New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-26
WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
PROGRESS OF THE CRClSERS'
DISCLOSING CONGRESS AFFMEs-NorEs AND
COMMENTS.

.u,, footed - - and them owing To some su"u'"
turn cf tickle fortune. or some decree OF 'o '''''
immediately he finds himself seated on the p'''n''
.,rdyiur .stronon,y Til, proved true this week III
regard 70 the flagship Chcago-tlmt Is, tliS p'i"'p
provcd true not the story. when inc 'n'''s' "
, Navy ,ord carly I'm the week. 1t was not cAp'o'cu
,,,t she would return there for several "'chS' hot
until after the big naval review III inc sprlnS' p
after she had taken part In the junction III ''' V'
,,,,.r IN WosIIugton's Birthday. the vessel went
hack 10 the ward on Friday. This was done p''""'0
th. shin had not received all the guns OF h'r II"
zoo, pa,rv battery. The remaining guns Of the Dat
trv were to b, shipped from Washington yesterday
aud are xpocfcd 10 arrive at the yard tohloiro"' ~
that She probably will be ready for sea Oh N'u"''
day. -, ~
The return OF the Chicago to the Navy iaru 80
uneXpectcdly gave new impulse to ruihor ''''
had loon cuIrcnt for "A few days before that tiIne !"
rho effect that Acting RcarA admiral Walker hld
o.tcd or WAS going TO ask, 10 be detached from Ms
nl,rc q. conmandant # the North Atlantic squadron
Ilu hi, rumor was dscrcdtcd by some OF the Officers
Yesterday. Although IT has been reported 'lo wv
are difference, between Admiral Walker and Admiral
Ghcrardl and that for this reason Admiral ""'"'r
would not like t. report to Admiral Gherardi to serve
under him in the naval review, stu 1t i thonEh1 'h
ADMIRAL WALKER has not made an application Tor DC
tochmcnt Admiral GhcIaId will be detached from
Ills command at sea after the great function Is over
and n Admiral Waller continues I'm his present com
ulud until then he probably Will have the NcwlorN
~ the flagship " the North Atlantic squadron Tor inc
ret of his term Of service at sea.
The new practice cruiser bancroft. which had So
.,ccr,-fnl till short time ago, Is 70 come to the
ward thl, week 10 receive her ma,s and spars, ana
inc ottcrv stores, provisions. coal. officers AMI crew
and ANYTHING else necessary TO III her for sea- li'i
mast, are ready. and thos" ana the o'h'r
thing, can qulchly be- put on board ana h'i
crew viii he read, for her on the Vermont; 80 that
In short tim" the Bancroft Will b" ready Tor sea
rlcrc are now on the receiving ship Vermont men to
compose the crews for three Of the new veS'"is ol
the Navy.
The work on the Cincinnati Is advancing rapidly.
rhc sixth ~ the boiler, for the vessel IS 10 be-
lowered into her tomorrow the starboari engine.
now standing in the erection shop. !, being taken
down. and The work ~ installing II on the vessel Is
soon 10 De- begun. A. one walk, over IN" deck oi
tho r.w cruiser hr scc, scene Of hu,ting activity.
and the vessel seems 10 be- we'll advanced toward
g. mplrtou although there I, SIN much work 10 be-
done on her. Tho weather ha, caused much delay t.
thi, v,--, and on All the vc.-cs u course Of con.
.ifuctiou ln the Yard. In spite If This. much work
ha, been done. The monitors Terror and Puritan.
and The cruiser Maine. a, well The Cincinnati. re-
,ciyc tL"r share II the work. and forces Of mechanics
continually busy on tacm.
