New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
MANY THINGS OF INTEREST THERE.


WILL REMAIN.
r. must not be supposed by those who have be
come intensely interested in the new Navy, us
various phases and changes connected WIN us
development, that the prospective departure Oh
the Philadelphia and the Dolphin Tor the South
before the week closes, and the sailing Of the
Chicago and the Yorktown two or three weeks
LATER will remove all that is Of interest at the
Navy Yard There will be plenty left to excite
the curious layman and the critical student In
the building of the cruiser Cincinnati, which Is
not nearly ready to take her first ibation from the
ocean: in the battle-ship Maine. which is yet to
receive her machinery her nickel armor-plate,
ber armament her inside and outside httlngS, ana
tho various things necessary 10 make her ready
to 90 into commssion i'll the new thlru-class
cruiser Concord, which. soon as she mas u SUI
ccssfII steam trial is to receive her masts, guns
and other fittings " the turreted monitors Nian
tonomah. Terror and Puritan; IN the torpcuo-ooa.
Alarm and the cruiser Boston. And even II all
of these were gone, there is the old irlgate MIL
ncsota which is being better fitted for her service
for training young lads TO become cihcieht Ta-
men. and the wooden cruiser lantlc whlch' 1t
10 tLouoht may be- detailed 10 test the merits OF
tho plou of CAPTAIN Henry Erhcn to recruit new
men along the coast for crews for new shiPs'
And not only the ships themselves, nut the SHOPS
vhcrc are hciur fitted up the boilers and machin-
cry for new vessels. are places OF great interest
to experts and 10 the ordinary people.
MANY people perhaps wonder why 1t has taken
50 long 10 get some Of the vessels rcaoy loi
sea. but there is such multitude OF small de'alS
in bringing the guns and machinery for new SHIPS
up 10 perfection that it necessarily taxes more
time than most people suppose 10 get them ready
al La. iris
Of tic English Navy. the fact is substan'ated
that vessels in American Navy Yards are fitted
ON; with greater facility and at less expense than
tho,. in English dock yards. Chief Naval Ton
,tructor Theodore d. Wilson, who gives personal
attention to all Of the ships far 40 possible was
At the Navy Yard last week 10 make personal
insncction OF the bottoms of the vessels In the
docks and cA pressed himsci as satisfied with ther
condition The rumors about the condlten %
the new timber dry-docR and the bad ehec'
Of the cold weather on the springs under IL were
revived again few days ago. Some ot ue
officers who questioned the proprlety oil puiIulhh
il where there were many springs ana quick
sands are still doubtful as 10 It's durability, but
no mischief has yet been discovered. II was
built IN the Cleveland Administration
II is practically settled that Admiral Walker
SQUADRON OF Evolution shall leave the Navy lard
70 start for the Gulf waters soon after the middle
If ,be month ON Thursday morning orders were
received from the Navy Department directing
that the work Of getting the Chicago, the flagship,
and tbe Yorktown ready for sea should bc com
pe,cd as soon as January l.. The Boston, which
IS attached 10 this squadron. will probably sail
two or three weeks later. as soon as the work 81
puttinr in hcT new shaft is finished. and viii
oin the other vessels at Ncw-Orlcans. where they
will take part in the Mordi-Gras celebration. which
fakes place early in February The Dolphin, which
has been transferred from Tie North Atlantic
Sauadron 10 the Squadron Of Evolution, is 10 starr
from the Navy Yard on "Wednesday for Hampton
Roads where she is TO await the arrival OF the
nngship Chicago. The Atlanta. which Is still al
Norfolk. where she has been undergoing repairs
and having her hull reprinted. will remain there
until the Chicago and the Yorktown sail, and
will ioin those vessels of Hampton Roads. Inc
Yorktown was toatcd into the timber dry-dock AT
the Navy Yard on Friday 10 have her bottom re-
painted The changes to the officers quarters
and tie ucss-room are now being made. but viii
be- finished in n few days. \ careful survey OF
the hull of the Chicago since She has been IN the
Granite dock demonstrated the fact that the
Rahtlln paint. which put on at Malta IN
April last, is much inferior 10 the American anti
loulng paints and more than half Of It had ilaked
of hy friction with the salt water T. test the
relative merits of the English paint and tho Amer.
can gcrnicide paint one kind Is being put on one
side Of the bottom and the other kind on the
opposite side of the hull The Dolphin was heinz
coalcd Yesterday. and now comparatively few
things are left TO bc done before she sails on
Wednesday Before the Squadron OF Evolution
returns North which will be early in April. 1t is
10 IKE part in fleet and squadron drills with the
vessels Of the North Atlantic Squadron. Upon the
return of the former squadron the Newark, which
is TO I've ready for active servicc before then. Will
probably cpla,r the Chicago as flagship, the latter
going to the South Atlantic as Admiral McCann
narship Th, new cruiser Concord also will very
likely take the place of the Boston. which vessel
is 10 bc sent 10 the European Squadron
Although il thought by some that the
flagship Philadelphia, of the North Atlantic squad
ron. would start for the West Indies to-day. Cap
tain Rodgers said yesterday that she would not
The test 10 find the meta-ccntric point of the
vessel was made on Friday as she lay at the c0nl
dock heavy weight Of pig-iron had been
hostcd on board. and when the test was made
the vessel was listed TO one side the other
by shifting the iron. Although the weight Of
iron had been taken from the ship. the cacuIa-
tions had not been accurately worked up ycstcr
day morning The work of coaling the vessel
has been finished. about 900 tons Of hard coal
having been taken on board.
The Philadelphia will probably start for the
West Indies on Thursday. The schedule OF move
mcnts of the vessels of the North Atlantic Squad.
ron has not been fully completed. but Admiral
Ghcrardi who is credited with being one of the
most progressive Of squadron commandments, will
arrange such a programme as will improve the
efficiency OF the officers and men for the service
with which they are connected. II is hardly prob
able that the KcaTsaIgc, which arrived at Norfolk
on Thursday, having returned from duty al
Colon because OF several OF the crew being sick
with " breakbone fcve. will Join the squadron
before it returns 10 Key West from its cruise in
the West Indies The fever. while resembling
yellow fever in some respects is not dangerous
disease. but it is peculiar 10 the Central Ameri-
can Const. and becomes epidemic and incapaci-