New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-12
TESTING THE MONITOR.
SHOWING OF TIE MIANTONOMOH.
SATISFACTORY RESULTS REPORTED BY HER


oFFToERs-SoME ACCIDENTS
The monitor Mantonomoh which has been in
Gardeners Bay having trials with her guns,
came down the Sound and reached the Navy Yard at
about . O'Clock yesterday afternoon. A few old
salts" shook their heads with ominous suggestions
when the orders were passed that the Miantonomoh
to leave The Navy Yard on Friday January l. and
they do not hesitate to declare that to this defiance OF
superstition due the Ill luck which followed the
vessel afterward. But tho choosing of holiday to
go up the East River with vessel tried for the first
time since she rebuilt and OF that class which
used to be difficult to steer. because the East
River would be less crowded with moving craft than
upon any other day.
She left the Navy Yard at p. nj. and anchored at
night of Throgg's Neck, Whitestone. intending
to proceed early on saturday. That day ushered in
squally, dsagreeable weather, the time was spent
drilling at the great guns and with the hydraulic
machinery. The vessel proceeded Sunday. but the
was so heavy and the weather had above
Faukners Island that the monitor came to anchor
for the night and so another day lost. The
washed over the decks and made everybody uncom-
Portable. on the following day the monitor made
another "leg" and reached Gardeners Bay, the place
selected for the tests, soon after The after
noon spent In familiarzing both officers and
with the handling OF machinery. guns and ammunition.
As described in The Tribune. few weeks ago. the
guns and turrets worked BY hydraulic machinery
the gups are depressed, loaded elevated and out
and the turrcts turned by machinery. and the firing
Is done by electric battery
The first drill firing the IOinch turret guns
Tuesday. There delay in the trial OF
the forward tsrret guns the turret could not be
turned until the composition rolling checks had been
removed, and until repairs could be made owing TO
the blowing out Of the packing in the fange Of the
pressure pipe and split In the "T' Joint OF The
pipe. The after turret worked better. and kwo
reduced charges were fired the conclusion being little
than would have been the with 6inch
gum The following dsy of gales. angry seas.
waveswept decks and general discomfort except below
decks. The weather moderated on Thursday fore
noon but not sufficiently TO make advisable to no
gun-practlce until the middle OF the afternoon
Three Of the 10inch guns were fred, and guns,
hydraulic machinery. and dynamos worked salts
!actory. On Friday the monitor dropped down from
O1tent Point to the old station onsidc Of Gardeners
Island. and no time lost in getting 70 work Tn,
briggs schroeder and HotchkiSs rpd-fring were
fired from the hurricane deck the ell waited structure
between the two turete. and the revolving cannon
worked in the mi1tary-mast tops. The hours
trial was In every way satisfactory Captain Sicnrd.
the commander and eX-Chef Of Bureau OF ordnance
Then there was another test with thu big gun. but
owing :, mistake n the touching of tie eectrio
sutton, Lieutenant M,Crackin had his right hand
slightly cut BY the machinery of the gunmount in the
forward urret and Of the were XII ocked dow
by the rccoil Of the gun.
The XII, were fired with full charges OF $50 pounds
o. powder and 500 pound rrojectiles. at small eeva-
tons Ever firing with IT, full service charges the
gun mounts and Hydraulic machinery worked as SOUS
factonly 10 be Expected
TIE slot, from the great gus were not hred az
INV -rcet but were merely sen over the water m
a slight elevation Of the guns. the object beng 10
test the recol Twenty shots in all were fred nom
the great guns in the turrets. Seen OF these were
fred from the forward turret one gun being nred
twice and five times. The thirteen remaining
were fired from the after turret OF these shots two
from ue forward turret and four from the after turc
we're fred with the full charge OF powder. and all the
rest were with reduced charges consisting OF loA
pounds of powder. At one time the two guns In 'he
after turret fired simultaneously with full charges
of powder. The secondary battery was tested NUE.
few shots being fired from the guns composing II.
The secondary battery consists of two 3pounder aou
two 6pounder rapidfrng guns and two 3ImilllmetTe
revolving cannon The trip ard the trials OF the guns
were all successful and the officers are pleased win
the results. II is not to be expected that Vsse'
that has just been put into commission ana tlnt is
not vet quite finished could go to sea w!thovf as
c,os,nr little things that need repairing: and so a
few leaks in pipes and such things were FOUND Bu'
Tire firing OF the guns. the working OF the b'oriulc
machinery and OF the turts and the tests OF the small
guns, all satisfactory.
Probably few changes will be recommended ana
made and tho work of completing the vessel Will be
carried on while she is in the Navy Yard leI
electrical steering apparatus is not completed ana
there Is still work 10 be done on ,he S Sd
steering gear The vessel had 10 be stored py hahu
on the trip. which difficult operation Dut rs
She came down yesterday morning the oihCprs mai ~
nged 10 use the spam steering gear by ihehis vi
nasspc the word along TIE deck. The officers oehiy1
the story yesterday that tho ear drums o. some ns, o. s
officers were burst. The port OF me great suIs
was cornparatvey small T. those within the turrcs
md was anyway less sharp and detfehhg 'hah tha.
Of the small guns. The vessel can hot nldhe Si,'.
sneed although she 20 along at CoOd pace, 1us
IL behaved we'll in tn heavy weather ana nnuer
The shock of firing the guns She has fourteen oooTS
and q crew Of 131 men, all told