 70 the West Coast nnhauncd.
and OF the former MantOnomoh which made trip to
Europe The two ships which were completed In
Europe for the Gillian navy, before the downfall of
Bamnceda are still in European waters Tile Bhnco
Encalada was sunk In an engagement by the torpedo
boat Aimiranie Condel. and this leaves the Es-
meralda tho best ship of the Chillnn navy.
The entire population OF Chill Is about 100000 NJ