New-York tribune., 1892-04-24
WORK AT THE NAVY IARD
COMMODORE ERBEN's PROMOTION.
READY FOR TORPEDO EsTs-LEGIsLATloN FUR
TIE ENGINEER CORPS.

Frben Al II O'Clock yesterday fhe Oiuc "'"s
captain's pennant was hauled down from tc "'' w.,
Of the receiving ship Vermont, III Tue -'"'! 49,
and The commodores blue pennaht' aoorh'" WIN -,
star in the middle WAS hOstcd In lis s'c'u' "' "
battery on cob Dock fired a salute oi e"'c" e"'s ~
.icnity the change in rank of the conmannant' 0o'
er,l weeks ago cap ain Erbcn was examined lot p'V
moticn and passed successfully. Ai'er "'' -, y
necessary for the Presidents nomination u w
hv tbe senate This was done on 1ucsday' anu WI"
modorc Erben yesterday received his I'o" 'on.'' w.
Commodore Erben's record as Naval oHcer h"'
hocp fine one lie stands high in his corps ana IL
| . man and officer +, true and honorable Beiorc l"c
outbreak Of the civil War his career was uh''r''""
| Int IN The war he showed his pailoiN" "''' ~
bravery In December SEQ, and In January i0'' 10
wa, a lieutenant on the sorcshp supply ~ '''' i'''
socola Navy Yard lie surrounded by Officers VINO
,crc Mating 10 botray this important post I'LL" III"
bauds Of the Rebels, But Lieutenant Erb'h al O'
time stood forth conspicuously brave chc'eo"o anu
true 10 the duty of the hour AdhlIAl 'one' S''' VI
him: 4" III, energy courage and ont>po"'h ioN"'H
were so marked to attract universal at'hu'1' '""
scadfa,tnc>s and brvcy ouispok"n sentiments al '"t
,i,,o ,are of couaI value to a battle won. and gave
courocc to the Government cause. Lieutenant Erocn
engaged himself actively 10 thwart the disoy'h '"'rS
Of Commander Fcrraud. who was In -ympa'n' VII"
the Rebels. and who resigned in January l7'i' !"
| ion thcm Erlen tried tO blow up the powder hl'ie'-
line outside Of the ward. 10 keep II from mDnS mo
tbe hand. Of the COnfcdcracs. but Commander fcrdhu
succeeded in preventing the attempt But, Win i'ur
others Lieutenant Erhcn went. without pcrini'soh'
and destroyed the powder and battery al fPr' N'i"'
ju, before the enemy captured H. In the war he per
formed many hazardous duties. and was r''omheh''u
TO b, advanced in gIade. Recognition Of this KIND
however for his brave service was slow III 'ohnhH'
| through neglect and variou, other circumstances
~ that IL wa, not until comparatively recently that ne
ha, received the advance In rank to Whch nc u 'h-
| titled
| The Mlautdnomoh still lies I'm the yard no orders
having been received for her yet only that 81" VIII
20 up the North River tins week 10 fire salute ~
tho having Of the cornerstone Of the Grant monument
She will return +, tho ward after the ceremonies II Is
nrolaic that before long she VIII ~ out for some
additional practice with her guns. Tho "hcci' "l
the vessel are t. hold reception on board ~ her To-
morrow afternoon from tD O'Clock Inc NAVY
Yard band j. to BE- present and there VIII De dhh'"s
on the deck Of the monitor which i' low ana broad
II the weather should be uufayoribe FOR holding the
rcccpon on the ship II probably VIII be held In Build
! Ing No. In the ward
| Tho new main valves for the guns Of the dynamite
cruiser Nc~uyln, have been received ana put ln place
on that vcscl. The auNihar, valves and the rans'-
| finder are now expected. within a Few wc"k, 1t IS
probable that another thal of the dynamite guns
or tubes Of uis vessel viii be begun Lieutenant
schroeder. her commander has no doubt that the
| success Of the vessel will be proved.
