The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-10
The Pacific Coast Squadron
of Evolution.
PILOTS MAY NOW BE TAKEN
Music at the Navy ard-Work on the Cons an
che and Mon adnock-Prospectivs
Changes.
Correspondence of THE MORNING CALL

new squadron Oh eNOluiiOu uHuel COulihaho
Of the admiral. who will then visit with his
fleet each important port down the coast,
and extend to the various governments an
invitation to take part in the naval review
70 be held in New York harbOr in April
next. This special squadron will, II the
original programme is followed, consist of
the following cruisers:
Baltimore (fagship). 1900 tons and ten
guns, Captain W. r. Bridgman command
ing.
San Francisco. 1883 tons and twelve guns.
Captain j. Chittenden Watson command
ing.
Charleston, 1910 tons. eight guns. Captain
Henry f. Picking commanding.
Boston, 1886 tons. eight guns. Captain G.
C. Wiltse commanding.
Yorktown, 100 tons. six guns. COM
mauder Frank Wildes commanding.
This feet is composed OF class of ships
that Admiral Gherardi may feel proud to
command; also one that will serve 10 prove
an object lesson to the heads of the petty
governments where they may visit.
Some little stay may be made at Valpa-
raise, where the kindly Offices Of the adj
miral will be manifested in more than one
particular. Here, il il Is deemed advisa b e
bv the department. the squadron will be
broken up, and the Yorktown and Boston
be ordered to remain in the Pac fc and
come back north.
s rOng efforts are being made by the
Scots OF the Union Iron Works to have tue
Charleston and San Francisco sent East
along with the Baltimore TO show the peO-
pie there what the resources Of the Pacific
Slope and their works in particular are for
building war ships. also the good class Of
work in the final completion of them at the
Mare Island Nayy-yaId are. 1t Will be
found in each particular they are equal if
not Uutrvaling their Eastern competitors.
From Valparaiso whatever number OF the
ships ere ordered East will go by way Of
the Strait OF Magellan, some seventy steam
ing days being the time allotted for the en-
tire cruise. 1t is the expectation that the
feet will arrive in Hampton Roads about
The first of March, and there to be joined by
the rest of the ships to take part in the re-
view.
The Mohican will arrive at the yard dur
ing tie present month and whatever re-
pairs are required will be commenced at
once.
The monitor Comanche is still in tie stone
dock, being painted. No other work will
be done on her. AS soon as she comes out
of tie dock the Thetis will probably go in
for The purpose of having her new pro-
peller, which is now almost ready TO be
placed in position. Since being made the
flagship of Admiral Brown, ana the band
having also been transferred to her, each
day from II TO o'clock the workmen of the
yard eat their lunches TO the strains of
classical music. Each one OF the musicians
are we'll up in their parts. Between this
band and the one stationed at the ward,
which discourses each Tuesday and Satur-
day afternoon in the park, our people are
treated 10 as fine class of music as can be
found anywhere.
barrels OF chloride of lime and seventy
gallons of carboic acid to be used for sani-
tary purposes, purchased TO ward off the
Ham burg epidemic should il have sue
ceeded in reaching the coast.
Ii the same could be distributed along
the water front of the main portion of the
entrance to our city the people at the yard
as well as the workmen going and coming
therefrom would have their health greatly
benefited by the publication Of the fOtsam
and jetsam.
Means are also sure to be taken for hay-
ing better ventilation for the health of the
W orkmen engaged down in the skin of the
monitor MonadnocK. many OF whom IL IS
said are complaining OF the i'll effects OF
zinc and lead poisoning. Blower pipes have
been rugged and others Will be placed IN
position Some Of the ships are also to re-
,eiye better means OF ventilation, caused by
he recommendations from the surgeon OF
the yard, who upon invitation of one of the
foremen who had gone to him for advice as
10 his ailments went into the brass foundry
where a casting was TO be made, for the
purpose of seeing for himself what the
effects were 1t is needless to say that the
worthy doctor soon beat hasty retreat. as
the fumes from the zinc aud brass were
such, caused by the Ill ventilation, that
there was no wonder. he said, the foreman
and those under him complained Of sick
ness.
Each one Of the persons that were men
toned in the general order issued by the
Secretary of the Navy. making public ac-
acknowledgement of services rendered at the
time Of the recent explosion of the maya
zine, have been presented with a copy OF
the order with the thanks Of the depart
ment.
An order has been received and sent to
the commanders Of all ships to the effect
that hereafter commanding officers will
have the privilege of employing pilots
whenever in their judgment such employ
ment is deemed necessary. This Is con-
sidered very wise and just action on the
part Of the Secretary of the Navy.
The force at the yard has been reduced
something like hundred men during the
past two weeks, there being now but about
$50 on the rolls.
Some ten or twelve sailmakers are work
ing on the outfit of the Monterey. AS soon
as this is completed, which will be in about
a week, unless something else turns up,
they will be laid off.
Paymaster J. X. Stanton, now yard pay
master, expects soon to be detached and
ordered to the Monterey. He has many
friends at the station who will miss him
but are pleased to hear OF his probable new
assignment. as it will be the means of re-
tanning him in the station.
Work on the Monadnock is progressing
rapidly. Since the commencement in
March, 1890. great deal has been done.
and if kept up at the present rate the year
1898 will see her completed. Up to June
80, 1891, the total expended on her at the
navy-yard. Including armor, armament and
equipment of one kind and another. was
1898, GEO 81. In addition to this sum $685.
705 81 had been expended by the contractors
while she was lying at the old MonadnCek
wharf. subsequent to the passage OF the
acts authorizing her reconstruction: The
total amount from that date. which was
estimated FOR her completion, including
armor, armament and equipment, was
Sl,113,237. OF this amount the Bureau OF
Construction and Repair would have to ex-
pend S44S. $50; steam engineering, 1927. TO:
equipment, S50.4c0; armor for the hull,
S227. 7O0; her armament. consisting of the
gun protection. S139, ZOO; guns, etc, S194.-
81.
AS the greater portion of this money has
been and will be expended at the navy
yard. our people and mechanics can see the
great benefits to be derived in having work
performed at the Mare Island yard. and il
need be. though 1t is not necessary to impel
them to work to the best and greatest adj
vantage, 1t will be the means in the end of
securing In the future ship from the keel
up TO build.
Though no direct information has been
received rumor has it that Admiral John
Irwin, commandant of the yard, will soon
receive preparatory orders, and that he will
be sent over to China as commander-in-
chief of the Asiatic station TO relieve Admi-
raj ID. b. Harmon, now in command, VINO.
owing to ill-health. will ask to be relieved.
Ali here would regret much to see Admi-
raj Irwin leave US, even to go to as good
station as the Asiatc Is said to be. His sue
cessor to the yard has not been mentioned.
Admiral Irwin has only some eighteen or
twenty months before he Is retired. and our