Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-31
Correspondence Of Tia EVENING star.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
NAVY YARD, NEW York, August 80, 1892.
Work is progressing very slowly in all the de-
partments here. The Chicago and Atlanta are
undergoing repairs, the first to be completed
by September 8, when it is said she will become
the hagship Of the North Atlantic station after
Admiral Gherardi hauls down his flag on the
Philadelphia, to proceed to San Francisco and
take command Of the Pacific squadron to bring
it arouDd to the naval review. The repairs
on the Atlanta, however. progresses slowly and
at the present rate she will not be ready for sea
until the last Of October. Just before leaving
North river for the navy yard her bunkers were
filed with four hundred tons Of coal, and as the
work to be done necessitated repairs to the
bunker floors all this had TO be removed. This
Il an unusual procedure, and no means other
than an ash hoist are provided for such
purpose, SO that the work has occupied
nearly two weeks. The addition Of an
improved evaporation and an ice machine will
greatly add to the comfort Of every one. In
tropical countries ice is q very expensive
luxury and at many places, even in the West
Indies, cannot be purchased at all. and when
it can be readily and cheaply made aboard
ship the gain to every one on board is great.
OTHER REPAIRS TO THE ATLANTA.
The other work includes numerous repairs on
the engines and boilers, the pumping system
and some repairs on the decks. The Atlanta
has now been in commission over six years and
needs a thorough overhauling, as well as new
decks, but in spite of the fact that board Of
officers appointed to survey her recommended
that she go out Of commission, their recon-
mendntion will not be followed, at least not
until after next June and the Columbian
celebrations. The Atlanta and Boston being
the only new ships having single screws it has
often heep hat he adj nfa for
twin screws These two vessels are built on
good lines and fitted with high powered
engines and boilers and improved batteries,
and would be as good entirely new cruisers
at much less cost than to build new vessels.
AS it is, their slow speed and the difficulty Of
maneuvering them with their single screws
greatly impair their efficiency vessels.
THE TORPEDO BOAT.
The torpedo boat Gushing is here preparing
for her torpedo trials, to be held near the east
ern entrance to Long Island sound in Gardi-
ner's bay. She has been painted solid lead
color, which has been decided to be the color
least visible on the water; nothing white nor
polished is allowed on her decks, and it is sug-
gested that in time of an action by night the
officers and men should wear dark clothes
The change from the pure white and pol
ished brass work of the swift little
vessel detracts greatly from her jaunty appear
ance-but as it is efficiency and not beauty that
is the requisite, the change is commendable.
1t has been recommended that all the vessels of
the navy should be painted lead color. For
cleanliness the white paint used ut present can
have no superior, as to keep the vessels clean it
is only necessary to keep them white; to do this,
however, requires notwithstanding and paint
ing, and it is no exaggeration to say that on
some of the ships the different coats OF paint
have amounted to thickness of nearly half an
inch in some places.
WORK on THE MONITORS.
Work is progressing slowly on the mont
tors that the progress is scarcely noticeable,
but little more can be done at them till the
Carnegie Company delivers the armor plate.
The immense travelling derrick being built on
tracks around the dry docks is nearing compile
ton, and when this is ready the difficulties en-
countered in handling the heavy armor for the
Miantonomah will be obviated The derrick
will be used for the first time for the armor
plates Of the big cruiser Maine which is near
ing completion in the stone dock.
There has been great deal said of late in
New York papers of some important changes in
the armor of the New York, the magnificent
cruiser now building at the Cramp ship yards
in Philadelphia. In the original designs the
turrets were to have inclined armor, but to
gain more room for working the guns vertical
armor has been substituted. The newspapers
have said that this is great mistake, as the
as the inclined. Now, the fact of the
matter is that naval experts long since
determined by exhaustive experiments tina. the
slight inclination that could be given to armor
gave little detection, as the angle at which
the modern projectiles fall is such that shell
would really strike more nearly at right angle
on an inclined surface than on a vertical one.
In either case the same vertical height must be
protected and it is readily seen that for the
same vertical height a greater surface is pre-
sented by the inclined surface than by ver-
teal one; hence the vertical armor can be
made much thicker than the inclined. This
disposes OF the two arguments advanced by the
newspaper critics. and the fact that vertical
sided turrets have replaced the inclined
turrets In all the monitor type of vessels
ought to be conclusive proof that the construc-
ton corps of the navy understand what they are
doing in the present changes in the New York.
1t is to be regretted however that these changes
together with the iron mill strikes will delay
the completion Of the big cruiser so much that
she will not be ready for the grand review next
spring.
SILVER SERVICE FOR THE NEW YORK.
The citizens of New York have raised large
fund to buy a silver service for the cruiser that
will eclipse anything of the kind ever presented
to a man-of-war. This has been customary
with all the cruisers bearing the names Of
cities. So far the city Of San Francisco has
n
magnificent silver service was presented
by that city for the cabin Of the San Fran
cisco, another for the ward room and another
for the junior officers The Chicago, Boston,
Atlanta and Philadelphia each have silver
services, presented them by these respective
cities, while the Baltimore received q library,
which was a poor choice, inasmuch as every
ship in the service has fine library furnished
by the navigation department.
There seems to be some doubt as to the origin
of the name Columbia, as the Pirate was re-
Gently christened. 1t was in reality named
neither in honor Of Columbia, South Carolina
nor for the District, but in honor Of Columbus
she was launched during the Columbian an
niversary year. 1t has been suggested that
contribution box be placed in some conspicu-
GUS place at the exposition where visitors might
make contributions for some suitable present
for the crusier Columbia, which if il comes
up to the contract specifications will be the
swiftest war vessel ever launched for any navy.
RECKLESS MERCHANT CAPTAINS.
A recent case Of much interest to naval off,
GERS was that in which Commodore Erben. COM
mandant of the navy yard, bfought suit against
the captain OF a river tug for failing to prop
erly observe the rules Of the road and not an
swering the whistle of the commandments steam
launch. There is no harbor in the country
where as little attention is paid to govern
ment vessels by merchantmen as in New
York. This condition Of affairs
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