The record-union., 1891-11-09
Special to the REcoRD-UxIox.


New YORK, Nov. S.-The BROOKLYN
Navy-yard to-day presented an appear-
| ance OF activity witnessed for the first
tlme since the exciting times of the re-
bellion. The hum and din of busy work.
men on the war vessels NIiantonomah
ana Atlanta disturbed the Sabbath still
ness as body of 400 blue Jackets marched
across the yard TO divine services. Work.
men have been busily engaged day and
night for the past week in preparing the
two vessels for speedy service at sea.
Io-day the work of preparation contin-
ued, 1t being the first Sunday since the
late war that such thing has happened.
Lhere are eighty men at work on the two
vessels, and all expedition viii be used
until they are ready for service.
Navy-yard officials have denied the ru-
mored sinking Of the Baltimore at Val
paraiso. 1t was said that the officers and
crew of the Baltimore exercise the same
Ylgllance as In war times, and the torpedo
nets about the vessel would save her from
sudden attack. The unusual hustle and
activity at the yard is said not be due to
the reported sinking Of the Baltimore,
but 1t is conceded that the strained rela-
lions between this country and Chile has
caused the Government anxiety to ret ain
war vessels ready for any possible con-
tingency.
Saturday night thirty machinists
worked on the Miantonomah until
O'Clock. Work was resumed at o'clock
this morning, and was kept up without
interruption until 8 o'clock at night.
Orders were given to continue working
Jne same number of hours each day until
The vessel is ready for sea. It is thought
She S,II can be away. by the last of this week.
Inc same busting activity was noticea-
bic on board the Atlanta, Chicago. Con-
cord and Bennington. The Atlanta
Workmen were employed until O'Clock
Sunday morning. and at 6 o'clock another
shit went to work, and were still ham
inering away late tonight
Al MARE ISLAND.
VALLEJO, Nov. S.-There is great ac-
tivity at the navy yard Machinists
We're at work all day to-day Sunday on
the Mohican, and will work again to-
night. kilograms have been received
at the yard urging the putting OF vessels
IN readiness for sea at once. All availa-
bic Workmen on the lists have been sent
Ior, and thousand men Will be at work
in q few days.
There are now six wooden vessels at
Mare island, all Of which could be ready
for action within five weeks. Each YES
sci has one eight-inch converted muZZle-
loading rifle and one sixtv-Dound
Dreech-loadIng rifle The rest of the
main battery consists of nine-fnch
smooth bOres. Of these the Omaha has
ten, the Swatara and Mohican eight. and
the Adams and Nipsic six, and the
Ranger four. Besides these is the monitor
COmanche, with two fifteen-inch smooth
bores, now ready for sea. All the vessels
have the HOtchkiss revolving cannon as
a secondary battery. There are also at
the island SIX eight-inch converted rifles,
four siXty-pOunders, and a large num-
Der OF surplus nine-inch smooth-bores.
sAS FEANCIsCo's DEFENSE.
SAN Francisco, Nov. S.-The fact that
work at the navy yards at Brooklyn and
Mare Island is being pushed both on
Sunday and ut night has created some ex-
element here. The defenses at San
francisco against an attack from sea are
not especially good. There is not sin
gle modern rifle here. Fort Point. at the
entrance OF the Golden Gate, has about
iifty eight-inch muzzle-lOading rifles con-
Verted from iron ten-inch smooth bores.
On Alcatraz there are eight or nine more
There are also a large number of ten and
Htteen-inch smooth boreS. It is believed
that these guns could delay an enemy
entering The bay for a considerable length
Of TIME. Only the extreme western part
OF the city, where there are few valuable
buildings, could be shelled without COM
ing within close range of these guns. The
harbor is well protected by torpedoes, of
which there are six or seven hundred in
position, or ready to be placed. All these
are stationary, there being no auto-mo-
bile torpedoes in the city. Two modern
rifles have been promised to San Fran
cisco next year and two the year after.