Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-29
Of The Evening Star.

Correspondence of The Evening Star
UNITED STATES NAVY YARD,
NORFOLK, Va. March %, 1898.
The navy yard here is a scene of activity and
energy at present. for besides the new cruisers
Raleigh and Texas and the monitor Amphitrite.
which are fast nearing completion, four OF the
new steel cruisers are undergoing slight repairs
and fitting out to take part in the grand naval
review. where the twelve ships of the feet will
assemble on April L.
These four ships are the handsome cruiser
San Francisco. which is being docked and is
receiving slight repairs; the Charleston, which
is about the most warlike looking vessel we
have in the navy; the cruiser Atlanta. which
has just returned from a three months West
India cruise, and the gunbost Concord, which
has completed extensive repairs at this ward
occupying several months This is the first
visit OF the San Francisco and Charleston to
the east coast. as they were built at the Union
iron works in San Francisco and have been on
that coast until now, but they compare very
iavorably with the eastern built ships.
THE cHARLEsroN's PROUD RECORD.
The Charleston has the proud record of
steaming sixty thousand miles during the three
years she has been in commission, and her
and both the east and west coasts of North and
South America. She was the first of the new steel
ships built on the Pacific coast and is the pride
OF the "slopers, as the dweilers of the beautiful
RACINE coast call themselves. Only one thing
hurt them. that was that the name was in honor
OF an Atlantic seaboard city. This apparent
dlscourtesv 20 the Pacific people was due TO the
TACT that the proposed ship was named before
the contract had been given to the Union iron
works. The Californians trled TO get the name
IN -. II.
were of no avail. 1t may be that the old sailor
superstition that it is ''sure bad luck to alter
the name of ship had something to do with it.
But when second contract for a magnificent
cruiser was gwen to the Union iron works she
was christened San Francisco and surely does
honor to the metropolis of the slope
These manufacturers it seems. had had very
little experience i" war vessels. and one result
OF this was to finish the quarters like a passen-
ger steamer. SO that their elegance and comfort
Is often remarked. and every one who has
served on the Charleston or Frisco Is proud of
his ship and glad to return to her.
The Atlanta. which has been in cruising COM
mission for over six years. has many of the
features of the Charleston in appearance hay-
ing the central superstructure and low ends
that seem to give every one the idea of great
war efficiency, and although the Atlanta is
round thousand tons smaller than the Charles
ton their batteries are identical.
THE TRIM LITTLE CONCORD.
The trim little cruiser Concord has been
thoroughly repaired after her cruise that took
her up the Mississippi to be admired by hun
dreds whose idea of ships had been formed by
the passing of the old City of Naschez or
the Gen. Tyth that were their ideals of
steamers
In the stone dock that has stood the wear and
tear OF the years since John Quincy Adams was
President the old sailing ship Constellation,
dat bu. al ,.
out for the annual summer cruise of the naval
cadets at Annapolis. The stanch old frigate
With her lofty spars and long flush deck along
side Of the ugly looking warrior Charleston
shows the beginning and end Of the nineteenth
century. The Constellation is undoubtedly
one OF the finest sailors ahoat, and in her recent
trip from Sandy Hook to Cape Henry made 26O
miiesln twenty-tour hours. And during the re-
centN VOYAGE to Europe to bring over large cargo
OF valuable art exhibits for the world exposition
she averaged over 200 miles day for over a
week. The long years of service under the
stars and stripes have told on the stanch tim
bers Of the old ship that SO MANY naval
officers have taken their first cruise on and it
Is expected that she may need such extensive
repairs as to render the cost of thoroughly re-
pairing her more than her value in which case
she may go out of commission and be laid I'D
In the rotten row at some navy yard where
the 'prides of the sea- of former wears rot
away. She has served many years as a practice
ship for naval cadets. and MANY a future adj
miral has taken the deck on her for the first
time with a strange mingiing of pride and fear,
but her barren berth deck with poor ventila-
ton and no appliances for comfort render it
very rough home for the 200 naval cadets that
go out to learn a seamans duties before the
mast or with the older ones an officers duty on
the quarter deck.
The Essex is just home from the South At
lantlc station and is said to be in very good re-
pair for an old wooden vessel. so that she will
probably be repaired and sent out on some of
the stations again.
TO CARRY THE PRESIDENTS FLAG.
The Dolphin is being extensively refitted and
she will be the review ship in the naval parade
In New York harbor on April q, and is ex-
pected to carry the Presidents flag at the
masthead. She will have the after part built
up to allow large poop cabin. which will form
very pleasant quarters for President or the
Secretary OF the Navy. in case he wishes to take
a voyage to sea or visit squadron.
Work on the big monitor Amphitrite awaits
the arrival Of the armor plates. while the battle
ship Texas and the 3.000-ton cruiser Raleigh
are rapidly nearing completion. The guns of
the cruiser Detroit. which is being finished at
the Columbian iron works in Baltimore are
here ready for mounting when the cruiser
arrives.
Down at Hampton Roads the flagship Chicago
is the first one of the United States feet in the
naval review to take her post, but others will
soon join her, and the Newark and Bennington
are expected in a few days with the Columbus
fleet Of caravels
The flag of the rear admiral in command,
Gherardi, will be al the masthead Of the Phila-
delphla, and the orders have been issued for
the divisional squadrons and their organization.
The object has been to divide the available
ships in two squadrons as nearly equal in ap-
pearance and tonnage as possible. The first
division, under command of Rear Admiral
Benham, will have the Newark for flagship,
with the Atlanta for her mate, in the first sec
ton; second section, San Francisco, with the
Bennington for mate; third section, Charles
ton, with the Bancroft for mate.
ADMIRAL WALKERS COMMAND.
The second division, with the Chicago for
flagship, will be in command Of Rear Admiral
Walker; first section, Chicago and Concord;
second section, Miantonomoh and vesuvius;
third section. Baltimore and Yorktown.
In spite of the fact that quite a number of
the ships lately constructed and nearing COM
pletion were promised for the Columbian naval
review only one, the Bancroft, will be ready. as
the details Of completion and the speed and
horsepower trials cannot be hurried and still
be thorough.
The New York just escaped being in the
parade, but her trial trips will occupy some
time and her armament is not mounted.
The torpedo boat Gushing will be used as a
dispatch boat for the comma er-in-chief and
her speed and hardness make her especially
well fitted for the dufy Eoreiun nafions