The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-19
ON THE PACIFIC COAST.


Great Activity at Mare Island Navy-Yard-
Preparations That Presage War.
SAN Francisco. Jan. 1S-If appearances
count for any thing. the Navy Department
is losing no time in fitting out vessels at
Mare Island navy-ysrd for immediate dis
patch to Chill should occasion require It.
The steam engineering force worked all day
Sunday. and began again this morning.
Attention is being paid to work on the Bal
timore. and not q single hour is being lost
in preparing her to get away. She cannot
possibly leave the yard under o week. but
is in the stream and receiving coal supplies.
A significant fact was learned to-day.
Shortly after the Bsltimore arrived at the
navy-yard each gun was provided with
sixty rounds OF ammunition. This
has been increased to one hundred.
WOrkmen are on board. and her
machinery is rapidly receiving thorough
overhauling. Her main battery is being
carefully looked after and her guns are be-
ing regulated for concentration of rire. The
Navy Department can also be credited
with looking after the defense of the bar
Dor ofSan Francisco. For the first time in
years wOrkmen have taken themselves to
the monitor nche. and her machinery
monitor have been countermanded. but 1t
Is believed she will 90 into dock at the
earliest possible moment. The orders are
believed to have been countermanded 0w-
ing to the expected arrival of the Charles
ton from San Diego. and she will receive
attention first. Officers of the yard are
displeased with the reports regarding the
Baltimore having been injured by going
aground. She was not damaged In the
least, and the officers declare that the
a fafa ant hat a6p rIrrt n a n
entirely without foundation. Officials at
the yard are somewhat reticent about mat
ters pertaining to the expected war. 1t is
not disputed that the dry dock 10 to be
Wednesday. She will be hoated at once
and her wants attended TO.
The general opinion here is that the gov
ernment proposes to have every vessel
there appears to be some foundation for
the statement that steam will be gotten uD
on the monitor Comanche. IL such proves
to be the case it Will be the first time in
nearly twenty years The opinion is that
the department. evidently means business.
Fortv-eight hours will be sufficient time to
do all that Is necessary on the Comanche.
The latter is q single-turret monitor. carry
ing two fifteen-inch smooth bore guns. The
wooden war ship Mohican 10 in the stream,
her repairs having been completed, and 10
ready to put to sea on short notice. lt is
understood orders have been issued for the
Mohican to proceed TO Panama. but this
has not been confirmed.
A statement published here to-day says
that number of naval officers on this
coast have received orders by telegraph to
report to the admiral on the Pacific station
for special duty. A large force of men are
employed In fitting the wooden war ships
Adams and Ranger for service.
The Pacific Mail steamship City of New
York, which left here Friday for Panama.
was given q four-hour test of speed to fix
her rating under the new mail subsidy
schedule. Capt. Louis Kempff. of the
naval board of inspection. was on the ves-
sci and the data secured will also be OF
service in the event of the conversion of
the steamer into an armed cruiser becom-
ing necessary. The trial was made be-
tween Pigeon Point and Point Sur. The
engines worked smoothly. making sixty
five revolutions minute. An average
speed of fifteen knots an hour was made
during the four hours run, which exceeds
the fourteen knot requirement necessary to
place 2,500-ton vessels In the third class un-
der the mail schedule. At the conclusion
of the trial the official timers were landed
at Monterey, Cal, whence they were re-
= +urned to this city to-day. The steamer
proceeded on the way to Panama.