The morning call., 1893-10-09
Progress of Work at the
Navy-Yard.
REPAIRS NOW IN PROGRESS.
Ships for the Asiatic Station-The
Monterey and Monadnock.
Personals.

the northern sea. Just as soon as possible
the Ranger will have needed repairs made.
and then off again for some other duty.
A new propeller is being cast up in the
moldiug shop, which will be ready by the
time the Ranger is in dock.
The Alert, now in dock and ready to 60
out Of commission. is reported to be in ex-
cellent condition. and will be reftted at
once for another three years cruise
Workmen are already oVerhaulng her sea
valves.
The Albatross. now at the yard. will
remain a couple of months, and then take
a run down to the Sandwich Islands. She
requires but little work TO be done on her.
The Macarthur came up to the yard to
remain a few days. and yesterday went
to the city to be repaired at tie Risdon
Iron Works. The work could be done
here at Mare Island just as well. but for
som unknown reason the work is to be
done elsewhere.
The Mohican will be in during the next
week or two and also receive repairs.
The Marion will leave the China station
and arrive here the latter part of Novem-
Der. AS she is one Of the oldest wooden
sbips on this side. she will go cut Of COM
mission, and as her repairs cannot be made
within the limit, it is the superstition that
after remaining in Rotten Row short
time she will be advertised and sold at
auction.
The Yorktown. now at Callao. is to re-
main there until after the Charleston, now
at Rio de Janeiro, arrives there, when she
will probably steam over to Samoa. The
Yorktown is the only American man-Of-
war, outside of the Alliance at Corrint0.
in southern waters. When the Alliance
moves from her present station it will be
to sail for the Atlantic coast.
The Machias, now fitting out in the East,
will be sent 10 China. This is just the
style of a gunboat needed for the purpose
of steamiDg up the shallow rivers. AS she
draws but ten feet of water, there are but
few places she will not be able to reach.
1t appears to be the disposition of the
Navy Department to have respectable
appearing fleet on the Asiatic station,
Concord of the new navy. Admiral Irwin,
who appears to be as popular there as he
was at Mare Island, will have a strong and
effective force under his command.
His present flagship, the Lancaster, on
arrival of the Baltimore. will turn her
PROV toward the Golden Gate and come up
TO the nayy-yard and go out of commits
sion. She. too, is one of the old-time
wooden cruisers and has moi been here for
many years.
The Patterson, Rush and Corwin are also
expected at the yard for minor repairs, and
whatever they may be all help to swell the
amount of work 10 be done at Mare Island.
The usual force still continues on the
Monadnock. Not only on board but
in the shops the work is progressing rap
Idly. Armor plates are arriving. some of
the stern plates have already been hauled
near the monitor, and as the wooden back
ing in the vicinity of the after part of the
ship is on the plates will be made ready
for fitting in place at once.
The forward and after turrets Of the
Monterey have been set up and are being
fitted, not at present on the ironelad, but
in readiness 10 be put on board. An in
genious contrivaDc e for boring the neces-
sary holes for boiling the huge plates to-
gether has been fitted up and by the aid of
an upright engine three holes are bored al
the one and same time. Naval Constructor
Taylor, who has the supervision of this
work, has just published an Interesting
volume with appropriate diagrams on the
subject of THE Resistance of Ships and
Screw Propulsion"
The temporary turret plates, or canvas
covering if it may be termed as such, have
been removed from the forward turret of
the Monterey TO better enable the work
men TO see just where the steel plates are
TO be fastened.
The celebrated Scotch boilers On board
vice and are ia need OF no repairs what
soever.
When the Hartford is repaired the sug-
gestion made by some of the experts, that
the speed of the ship be fifteen knots, has
been rejected, and the authorities have
decided that the speed shall not be more
than twelve knots. Hopes have not yet
been abandoned that the engines may be
built a. Mare Island.
A committee OF leading merchants wis.,
tied the navy-yaTd Friday afternoon and
held consultation with the commandant
relating to the building of a cruiser at this
station.
Plans for a large steel tug are being
made at the yard, and when completed IL
Is trusted they will be so fayorably re-
ceived by Secretary Herbert as 10 endeayor
to have an appropriation made and his
order promulgated to have the tug built
here. The navy-yard is sadly in need of
powerful tug to perform the many and
varied services she would be called upon
TO render.
The steel tug now in use at the Charles
ton Yard was originally intended for Mare
Island, put unfortunately Congress failed
to pass an appropriation for bringing
her out The $1,000 or $1,000 that would
be required TO get her here could be ex-
pended on the proposed tug and thus
lessen that amount of expense. aud the
Charleston Yard retain the one now there.
Most of the officers of the Alert with the
exception of the commander. George M.
Book, Z. S. N, who has been ordered de-
tached and placed en- waiting orders, have
been detached and granted three months
leave of absence. The marine guard will
60 up to the barracks. the crew to the In
dependence. and draft sent East for dis
charge.
Paymaster L. c. Kerr, U. s. N, has been
ordered to duty at Mare Island as an
assistant to the general storekeeper. Pay
master A. W. Bacon, u. s. N, who may
eventually be ordered TO the receiving ship
Independence, in which case IL is not at all
unlikely that Pay Director w. w. VIII
liams. q. S. N, may again be assigned TO
duty as general storekeeper.
On the evening of the 4th inst Pay
master II. Il. Shedding and Mrs. Shedding
celebrated the thIrty-eighth anniversary
of their wedding by charming dinner 10
which fourteen guests were hidden in the
name of Miss Shielding, who made II a din
ner OF surprise to her parents.
Commander Bowman 81. McCalla, u 5.
N, Mrs. McCalla and daughters arrived
at the yard Tuesday and were warmly
welcomed by the residents of the station.
Commander McCalla assumed charge OF
the equipment department on the 4th inst.
Commander William NJ. Folger, U. s. N.
ex-Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. has
applied to the NAVY Department for