New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-10
SMALL CRAFT IN THE NAVY.
NEW TORPEDO BOATS TO BE MARvEtS OF
ENGINEERING SKILL
ACTIVE WORK ~ ENGINE BUILDING AT THE
NAVY YARD-THE CAsTINE TO HAVE HER
OFFICIA Al TRI N. THIS WEEP


OFFICIAL TRIN THIS WEEK
Many different kinds OF boats arc included In the
term Navy-laygc boats and small heavy boats and
light. fast boats and slow. steel boats and wooden
boats propelled by steam and those propelled in the
original way-by hand power When the term Navy
Is heard. one naturally thinks first OF the great
steel cruisers such the Chicago or Philadelphia
Baltimore, and then of the others, growing smaller
as the scale goes down. until the tiny Bancroft il
reached But there are also many others which
can be called 10 mind. from the torpedo boats such
as the Gushing down TO the smallest gig that may
hang from the davits Of a vessc and it will be
seen that all have their use. and some Of them
would be or paramount Importance in time Of war
ana So III building up Navy the small boats
must receive attention as well as the large.
The small boat which is expected to prove OF
great Importance in war is the torpedo boat. In
accordance with this idea some OF the large vessels
VIII carry supply of them their decks to
launch and use occasion. Torpedo boats are
about TO be built for two of the large batteships
Whch nave not yet been put into commission
the Maine and the Texas; the New York Navy
Yard will be built two torpedo boats for the former
vessel and at the Norfolk Yard two for the latter
These boats will be marvels of engineering eff
cheney. They will be light-some being of l2-tons dis
placement, and some of las tons displacement each
VIII have single screw. and will be fitted with a
neutrality-suspicious. engine The engine OF the
Texas's boats will develop. 1t is estimated. an in
dicated horsepower OF 49, and that OF the Names
boats. indicated horse power OF 200 when 675
revolutions are being made by the screw. The
weight for the lighter boats must not exceed 900
pounds and that of the heavier boats 1900 pounds
The torpedo boat at its best appears to be moth
ing more than combined vitality and destruction"
it has been said ana this would certainly seem TO
be true in regard to these new boats for the great
battleships.
The last year has seen great progress in naval
construction. The NewYork. Detroit, and Machias
already in commission, and the Castne Mont
gomery, Marbehead. Columbia and Olympia prob.
ably will be in commission before the end of the
year. or at any rate practically ready for 1t. or
these latter vessels the Castne Is to have her
official steam trial this week, and the following
officers have been ordered to meet on her on Tues
Captain +. o. Matthews Chief Engineers +. j.
Whitaker and J. Entwstle. Commanders p. r.
Cooper and S. Belden. Lieutenant Commander J. n.
Hemphl I.eutenants r. G. Davenport and l.. L.
Reamey. Passed Assistant Engineer Herschell Main.
and Naval Constructor s. W. Armistead
The time for the trial trip OF the Montgomery
is also approaching. and Commander c. H. Davis
was in Washington last week In connection with
preparation for it. When the speed trials OF this
ship she will be nearly ready TO go into
commission. The Marbehead will be ready for her
trial i'm about two months, ii is thought. She IL
10 go over 10 the Navy lafu from ner contractor
tomorrow. to be put into the drydock and have
her bottom cleaned and painted. The Columbia
started out from Cramps shpyard on Thursday 10
make her unofficial trial trip; anything that may
be found to be not perfectly satisfactory will be
corrected, and the vessel probably Will be ready for
her official trial within week.
one department in the Navy Yard which IL en-
gagged in a good deal OF important work at this dull
season OF the year is the Steam Engineering De-
partment. The engines for the Raleigh and Gin
cinnati have gone out OF the shop, the former TO
Norfolk and the latter TO be erected on board the
Cincinnati in the yard The department is still
building engines, only they are OF smaller type.
There are engines for the tug Nina for tug
boat al the Portsmouth Yard, FOR the new com
mandants barge. and qradruple expansion engines
for the two torpedo boats belonging TO the Maine.
Captain f. +. Kane is detached from duty as
captain Of the New-YOrk Navy Yard on october
. and placed on waiting orders on the same day
CAPTAIN Frederick Rodgers Is detached from DUTY
as Supervisor of the Harbor of New-fork ana or
dered to duty as Captain OF the New ork yard.
Lieutenant G. commander Daniel Delehanty Is De
Ia hed from duty in the Navy Yard on september
lG and ordered as assistant TO the supervisor NJ
the Harbor october 2 and Lieutenant j. :.
Fremont has also been ordered as assistant 10 the
Supervisor OF the Harbor