Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-13
,os-e.pOrdence Of The Evening star.

ior-e,pOrdence Of The Evening star.
L. 8. NAVY YARD,
BROOKLYN. Y. Y, August u, 1891.
Considerable Of the interest Of the new navy
has been clustered around the navy yard here
since Admiral Walkers white squadron has
been in and about New York. Shortly after the
squadron got in, week ago, it was rumored
that some of the ships would be detached and
ordered to the yard for extensive repairs. To
souaa of the officers who saw only irksome drills
snG life on an expensive station in the present
cruisings of the white squadron, this was joyfu.
news for to them it meant a possible cruise to
Europe with visions of the almond eyes OF
Japan; bat to those more deeply inbued with
the full idea OF the grandness of the present
evolutionary fleet it meant u detention OF the
squadron. delaying the plans for a grand time
ct EewpOr. and Bar Harbor and The fall drills
OF the coast
Tie admiral used every means TO hurry the
work. sno partially succeeded. for just week
ago the Yorktown wont into the dry dock, had
her bottom plating scraped and cleaned and
coated with ant-iOuling paint. and was out
again swinging at her old anchorage in North
river just forty-eight hours later. The Boston
followed and was ready for sea again two days
ago. Then the Atlanta vent into dock, but.
After :wo days work, she still has all the Psint
TO be put on
TIE Cruise EAST.
Last night the admiral got impatient and de-
cidsd to sail this morning. Accordingly the
squadron LEFT for Newport this morning with
al the ships in good condition except the
Atlanta, which was left in the dry dock to the
tender msrcies Of the naval constructors, a
lOo-iegrss thermometer and host Of Jersey
mosquitoes. She will probably follow the
squadron north in a few DAYS. The cruise will
extend As Jar north as Halifax. the headquar-
touching at Newport. Boston, Portsmouth and
Portland and spending some time at Bar Har-
Dor where the admiral expects TO entertain
Secretary Of state Blaine and Secretary OF the
Navy Tracy on board the dag ship during an
evolutionary drill FOR their benefit The squad
ron viii probably return TO New York about
the fst OF October.
The troubles arising in China among the
natives and foreigners there seem to call for
ths presence Of an American heet there to
protect the lives and property OF American
subjects. 50 there Is some probability that the
evolutionary squadron may be broken up in
October and some sent to the Pacific. In this
case she Boston and Atlanta would probably go
70 China. while the others would either remain
OF this coast or go to Europe, where there are
no slips of our navy at present. The Benning-
ton, which has been fitting out here for several
months. Is at last ready for and viii be
temporarily attached to this squadron
BUILDING TIE MONITORS
The monitors Puritan, Terror and Miantono-
NAH which have been finishing here for the
last d We yesrs slowly nearing completion
The Miautonomah is all ready except her guns.
These are the first twelye-inch guns built for
lie navy and are being tried at Indian Head,
ON the Potomac. The people In charge OF the
work ON the monitor say that the officers at the
proving grounds are Purposely holding back
he guns go that they can use them as long as
possible for experimental purposes. An officer
recently said: Il was under orders to the
MiaUtnncmah three years ago. and ii was said
then ;1St she would be ready for sea Ill SIX
weeks. but she Is no nearer ready now than
she was then.
In the meantime however, Thousands Of dol
lars hsve aeep spent on her. and political work
me- lave bad ''fai- show She is only in
tended AZ a coast defense, supposed to be able
10 steam ~ far moth as Halifax and as far
south "a Havana The engines are new and
very good, giving her speed OF sixteen knots
per hour she carries four twelve-inch guns
In two tIrgets. The Puritan also has two
turret5 with tvelve-inCh guns and also a CEN
trai sGperstrlctare mounting four slx-inch
guns The Terror IL practically very SINH
lar to the Nian;Onomah- Cruiser No. Z,
which Is building here. will be ready to launch
IN :kreo months. She is of two thousand tons
displacement az a little larger than the Con-
cord aGd Bennington. The battle ship Maine
Is slowly being completed AS none OF her
armor bel. is on vet she draws but little water
aDOlt nine iSet. whereas when ner armOr ana
armament are in position she will draw about
twenty one feet or about twenty-three
feet when ready for set, with coal and provis-
ions aboard None OF her guns have been
made yet. II is probable the hull will be
ready before the armamentis
POLITICAL FAvoRrrIsx.
The ships built by the government have not
progressed rapidly by any means as those
built by private firms. One of the reasons as
serted for this is that political favoritism is
shown IN the selection of workmen, and that
there are too many conflicting heads Of depart
nlents and bureaus We are. however, demon
stTating the fact that a government can build
ships. which doubted by many foreign
governments at the time our government began
four years ago.
The ram Alarm is tied up at the ordnance
dock. she was built at the suggestion of the
late Admiral Porter. but has never proved a
success She has very peculiar engines. which
only work one way. the reversal Of the screw
being effected by moving the propeller by
gearing and beyel wheels The plans conten-
plated the Use of the vessel as a ram, with one
OLD hf-sen-inch smooth-bOre gun mounted i'll
the bows; bui one vessel in order to ram an
other must have some advantages in speed.
and here The Alarm failed, as the best she could
do not over ten kno,S per hour. Ii is now
proposed to mount tweive-inch modern gun
IN the bows and use her as gunnery training
ship at lie torpedo school at Newport
PERspSsI. MENTION.
Assistant Engineers Patton, Danforth and
Ofiiey, who have just received their commits
siOns. have been assigned to duty here.
Naval Cadets II. q. Smith and Horatio Gil
NOR have recently been ordered here prepara-
tory 20 receiving orders 10 the ROYAL School Of
Naval Architecture al Greenwich. England,
where they will take a three Years course to nj
them for the construction corps.
Lisuts ". T.. Irwin and III. r. Knapp will be
detached from the L .S. 5. Atlanta August 81 and
ordered TO duty at the United States Naval
Academy, Annapolis. Nd.
Ensign Andrews will be detached from the
C-s-S- Chicago August 81, and ordered To duty
Oh board the U.S.S. Atlanta
Mise Josephine helton of Washington. d. c..
and her cousin. Miss Knowles from England,
have been the guests Of Capt. kelton, United
States marine CORPS.
The naval committee Of the United States
senate were the guests of Admiral Maker on
the Chicago when the squadron left for New
port this morning.
Recent heavy losses in the crews Of several Of
the ships have been filed by new recruits
since the squadron arrived in New York with
out the least difficulty. Seafaring men are be-
ginning 10 realize the chances mat Uncle
sam gives them-the discipline is not severe.
the work 10 BY no means heavy as in the
merchant service and the pay is better while
tosvery man after he is too old 10 go to sea il