The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-03-28
HER BOILERS SOUND.
The Monterey's Officers Have No
Fear.
A Statement From Persons in Au-
thority at the Navy Yard at
Mare Island.


VALLEJO. March 27.-Your correspond
ent visited Mare Island to-day and inter-
viewed Admiral Irwin, Captain Kempff Of
the Monterey, Lieutenant Commander PEN
dleton and Lieutenant Gage, also attached
TO The vessel. To inquiries the statement
previously made. that there was absolutely
no truth in the New York Times statements
as to the boilers of the Monterey being de-
fective, was reiterated.
Said Admiral Irwin: THE Monterey's
boilers are not defective and The very ones
that were said to be SO have been in use
since the vessel arrived here, namely. the
Scotch boilers. No Information has been
received here regarding the board of sur
vey.
1.-THE Navy Department officials are in
receipt of all the data relating to the trial Of
the vessel. [ have TO say that II the boilers
of the coast defense vessel are defective 1t
Is strange that the officers who have been
commissioned to command the vessel should
care TO keen sHch an important matter
secret. Are not their lives worthy of some
consideration? 1t is not reasonable to be-
leve that the statements made are correct.
The officers who we're in attendance dur
ing the trial trip are also attached to the
Monterey. ! have every reason to believe
the statements of the officers of the trial
board. All with whom L have conyersed
state that the story of tie Times is not borne
out by the actual facts"
Captain Kempff of the Monterey stated
that he could assign no reasons for the at
tacks on the vessel. The Government has
presented its side of the case, aud there Is
nothing to retract. The trial board per-
formed its duties as prescribed. and the re-
port furnished by 1t is a matter of record.
81 have freely expressed my opinion that
the attack made is not warranted"
From Lieutenant Gage it was learned that
the Scotch boilers have been in daily use
since the arrival OF the Monterey at Mare
Island. The gauge has showd from 80 to 100
pounds, and il there are any defects they
have not been discovered.
Has any work Of any kind been done
on the boilers since the arrival of the Mon.
terey?"
There has not. said the Lieutenant. "The
dynamo is In constant operation, and power
regards board Of inquiry L am not in pos
session of any facts that the boilers Of the
Monterey are not all right"
Lieutenant Commander Pendleton ex-
pressed similar views.
The officials at Mare Island generally
have no faith whatever in the New York
Times statements. 1t is conceded that an
investigation into the motives that prompted
the Nsw Y ork journal to publish such state
ments should be the first step Of the Govern
ment officials at Washington.
The Government has presented its side of
the matter and itrsmains to make the Times
prove the correctness of the alleged facts
In the opinion of one official there is moth
ing TO conceal and no credit is given to the
Times articles.
While the controversy about the Mon
terey's boilers is in progress the officers and
crew OF the vessel are moving about as I'M
concerned as any person could be, and the
fire under the Scotch boilers is kept up, and
the steam gauge shows pressure of not less
than ninety pounds.
Appearances count for something, in this
instance at least, and the firemen and en-
gineers show no disposition 10 shirk their
duty on account OF the alleged defects in the
boilers, especially those that have crown
sheets collapsiDg and stay bolts breaking, as
represented by the Times.