New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-21
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
MERGING TWO NOTED SQUADRONS.
ADMIRAL WALKERS NEW COMMAND-FoR THE
INTERNATIONAL NAVAL REVIEW.

pro,rtion tho movements OF which have commanded
more space In the newspapers and periodicals ana
more interest with the public for the last three years
than. perhaps any other squadron in the Navy. Will
,rohably have become thing OF the past by merging
,p,o the North Atlantic Squadron under the command
., cear-AdmIral John c. Walker who has commanded
the squadron OF Evolution from the time OF us orsahza
ton. a year ago this squadron consisted OF inc
Chicago Newark, Boston, Atlanta. Yorktown Concord
Remington and Gushing. but 1t has dvindied away
until the Chicago and Atlanta are all that are lett
The Newark was recently detailed as flagship OF the
sonth Atlantic squadron, under command OF Rear-Ad-
u,ral A f. X Benhan, and is now nj Genoa To take
mart in the Columbian celebrations. The Boston Is IN
the Pacific Squadron. and sailed on Wednesday from
san Francisco for Honolulu. The Yorktown Is also In
the Pacific Squadron. The Concord and Gushing are In
the North Atlantic end the Bennington Is at Genoa
with the Newark and after the celebration is finished
there she will come to NewYork to be overhauled and
repaired.
The North Atlantic squadron at present under com
mand OF Rear-Admiral Bancroft Gherardl consists VI
the Philadelphia MiantOnomoh. Concord and VesuVuS
Of Ear Harbor; the Kearsarge the way to Honduras
TO protect the American interests there pending lhe
revolution and the torpedo boat Cushing at the
Navy Yard The Philadelphia will leave Bar Haroor
ON Wednesday, the other vessels following, aud VIII
come to Ncw-York. Upon arrival here Aomiral
Gherardi Will make arrangements TO transfer his com
nand TO his relief. lie will haul down his nag on inc
further instructions regarding the programme for the
naval rendezvous al Hampton Roads and the review
st New-York In April next. Then Captain A. ,.
Barker the commander OF the Pmadelpha' VIII fcpoi'
10 Rear-Admral Walker who In view OF the TACT thd'
the Chicago will not be ready in time TO take part Ill
the opening session of the Naval War College al New"
mort, probably will hau down his nag on that vessel
and hoist II on the Philadelphia thus making her MS
temporary flagship. Admiral Walker Will then Jake
the PHILADELPHIA with such other vessels of the squad
ron as may be ready, Newport IN time TO DC there
on September /.
Thus the two squadrons will be merged into one
greater squadron, Of which Americans should De prouu
The Chicago is at present lying in the Navy f"u'
undergoing repairs. Some Of her boilers are ooi"s
rst,bed and some other important repairs are oelhe
made. but she IS under orders To be reioy oi s'
BY September g. she is rot receiving fuA ana eN"N
sve repairs. No knows where the Chcago Il "
be sent on September 3. The vessel however hoeoS
some extensive repairs-to have new oecS TOT ouc
thlng-and II is probable that che VIII return 10 INC
ward later Two or three months viii be required lor
the completion OF this work, for the cruiser hA oee"
IN commission more than the usual term oi uIee
years. Then She will be In fine c0ndluoh "T 'ne
naval rcview and manoeuvres In the spring. IL
possible that the masts and spars Will be removed inc
secondary battery probably will be entirely changed
new and different guns being put In, In the way
that The Tribune said few weeks ago ana III
addition To these things there viii be general repairs
The cruiser Atlanta Is also in the Navy Yard at
the present time and She Is being thoroughly iep"eo'
The prinrfral and most extensive work Is being oohe
IN the engineering department, where. In adoi''oh ="
thorough overlaune OF the engines the boilers aie
being retuhed. some important CONSTRUCTOR "orA
IL also being done. Thirty five DAYS Is the limit SET
for the completion of the work to the A'ia"Gi' nc
the vessels Of the North Atlantic Squadron come "
M, mort there probably will be Others OF them
coming to the Navy Yard to be repaired, 50 mat II
will not be an idle place for some time I" come
The torpedo boat Gushing l. the only other com
missioned vessel now in the Navy 1aiu'
little more than week she started up Tue oouHu
with board OF officers who to look for pacc
ia which to adjust torprdOcs, or, In other WORDS
10 hold torpedo trials. New York Bay Is not
good place for this purpose for several reasons II
Is too rough for nets 20 be set ana Kept easily III
position, there is much floating matter ana the Dol
tom Is so soft that torpedo might easily Oe Io7''
II 1t took IA downward course. Torpedoes are tested
ty sending them through the water towards net
then the net is hauled up and the place III ~hich
tbe torpedo pierced it, is noted after this the torpedo
Is adjusted, by means Of It's mechanism SO lhdI Il
shall 70 I'm the required course, and not cWeTge 10
one side the other, or up or down. Inc U%-u
Of officers on the Gushing found place which ms!
be used for this purpose back OF shelter laahu anu
then the Cushing returned to the Navy Yard reach
Ing there on Tuesday. Nearly all the torpedo al-
perat,is Is now on board the vessel but the launching
tube which is to be- placed aEiidshiIS' has no, COME
as yet. When this Is all In place, 1t Is hK'lF 'ha'
some torpedo trials win held. The captain OF the
little vessel has been ordered have her In readiness
for rard running and hence the engineer oihceis
are 10 test the boilers TO make sure that they are
safe and In proper condition for the high pressure
which will be put upon them In running al hlg"
rate OF speed. II may be that this speed Iuh Is 10
take place in connection With the exercise at the
Naval War College, and it may be that II indicates
that some tests with the torpedoes and torpedo ap
paratus are 10 be held.
The action taken in the United states circuit Court
at Baltimore last Monday, which was brought by Lieu
tenant Samuel seabuTy against Ensign hoDrrt d.
Dashlel was not a surprise 10 many Officers In
fact IT has long been expected that LIEUTENANT 9eaoS
would take steps TO protect his claims IN te DreecI
loading mechanism OF the larger guns OF the Navy II
Is suit 10 prevent the Government from niulA0'ur-
Ing what is called Dashelrs appliance ana "hic"
Lieutenant Seabury claims TO be his own mNchuOh'
supporting his claims by what many assume 10 De
self-conclusivc evidence Lieutenant ScaDuiy - o'0
Of the most prominent officers OF lbs grade, ana mas
applied his inventive genius 10 good account IN many
ways. While connected with the Naval Board OF IN
spection ut New-Yoik lie occupied his orhourS III tc
study and practical demonstration OF quicEer way
than the existing one Of opening an"
closing the breech Of gun and pre- &TlnS IL
for action. lie succeeded In devising an appliance
which did the work In motion, and secured
patent for IL in october, 1859. In November, 1890
Ensign Dashlell filed an application for patent Oh
similar appliance, ana secured IL patent on FEBRUARY
O. 1892 In the interval there had been several partial
tests OF the 4-inch rapidlrng gun with the breech
closure presented By Ensign Dashicll, then and
Inspector Of ordnance, OF which the Chief of Bureau o!
Ordnance says: This system, although 1t has re
ceived only a preliminary trial. has fully demonstrated
that 1t can be worked TO successful issue"
Lieutenant seabury said : few days ago: Z" | was
given Through In April last in order 70 allow me
an opportunity 10 perfect my Invention, and have
now perfected it 81 that it Is applicable to guns
hanging downward from the 6inch canbre. As
Ensign Dashiells patent not Issued until nearly
two years after mlne and covers precisely the same
around Though I'm slipntly different way, |