Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06
NORFOLK. Va. February S. Iss1.

NoRFoLE. Va, February s, 1884
Just now no place presents buster appear
snce than the Norfolk navy yard. and 10 one
VINO has not visited it stree three or four vears
ago the contrast is strikingly apparent. Pass
ing the sentinel AZ the gate. the clink OF in
hamhcrabis hammers. the roar Of steam and
the nam q machinery are sounds that meet
ones ears today. while upon a former visit Q
'e" Years since a doath-ike stiffness peryaaed
every part Of Its eighty acres
Inc transformation from quiet store house
ioF ehAInsand anchors 10 a busy. busting work
shol ana saiT-huildinS yard has been quickly
ana completely accomplished.
snort while ago it, machine shous and
''GI,es were practically deserted. About
tle only tigns OF work 10 be deserved were
soAe or two ~ Law oN.u handled by LATER
IooAiag drivers hauling timber. A fau ai.-
mantled old hulks iay AZ the uharves e,ch
VIII a tlIHie Wat, Lt'laa IN charge Now it,
machine shols anI - fuUii limos are slise ,ri,h
men: noisy httie dummy engines ON stool rniI
ways have cl-l laced the oxen. new shtt,s ars
on tire stocks and tho gaping dry lo,t. bnld
IN Their depths huge meu-oi- war. Immense
battle ships are moorDd az the granite uharyes
and everything hctokeEs lite and activity
where less than tve wears ago all VAS ot..ot A. =
country church yard.
WHAT cAUSIp TIRE CHANCE.
or course 1t is well understood what has
wrought this charge. The building up of q
new navy has naturally brough; share of the
work here. and besides n appenrs 10 10 Tho
policy 81 the present nd;niui. tration to give
thls yard a iair sh1w. With rvorythiuc in it,
favor. on q deep ana magnificent harbor.
proximity - the timber prod country Of
eastern North Carolina. a milo cliiuat. and with
experienced and Efficient mechanics. this ward
should be second 10 none IN the couutrv.
w, p.,s-'t eomm"nd"ut. Commodore
boWles. haSc already established a reputation
ioF inns yard aud attracted the attention OF the
hh'ai authorities 10y demonstrating the much
ulsfn ted Tact that the workm,n here are lust As
Philadeil ha yards.
Ihe commodore is enthusiastic over the suc-
cessiu! prosecution of the work assigned lis
station. When he took command same two
years ago there were about 500 mon on the
time. -''
The wood workers have been taught 10
manipulate iron and steel and have become AZ
adept In rlveting stccl plates on the ironclaas
as an mailing up oak tImbers on the wooden
SHIPS o. the ola navy
TIE WAR sHIPs
quite a number of war ships are living at tho
yard for repairs, but the most attractive sight
for the visitor are the two immense battle SHIN.
ON the stocks near the east entrance, both
The first Is the steel cruiser RALEIGH. usroea
In honor OF North Cardinals capital CITY. Her
handsome proportions show up well even
through the lattice work OF scaffuldlng which
surrouhus her- She IL now aboat ready for
IaunchinS, which ceremony wiu probably take
place next month, ana one OF North Carolina's
ialrest daughters will break the bottle of vine
over the bow.
Next to the Raleigh is the great battle ship
Texas, which ID near completion as 10 ba
ready for launching soon alter the former
lhey wlIl be gala days IN the two cities when
these the first steel ships ever built IN this VI
clnlty glide from the stocks aud the occasion
Will marx new era IN the history OF Norfolk as
well as that OF the yard.
Further down the yarj are the two dry docks
the old stone dock ana near by the improved
simpson wooden dry dock, buIlt two or three
years ago.
THE OLD AND THE NEW.
At the time Of my visit the school ship Porte
mouth was in the old dock having her bottom
scraped and the new cruiser Newark was bal
anced on her keel in the new dock inst A few
foas away. what an excellent way to study
hitting types Of the old navy and the new
The dingy black wooden hull Of the Ports
mouth lay exposed in the dock built half a CEN
fury ago, while the symmetrical proportions OF
the Newark, IN dazzling white, showed IN
handsomely from the MODERN dock across the
way. There they lay. side by side-the old and
the new-a sight that would make the most
bitter opponent of the Darwinian theory con-
TESS his belief IN evoluton-in ships.
The monitor Amphitrite il being nrmored
and fitted out a; tins yard. She is a dangerous
ana h' 'nous-lookmg monster of the deep Ii
Is said that IN action She would be M pre- than a
match for half dozen of the old fashioned
monitors OF the Ericsson type.
There Is much more to be seen by The visitor
than here enumerated. The officers are ulNays
courteous 10 strangers and appear to take
pleasure IN showing visitors over the ships.
risit to the eommandant results in his detailing
q messenger TO show the points vi interest
C.SA