New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-30

accepted the Office OF Fourth Assistant fo,tnaster-
General created at the last session of Congress lie
will not however, IL l. understood, enter upon the
duties of the Office for some tmc
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
CRANES FOR THE NAVY YARDs-A PAPER BOAT
FOR THE HAvY-PLANs FOR COAST
DEFENCE
Washington March 20 (speclaD-The Bureau Of
Yards and Docks has Just completed plans for two I'M
nenSe travelling cranes one 10 be located al the New
York Navy Yard and the other al the Norfolk yard
each to cost $4,000 The board Of officers which re-
Gently had under consideration the method OF ahxns
armOr to the sides of vessels recommended as part OF
the scheme the OF cranes for Hitting the plates over
TO the ships hull Provision for the construction OF
the cranes was made under bureau estimates IN the
latest Naval Appropriation act. Commodore tarluhar
will call for proposals in about aweek and invite bids
according to bidders plans or the bureau Plans Tie
latter contemplate crane capable OF lifting forty tons
~ weight ard hoIdng it out at radius Of fifty feet
capacity secured. far as can be learned by any
other crane The scheme Is to run an eigheeh-ioot
track around the dry dock where the vessel to be
armorcd will be placed The crane will be mounted on
an iron car body running on four trucks The car
body will be fitted with roller bed and turntabe or
drum the latter connected with the car body by large
steel pin OF twelvelnch diameter. The platform
will contain the gearing. the boiler ana
engine ald an immense CONFERENCE.-THE one engine
will operate the crane and the turntabc. Jie Dcom
series OF grdcrs probably OF wrouClltlron' VIII 10
seventy-fve and Onc-lalf feet IN length, ana eAtld
upward ana outward u give the reach OF nifty
feet. II will be supported by an iron bndgcvork.
The chain will be of linked Steel resembling the bi-
cycle chain and is unlike anything used in cranes IN
this county. The end of the platform opposite thas
over which the boom projects Will jut out beyond ire
trucks and will carry counterweight OF between
seventy and eighty tons. The completion of these
,f Of Tho
Naval constructors had to deal WITH the means OF
gett ne armor plate the ships side. There existed
no device which could be adopted at orr Navy naIds,
where the economy of space compelled such work u
be done I'm the docks The Department therefore, has
been obliged to invent its own appliances. Vessels
will receive their armament at New-lok and Norioa
when the time comes. which will not be before ten
months or a year. IL will probably take that length
of time construct the and it Is by no means
certain, although the prospects are excellent that
armor plates will long await the cranes
The Navy has purchased paper boat. After
trial Of the material for this craft at the NewlorR
Navy Yard. New-YOrk firm was ordered TO build
whale boat gig The frame is of wood but the
covering Of prepared paper which, 1t asserted, Will
withstand the changes Of temperature and the effects
of submergence The trials demonstrated its merit
in the latter direction and 1t was found not to absorb
water. II is about 20 per cent lighter than wooden
boat Of the same Dimensions and the cost Is merely
nominal after a mouid has once been made The Gig
lust completed for the Government will cost $l,5oo
which Is about the cost Of wooden boat, but future
paper gig, can lie constructed ut little above the
expense Of the material. The zig will be placed ON
one OF the new vessels
\ dispatch from The south yesterday giving an
account OF revenue steamers inland passage along
the Carolina coast doc. not convey anything novel
TO the officers In charge of the coasdeence problem
The dispatch drew the inference that "a system Of
tornedo notilla service will soon he devised to take
advantage Of thi, Inland navigation The ransporta
ton of light war craft from point To another on
the coast has been part of the secret scheme ot
coa, defence and has been thoroughly considered by
the authorities. The feat Of the revenue steamer
Morrill, in making the inland passage from North
Ed,to River south Carolina. TO Charleston is robbed OF
il, Importance by the fact that naval steam launch
was taken by a similar course recently from NorolK
to Pensacola. The launch fifty feet in length ana
drew six feet Of water. 1t was In the nature oil
an experiment and demonstrated what could be done
In the way Of inland navigation. The Office OF Naval
Intelligence Ina, been gathering Information Of wider
scope and has found that it is possible to convey
torpedo boats and their kind 10 objective points 1y
| rail The Navy Department. which works in
junction with the War Department in the astdefence
problem has perfected arrangements with certain ral
Tnad for CARRYING boats in time of war. The inquiry
WA, made relative to the occupation Of the Great Lakes
but the operation wOu. of course, be os>blc in any
"thcr direction The advantages of such trans port
| ton are readily apparent II secretary TIacy's plan
Soild be realized and the Navy strengthened by tn,
addition Of twenty torpedo boats cir Oh AZ II!
| could be. the Cushing is now. tied up at pier
/ AT the Washington Navy Yard. for instance this morn
| ing and OH information that the enemy was approach,
! Ing, sufficient repeant force conld be placed on
ears to carry one boat which would be supported
! the middle car only
The Navy is anxious to secure the practice cruiser
building at Elzabethpot y. j.. and the Secretary has
ordered Constructor liicbbon TO visit the
| md ~.
ton which annually serves the purpose OF training
Ship for the Naval cadets IS at the Norfolk Navy Yard
/ awaiting repairs. which to $4,000. II Is
dobtlIl If She viii be used after this summer by the
| Government, provided, OF course, the new practice
cruiser f. completed within the contract timet,lat Is
| hv July. 1892. The Constellation. which is wooden
sailing vessel of 1856 tons. will probably bc turned
the present Admini>tra /, committed 80 far as II
does not interfere with the regular service
The War and Navy departments have adopted a sys-
tenn In making details especially those Of privileged
nature which is OF benefit 60 officers Of meritoriogs
| vice The secretary of War began the practice some
time ago Of calling ior an officers record before select
ing him 10 detached duty"-that is. duty away fromj
his regiment such college detail attache at leSntonf
| abroad or tho numerous boards and commissions "
found 10 operate to advantage and seemed q
T or e sSye on s n0 Sca Of the e
Navy has had prepared schedule Of Naval Officer ana
,crye ms gninnce in bcstownr favors and viii show
the experience and fitness OF officers.
1t is too early yet to ascertain whether the Jndsn
enlistment scheme will bc success in the Army
There have been few recruits. but no reports rave
reached the War Department Orders have been given
TO enlist the captive Indians members Of Gernonmos
bsnd. at Mount Vernon Barracks, Nabam"' lie, Incy
VIII be forns into ,G company The hnnv.
i D' is likely their enlistment; viii terminate
| the condition OF captivity. as ue VI" al NJ ~ sense
ment takes the ground that the seNlce i IN ~ sc'o
form OF Imprisonment and that tnc o,enpa' ,. os
soldier Is an honorable II is hoped tlit .s
tension Of virtual privilege 70 the Id2n pIi s1Sns
vi