New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-29
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
ICE INTERFERES WITH CONSTRUCTION.

GOOD BEHAVIOR OF THE BANCROFT - MIS-
FORTUNES OF OFFICERS.
The trouble caused BY the Ice block al the Navy
Yard has not yet entirely ceased. ana II WIS III
teresting and almost amusing yesterday 10 see the
frantic efforts that the little scow made TO cross
the narrow wallabout Channel. The vessel wonid
start from the Cob Dock for instance. and perhaps
could 90 a few feet through clear space OF water
then she would strike the lee. but would push
gallntly on with two bueackcts the front spear
Ing lee cakes of the way by means OF boat
hooks. until finally the Ice. iammed thick ana aSt
In the channel. would conquer. and she would he
Obliged to stop LAY to- Alter some hiorc
vigorous spcaring By the blucjackets the engines
would be reversed and the vessel would back for
way In order that she might push forward with
renewed impulse. while in the mean time the Ice
closed in again In front OF her. Then progress
would be made, but Ii readily be seen that
trips OF the scow could not be made Win thelr
usual frequency and regularity but II any one hai
plenty of time Idle on his hands, he probably would
find II at least pleasant to make the trip mus
rs It would be to 90 "around the Iiorn.' In other
ways than this however the recent freeze has proved
inconvenicnt In the Navy Yard. The floating crane
was frozen in the Ice and could not be moved to
position where Ii desired To- use II, and the
| monitor MIantonomoh frozen in the Ice mt her
moUings alongside the Terror, and cdiid not be
moved that the Terror might be free to have some
Of her plates hOisted into POSITION Now Things
are in n somewhat better shape. The MantonOmoh
has been moved to position alongside the Puritan
and the floating crane was by her yesterday morning
to lower Grc-box Into her hold. Two Of the
armor plates for the turret Of the Terror. have also
been erected into place the vessel and the other
will be set up the work advances. They are
all In the yard, the two port plates having come
within the last few days.
The work Of putting the boilers into the cruiser
Ipfi proIu will in tprfu hv fba Nnltin
crane this week First the shafts to be put in,
and then the boilers. Four OF the boilers lay down
near the vessel yesterday. fifth the way ami
the sixth was In the machine shop almost ready to
be- taken TO the vessel. The insalment Of the
machinery In the vessel will now go on steadily. If
nothing happens TO prevent. rs the parts that were
damaged totally destroyed by the fire In the
ton shop last fall. will be entirely made good.
The construction Of the new erection shop. which
Is TO take the place OF the one that destroyed.
Is well advanced; the frame has been set up. and
large amoant OF the iron sheeung put it, This
Will make Hight, hrep proof structure. but 1t Is
desired that in time permanent brick structure may
be erected inside OF 1t.
Tie work of various kinds still continues on The
cruiser Chicago. but otherwise everything is quiet
her. 1t Is said that the work will not be finished
before the middle of February, and probably
after that the vessel will 80 to the south for cruising
target practice.
The departure OF the Philadelphia on Monday for
Port Royal, C., has still further reduced the num-
Der OF vessels In the Navy Yard, that now there
only two vessels In commission there-the
Chicago and the MartOnomoh The departure for
other places OF the many vessels that were In the
yard at one time during the fall. and the finishing
Of those and many other Jobs Of work, have very
much reduced the work to be done there, that
there Is not enough TO keep all the men busy In some
departments. Hence. good many men have been
die harged lately, There over seventy In the
steam engineering department discharged, and
largo number also In the construction department,
OF course. when Increase OF work makes Il neces
Sary TO enlarge the force OF men again, these men
who are now discharged will have the preference;
that l.. their names Will be- kept the books. and
they Will be- the first to be- employed when the amount
Of work De- done It. After this dead part
OF the winter Is over the amount OF work probably
will increase again For instance, the arrival Of the
T.. ;. :. ESseX which has sailed for home from Mon
tevideo. Will be- practically certain To bring the
necessity for good deal of work; and the lifting out
Of the Bancroft other vessels take part in the
naval review In the spring is likely TO bring work to
this yard, too.
The o;is-ton practice cruiser Bancroft, built go
cruises the instruction of the cadets at the Naval
Academy. passed the Navy Yard about 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning with appearance of dignity and
statcncss that seemed TO say I'm cock OF the walk
vessels, such for instance, the 10,5OOon battle
ship Indiana. which Is to be launched at Cramps
Works. Philadelphia, next month, or even the 1000
ton cruiser Chicago. but she went clear beyond her
requirements for speed OH her official trial Thurs
day. and in consequence the builder Will receive
large premium over and above the contract price,
amounting to at least 100000 As she came down
through the East River just from Newport, she cut
swath through the that left behind her evidence OF
her ability To fight the elements Of nature well
as OF war, and make good pccd while doing 1t, too
She Is the first steam vessel built for service as
practice ship for the future admralS. engineers naval
constructors and marine officers OF the Navy and she
Is fitted with all the mprov, nlcnts and details Of
design OF the modern warShip with masts and sails
besides Not only Is she fitted for practice cruising,
but I'm case Of war She could be used as gunboat
or a dispatch boat just She Is.
Four Young officers Of the Navy, Enslgns Niback.
IIacselcr simpson and Muir have recently been ex-
amncd for promotion. and on Tuesday completed
what had been successful examination to them.
These young officers The first to receive questions
on electricity In an examination, but they showed Ivy
their answers that knowledge on this important sub
i,ct I'm connection with the modern Navy
thorough.
The court martial that tried the OF Passed
Assistant Paymaster r. j. Cowic on charges OF drunk
enncss" and conduct mbecoming an officer OF the
Navy announced that 1t found him guilty on the first
charge and not guilty on the second, maintaining
that the specification under the second charge. OF
violating a temperance pledge, was proved without
criminalty The sentence pronounced on HIM. which
takes effect from October H. 1902, the date OF Its
approval, suspension from rank and duty on
Through paw for the period Of five years. and to re-
.;,r his .,rcscnt number on the list OF passed
defiant paymasters OF the Navy during his term OF
s,sp.ns,on, Rear Admiral David b. Harmony. who
convened the court makes the following comments on
the findings: "The proceedings OF the general
rtia In the foregoing Of Passed Assistant
poymaster Thomas J. Cowe. United states Navy, are
approved. rs also the findings upon the INST
lcharge and specification The findings upon the second
Charge and specification are disapproved II Is
IdIacut TO understand how courtmartia could find
an officer not guilty OF conduct unbecoming an officer