An order has been received in the steam engineer
lug department 10 con,trnc, two more Weaver speed
indicators. TIL, speed indicator was invented BY
Passed Assistant Engineer Weaver. before he resigned
from The Navy. to De- used In new system Of finding
the .Iscn II vc,.cl, on their Official trials devised
~ Engineer BOZ. enter Melville. The instrument indi
cafes accurately and the Oh sped Indicator va, not
iccuratci the number of revolutions OF each Of the
propellcis separately. IT," second, ~ time. and
o'rcr important data. and marks all Of It ON "trip
II paper The new method - finding the sped 81
@ vessel WAS used In The recent tit 81 the bancroft.
and all-onccr> and contractor, satisfied and
delighted with IT, The principle IS 10 establish. by
preliminary trials, curve by mean, Of which tho
-I-cd BE- told the official trial: the curve Is
worked up from the number " revolutions. the dis
iancc trarcrsed, and IN" horse power.
Commodore Erbcn commandant Of tho Navy Yard
and station. Ia, ju,t had experience which de
lighted him. II" WAS In Washington last week, and
thcr" heard this thing that pleasing. An
English electrical expert who Is I'm the United states
trip paid visit 10 the cruiser Ncw-Y)sk
and examined the electric lighting plant on her.
lie said that IN" dynamo the vessel aud the plant
whole were the most excellent and most
plctc In every way any vessel I'm any Navy Of
Tho world; and that h. should k" 10 meet The
who designed Il. The plant was de-
-gncd by the son of Commodore Erbcn. who has Il
position In the Edison Company at schenectady.
And the Young man had not told his father what
lac doins.
There Is naturally much disappointment among
he officer, OF the Navy that the Appropriation bill
provides for only small vessel. II light draught
projected gunboat Of t.2o0 tons displacement Mr..
Ioutcc. who has been member of the House
Naval Committee for many years. and Is cX-
officer of the Navy. urged amendment providing
for four gunboal, and 1000 ton scagong coast
line bat:lualip bat the amendment was voted
down. ~ the bill stands 1t provides for only the
gnboat alluded to- TO cost not more than
ficO.OOO and TO exhibit speed Of not less than
seventeen knots an hour. II the vessel should eN-
c,cd this speed the contractor VIII receive pre-
MUM Of $4,000 above the conract price for each
quarter " a knot In excess. \ penalty Of like
amount Is provided for each quarter Of knot that
The vessels speed may fall below the guaranteed
speed of seventeen knots.
Inasmtch Is some OF the officers at the Yard were
recently on duty at the Washington Navy Yard gun
foundry they take much interest I'm the work done
there, and there a general expression OF sat
>facrOn on I thursday when II was reported that
after several attempts the ordnance authorities had
succeeded In getting the jacket the 13-inch gun
In lis proper place. This Is the first Of the lBinch
guns designed for the batcships, and. with
three Others. will find place in the turrcts Of the
Oregon. now building the Pacific coast. and tl''
sticking Of the Jacket threatened The completion Of
;hc gun.
The work Of manufacture OF this gun Is Of more
than usual interest and every step has been watched
hy Captain sampson. the Inspector I'm charge OF II.
The gun will be the largest made In this country
by the bulup process. Til, steel rifle Is made
" thirteen separate pieces OF metal. exclusive OF
the complex cnrriaer. and the supcrStltlpls have
oppressed much Apprehension lc't 13inch gun.
made Of thirteen pieces OF metal should be- doomed.
The gun consists Of central tube. over which are
,hrun, bands. on jackets. Of various shapes.
n, total length |, nearly forty feet. IT. diameter ni
,hc brccch Is an Inch more than forr feet. and 1t
taper, TO thickness OF twenty-onr Inches ut the
muzlle When finished the gun will weigh nearly
IJsOOO pounds. about seventy nine tons. and
lis construction will have occupied SIX months
Ian, bettcr time can be made with the other guns OF
his callber II will require than 900 pounds Of
n.vdcr to load this rife for discharge which Is
circulated 10 hnrl shell about three feet long. weigh
ing 900 pounds. distance Of twelve miles or more
with "A velocity Of ri 900 feet second. At dis
rance Of "a mile and haf from The muzzle Of tho
cn the force OF solid shot Is calculated 10 pierce
twenty one inches Of steel
Ensign George ". Logan. who recently returned
In tho AeIo