The modern runs which have been lent by the
| Ordnance Department 10 Inc FfflNlls snip N'IH""t
| have been mounted on that vessel They are 10 be-
| used for drilling the crew. The battery cor.
si,ts Of si, Inch rife thre prunicr lloioh-
ks, rapid fire l1n and thirty seven milm"tcr re-
volvins cannon. one FOUNDER gun is a-o expected
The .ix inch gun E. thc one that mounted On the
Alarm fcw months r"w sautine nn'tcry
ha, been placed on the cob Dock. not FAR from the
stern u the Vermont 10 be- used instead 81 the Old
battery ~ howitz"r The battery consists ~ iva
| six pourder IIotchhl-s rapid fire guns.
The monitor Terror I, 10 bc put into the dry dock
on Tuesday. H. have her bottom painted. After her
the monitor Puritan viii le dock~ and painted Tho"
| two vessel, and the Maine are ready FOR their arm"r
plating and have been FOR Two or three weeks. The
Terror has her wooden backing in place. The Puritan
and ihc Maine have not thl- yet. bu' only a few
DAYS would be- required - put II In place. The three
steel ma-ts which wow removed rom the cruiser
Philada ph.a f.T month, ago - be- used on tho
Maine and the Cincinnati Two Of them will De- placed
on the former vessel. and one on the latter The
other mast Of the Cincinnati viii be- made Of wood.
| and viii not have "a military top. 1hi, v'scl couli
De launchcd In short time were II necessary bat
The work BE- carried along more rapidly while she
IS on the WAYS. he viii be Kept there for some time
| longer
| Preparation, were being made yesterday morning to
test one Of the boilers that being made for
the Raleigh Th" boiler to be- filled with water
and th, water heated until pressure of 80 poalds
should be- reached. Another boiler was living by.
ready 20 be tested and four more IN thc boiler shop
are nearly ready six boilers required for each
vessel. In the erection shop the erecting Of the pair
Of engines destined for tho Raleigh 4, nearing compile
ton About the middle Of May the worluncn to
begin taking The engine, apart for shipping. After
this the work the engines for tho Raleigh will be-
carried moro cnergcucally. In the foundry tho
casting Of the propecr, for the Cincinnati and Ra
leigh is being carried on. The air and circulating
pump, Of the Raleigh that were recently tested are
now being packed 10 BE- scnt.
The new electric crane which has been erected in
! the foundry j. about finished and Is to be tested this
week. The board for testing 1t consist, Of chief En-
gincer =. L. J.. Ayro,. chief Engineer g. " stivcrs
and Assistant Ens nsincer +. H. Conant. The Expert
mental Board In the Navy Nard Is not at present en-
gagged In any important tests. but II Is begin
the tc,t Of device for consuming smoke ard g7is
in boilers. The device Is a,1 said 10 Increase The
efficiency Of the coal by enabling II TO be more fully
consumed. In this way If successful and pracli-
cable. it might be- useful to the Navy. for the question
of the consumption Of every pound Of coal /, an i'm
portant
| The Ordnance Department in thc Navy Yard yes.
teriay reported Ehcsson'5 torpedo boat DESTROYER
ready for the coming test. 30. the test probably
will be begun In few day. although 1t
may be- delayed by the dOcking Of the
Terror and tho Puritan. In making the test the
vessel IS TO be stationed just outside the mouth Of
the timber drydock and the gun fred into the dock
Ten nets to De stretched across the dock ri In
| tervals Of fifty feet. by which tie course OF the
prUjcctllc after leaving the gun can b. noted Tho
last net is TO catch the prolecte. 50 that it may be-
| recovered and used again.
The proicctiles which 10 be used for the trials
arc twcntyscvcn feet eight inches long and sixteen
inches in diameter. From the largest part they taper
nearly 10 point al the head, and also taper toward
the tall but not 10 point. They are made In three
| sections. The head or explosive chamber does the
destructive work. the other wO sections serving merely
10 steady and guide 1t. They ara hollow and tho
hindmost section is provided with four fms two to be
| vertical and two horizontal In the water for tho
purpose Of keeping the projectie steady and guiding
1t. tn explosive chamber is made Of different
material from the rest Of the projectle and is about
| six feet long II carries charge of 300 pound, OF
| guncouon Projecting from the tip Of II IS n small
| rod, which extends inward to the centre of thu
| chamber. 1t Is incosed in a small tube which con