New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-12
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
THE DELAY on THE ERICSSON.
N,v,r. OFFICERS GETTING INPATIENT OVER 1T
ADVANCE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMoH
PLATE-THE ARMY At THE FAIR
TaY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l

PLATE-THE ARMY NJ lhr' r'i"'
IsY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUsEl
Washington. June 1l.-Engineer officers OF '"e
Navy express no little Impotence at the delay IN
the work OF completing torpedo boat No. . inc
Ericsson. The vessel was contracted Tor on oc'r
Der g. 1901, and with all her machinery and ntuneS
vns 10 have been completed and ready for
delivery within on" year from 'hat ""e'
According TO the last reports made N inc
conference.-the Iowa Iron Works OF Duouque-
she was not even ready for launching. AZ ieas' ID
per cent Of the work the hull and machinery
remains ,o he done At the present rate OF progr IS,
there Is little probability that she Will be com
pIptc1 before. winter. II moi ready to leave tne
Mississippi In the early autumn. I'll" VIII no. s'' o"'
of ~. river before the spIiS renhe's. a. the wafer
In certain places IN the river VIII not ne su.' III
TO float a vessel even of her slight draughi II Is
this contingency which Iau-cs so mnch mpauehce II"
naval circles special attention was given by ue
designer, to the line, Of her hull and TO her engines
and boilers with "a View OF attaining the contract
speed twenty four Knots in smooth wnter-and IL IL
imrortant that observation, and calculations w
possible al early date for use In future pi'ns vi
vessels.
Rcpor,s Of highly gratifying progress in the work
Of producing naval armor have been received CURING
tho pust few DAYS by secretary Herbert These re-
mort. show that both contractors. the Befhlenem ana
The Carnegie companies, are about prepared 10 oeNer
ormor rapIdIy Official, ut the navy Department. feel
much encouraged ut the outlook. and express ue
opinion that hereafter delays In completing Vesseis
viii not be due 10 sowness In Supplying aruor. I's
winter representatives OF III" two companies assured
Mr. Herbert who then chairman OF the HOUSE,
Committee on Naval Affairs. that before summer 'ne'r
plants would he IN condition to turn out more armor
,nan the ship builders could use. When the SUBJECT
wa, onsidcred by the House Committee te ou'i"oA
v,s oloomy The contract with the bethlehem Com
papy had been In effect for i've ana hait years.
Under its provisions deliveries OF armor were 10 nave
,.cn begun I'm December 1850. AM made at the rate
OF 300 tons month. No armor was received now
ever until December. 1852. long after the time wheh
all deliveries were to have been completed. Even
then only about onesiXth Of the total a'nhtny han
been turned to the Government since thrh '"e
COMPANY has strvcn hard to meet It's engagements
and ha, finally succeeded In overcoming Obstacles
,h,ch c,us.d DELAYS The Carnegie Company has
made reasonably satisfactory progress from the start
Its contract calls for 5000 tons Of armor varying III
| thickness from four to twenty inches. Deliveries
were 10 be- at the nate Of 500 tons monthly. The
contract went into effect In November looo Two
wear, thereafter about 800 tons had been receive"
BY the Government nearly a. great quantity as
took the Bethlehem Company five ana hali years
10 deliver. On the first Of the present mon'n 'ne
| records OF the Bureau OF ordnance showed mat III
all 4oo4 tons OF armor had been delivered by poth
Contractors OF this quantity the bethlehem Com
pany had turned o.27' tons ana the carnegie
Company 2.0l1.
"Thc Army and Navy Register" published III 'hiS
city, Is authority for the stat meni that The GOV
eminent dry dock at Port Ro'a. =. e.. Is III ~'a
way InamIry TO Justify III" Register ;
remarks on the subject. and calls attention 10 the
importance permitting only expert contractors 10
bid on such work. II appears that the present con
dition OF the dock renders IL unfit for use IL Is III
deed possible that the dock Is Injured to such an
extent that 1t cannot bc repaired without much d'i"y
and nj great cost. II less SENSATIONAL reports
are true, the only way In which the dock can Do
made ser,lceable Il to tear up all the WOODWORK now
down and to rebuild the whelc structure Inns
msans prncticaily that only the hole In the srosns
can be utilized. 1t is hoped. however that TINS Is
| an alarmst view OF The situation. and TINT prompt
and vigorous measures will put the dock In condi-
Herbert will probably order al Investigation TO BE-
made AT To determine 10 what extent the uo'M
was damaged ana the cause. -
| n hps been practically settled that the army Is
10 be- represented at the Worlds Far. Ills cohci'i
| sion Is The wish OF both Secretary Lamont ana
t.nrrul SchOf.ld rhc troops have brrii selcc'ru.
and IL only remains determine whether or not IN.
| warrant the movement being madc. There Is niue
doubt on this point however The force VIII ~
clude two companies Of infantry now stationed NJ
Fort Smelling The will not net n police IT. the
Fair grounds and assistants In the Coumbah
Guards ms reported but will OILY perform legitimate
parts OF the Government exhibit \ final conclusion
in the matter reached after iii" return OF Secre
tarv Lamont and General schoted from their recent
| visit to Chicago.