The morning call., 1892-08-22
FROM MARE ISLAND.
Proposed Abolition of Capital
Punishment i'm the Navy.
The Engines in the Monadnock-Repairs to
Be Made TO the Charleston
Personals.
Correspondence of The MORNING CALL

aDOlisnlDs Chpitdl puulSHinenis 50 iei %
would affect the administration OF law and
| justice in the navy, is being talked OF. The
navy department has sent out to officers at
the Navy-yard a request for their views on
the subject. This is in accordance with a
request from General Newton Curtls'.
Member of Congress from New York, who
| delivered a speech In the House of Repre-
| sentatives in June last in support of bill
to abolish capital punishment under Federal
| jurisdiction. The general has already re
ceived statement from the navy depart
ment of offenses for which naval courts
martial are authorized 10 inflict the death
| penalty; also the information that for 10
] years the death penalty has not been inflicted
| through the medium of that source. Ii the
| present standard Of morals is kept up there
| VIII be no need of such penalty TO be car
| rled into effect.
The officers at the marine barracks and
| on the receiving ship Indei endence use the
| utmost caution in the selection OF recruits,
| and aim to find the antecedeDts Of the man
before they ship or recruit him for serylre.
| While Il Is true that cOurts-martial are a
| necessity and the nfiictiDg of certain KINDS
| OF punishment necessary, yet prisons are
| provided for this purpose. The prison at
| the rear Of the marine barracks, though In
| all respects not yet completed. Is one OF the
| best OF its kind at any Of the naval stations
light, we'll ventilated and strong. 1t is a
| yerltable home for those confined therein.
| PotS OF flowers, books, periodicals, and even
| canary birds adOrn the walls aud help o dis
| spell the mind from the thoughts that with
| out the bars is pacing Sentry with a loaded
| rifle and several rounds of cartridges in his
belt. In times past number of attempts
| 10 escape have been made by prisoners un-
| der guard, but none have been what might
| be termed successful.
From the ferry-slip up as far as the Steam
/ Engineering Department shops the quay
wall presents almost a deserted appearance,
| the Thetis and tug Ivy being the only yes
| sells alongside OF the wharf. The Tug Ivy
| Will, 1t Is said. soon be hauled out into rot
| ten row, as board of survey has passed
| judgment upon her condition, and that is
| that II would be hardly worth the money
that would be required TO place her IN SER
| and II finally condemned for sale 1t is hoped
| that the new steel tug that was built for the
| Mare Island yard will be sent out here, or
| else that the next Congress will appropriate
money and authorize the building of the tug
| here, where SHE could be built, from the
keel TO the completion of the engines, In as
sklllful manner as In any outside snop or
navy-yard under the Government.
THE MoNADNoCK's ENGINES.
One las but TO glance a, the work in the
steam engineering, machine and boiler
shops TO see the class and character OF work
that is capable of being done. Under the
supervision of Foreman Machinlst Hussey
the engines Of the M0nadDock are well ad-
yaDced They are Of the tr1pe-eXpansiOn
type and were designed by the Bureau OF
Steam Engineering at Washington. To-
gether they are calculated 10 develop 5000
horsepower under a, steam pressure Of leo
pounds and tuTningat $50 revolutions per
minute. As they stand ON the erecting floor
they give evidence of careful and skillful
workmanship, which is fully sustained on
closer examination.
That these powerful engines might be
properly set up in the shop r special erect
ing floor was laid of concrete, upon which
temporary cast-iron keelsOns were placed
and carefully leyeled. In assembling the
work the cylinders and pliow-blocks are
first set up in position on the temporary
keelsOns, their accurate adjustment being
secured by running fine lines, threads,
through the center of the cylinders and
pIll0N-biock, which Is that portion of the
engine which carries the cTank-shaft, after
they are securely bolted TO the keelsons
The various parts are then fitted to their
places as completed, and little by little the
engines assume shape. and cold. inauimate
matter IS converted into thing Of beauty
only requiring the expansive force of steam
10 make II thing of life and utility
When all is completed, every part In its
place, the valves set and everything salts
factory 10 the officers in charge. the engines
will De taken apart and each piece weighed
and given snch final test as in the Judgment
OF the inspecting engineer Is deemed neces-
sary. then taken down 10 the ship and care
fully erected In place. From the rapid
progress being made the early completion
Of the engines is looked for.
While IN dock the old propelers of the
monitor were removed and the tail shafts
drawn inb board and the opening I'm the stern
tube plank Hanged. Lines were run repre-
senting The shaft centers 10 enable the Con-
struetion Department TO locate the engine
seatings. New composition propellers of
modern design, each having three blades
securely bolted 10 a central huh, Will be
made TO replace those removed, which were
placed on sc0ws and towed up TO the wharf
near the steam engineering department and
hoisted by means of a twelve-ton crane
erected year or so ago. During the next
Few months another crane OF equal power
will be erected on the new piece Of seawall
now being built just south of the stone dry
dock. and still another crane will be set up
during The present year at some point along
the waterfront.
THE CHARLEsoN IN THE DOCK.
1t was a new and economical feature
when the MouadnOck came out OF the dry
dock last Wednesday TO see the cruiser
Charleston, which had arrived at the ward
the day before, after an absence of several
months, turn her nose TO the entrance Of
the dock and haul right into place, have
the ciass0B closed behind her, the water
pumped out, and ia a couple or three hours
after the dock had been flooded and the
Monadnoek fiOated out, TO see the pride of
the Pacific high and dry on the blocks, and
not one OF them out Of line. This little
feature saved the Government from $50 TO
500 in labor and material
Tie bottom of the cruiser was not in as
foul condition as was expected, owing
probably TO the paint last put on while In
dock. Her port propeller is being removed
for the purpose Of examining the cupboard
bearing Two blades of this propeller were
had hn ~ Ia 10 81
up north One OF these will be replaced by
a spare one on board ship, and an effort
will be made to straighten The other one.
The boiler tubes, numbering about $500.
Will be removed and new set put in The
hydraulic accumulation will he repaired, also
the piping connecting it with the steering
gear Will probably be removed. All Of
which is due to service rendered. The ma
ehinists on board the cruiser are performing
such work as can be done without the aid If
the machinists at the yard. The seavalyes
are being repaired ana ground by them
Heretofore this class OF work has been done
by the mechanics of the yard. and they
would be much more grateful aboard of
shin II they were doing; it now. All work
OF repairs are to be made ana stores put Oh
board by the first week in October, then the
ship will be off for another cruise
The heavy cast iron ice-breaking two
blade propeller that is now in the 1hets Is
to be replaced by much lighter one of
composition. The new screw. which Is TO
be of the four-bladed type, is being nodded
In the steam engineering foundry. Work
has been commenced on new tail shaft
to which the new propeller Will be fitted.
When all is completed and ready for putting
in the shin will be taken into dock and the
alterations made.
The Baltimore is expected to arrive at he
yard tomorrow. Since her leaving here
quite number OF changes have been made
ID her officers.
BOUND FOR ROTTEN ROW.