New-York tribune., 1893-12-22
IN THE DRYDOCK AT LAST.
THE BIG CRUISER NEW.YORK SUCCESS.
FULLY TAKEN OUT OF TIE WATER.
RUSHING WORK PREPARATORY TO HER SAILING
THE KEARSAEGE OFF FOR THE WEST
INDIES MAKING THE MIiNTo-

NOMOu ltFhDf'
because of the excessive draught Of the armored
cruiser New-York there Is not n drydock in this
country into which she can be taken to be
cleaned painted or repaired IL 1t should be neces-
sary" was one OF the sensational statements or
criticisms made against this vessel only three weeks
ago. But, as with many Of the other exaggerated
statements made regarding this snip IL was
groundess. and she taken into the drydock at
the Navy Yard at high-water yesterday morning.
and this notwithstanding the prevailing winds OF
the last few days had tended TO drive the water
out Of the harbor and give less depth OF water IN
the East River. True. the more sou:herly winds
of yesterday gave an increased depth OF water ana
made the conditions more favorable to take the
ship out for the purpose Of cleaning and painting
her bottom.
The vessel went into the drydock with a foot OF
water between the line Of her keel and the tops
of the bge-bocks in the dock. which are about
eighteen inches from the bottom of the dock. After
the water pumped out It was found that she
in great need OF painting to protect the SUBJ
merged hull from deterioration, as the paint was
peeled or cracked OFF in several places Otherwise
the hull was In exceedingly good condition; In fact
there were hardly enough barnac,es on the bottom
to give the mascot goat a good, square meal
The OF the ship was at once pat TO work.
with scrapers TO clean the bottom and others
with pots of non-corrosve paint and brushes to
give the bottom its first coat The second coat
which must be put on hot, VIII be put on to-day,
and the vessel will be hoated into her element to-
morrow morning. Then, after coang. which can
be done tomorrow and finished on Sunday II nee
essary she Will be ready to go TO No orders
were received from the Navy Department yester-
day. that Is, none more imperative than those sent
Monday and Tuesday, but instructions were re-
ceived to expedite the getting ready work without
delay. The vessel was visited yesterday by a large
number OF strangers. and many were heard to re-
mark: Il thought she too big for any dry
Iac har I'm thera IA
in her great cradle and with room to spare all
around her. and an inspiring sight she was.
Captain Phelp. the commander of the New-York.
said yesterday that as soon as the vessel had been
growth on her her Bottom @ M removed and nd the under
water part Of the hull coated with non corrosive
There Is really. no work being done on the
vessel in the way Of repairs. he said The turrets
would hitch and jump-have been adjusted. and
they now work smoothly. The slight changes nee
essary In the awning stanchions on the deck, 10
allow the turret-guns 10 be worked all the way
round have also been made. We have al OF our
ceptIon Of coal. and this Will be taken on board
would be most convenient, In view Of the fac;
that the water alongside the 0rdnance DOCK Is 50
II loaded to her full draught there. or course no
one knows how this brazilian affair may turn out;
may become as serious as dld the Chian troubles
hence the Navy Department Is doing the wisest
thing in strengthening our squadron there think
II was the best disposition that could be made OF
the NewYork. to order her TO sea, whether 10
RO JanelrO, Japan or ELSEWHERE, as IL VIII give
to get accustomed to the ship. well as TO get
than the men on vessel @ Of war how monotonous
The orders to the Miantonornoh to be put in
readiness for were little surprising. as she
in case of actual war. The Navy Department some
time ago classed her as temporary service"
Monterey on the Pacific Coast they have been
warned that such duty would not be credited as
qaa hiff m prsfg n IN n Gg1
But the commander OF the vessel has received or
ders TO get her ready for immediate sailing orders.
whittier the Department orders. She is in good
condition and has her full complement OF officers
upon as superior to any other ship In the service.
not because OF her armament alone, but because
target to the shot OF enemy. But before she
goes there are some repairs needed TO her electric
She carries four lo-inch steel breech-loading rifles
~ zoo o. pomnhs 81 steel sach Tbe nresent SIsntono.
moh is the reconstructed ,win-screw Mlantonomoh
OF more than a quarter OF a century ago the yes
sci that went across the and far as Cron-
sadt. Russia, in 1866 She is 2592 feet long. IS feet
10 inches beam. IA feet inches draught. and dis
dtion the four 1oinch rifles. she carries g.
P2nnnHr anu W9 guns Two
The Kearsarge the old champion OF "the days
of Co. the vessel whose guns sent the Con-
federate prlylteer Alabama to the bottom OF the
Sea OF ChSrbor F9nce s thirty s, years 1nGs ago on
o'clock Yesterday morning She had been lying In
the Hudson River. and was about to go out to
destroy the floating dereic;s 50 dangerous to navi-
cation. when orders came late on "Wednesday to
sail without delay for san Domingo, In response
To the advces from the American representative
there that the revolutonists had not only at
tempted the life OF the President Of that Republic.
but had killed several Am 'rtcans at Azuras. There
were no requests made to delay the vessel. no re-
porting of unreajiness. but about neon word was
received at the Navy Yard that she had gone.
ITeyernann commanding: Iieutenants G. T. Force.
G H. Lyman. Il. T. Walling. John Hood and F. Il.
Rrainerl: Paymaster James \. Ring, Passed AS
slsant Surgeon George p Lumsden. Chief Engl-
reer B c. Gowing. Assistant SURGEON NJ: w Bar
mum. Ensgns III. c. Yates and T. =. Magruder,
Naval Cadets T. s. Thompson, T. l.. Still. r. r.
IIor len. b. Il. Mccormick. Walter Ball and ID. V.
IT. Allen. and First Lieutenant OF Marines c. l..
a. Ingate
Other vessels at the Navy Yard the g1inboat
Machas the dispatch boat Dolphin and the dyna-
mlte-gun vessel Vesuvlus.