The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-15

painted white and on the surface looks for
midable enough, but the Monterey, though
in commission, Is poorly equipped Tor
fight.
received from the Secretary Of the Navy
late on Sunday afternoon that the conf
mandant Of the Mare Island naYy-yard
issued instructions 10 place the Monterey in
commission yesterday afternoon.
Captain Henry l.. Howison, U. s. n.
was detailed by Admiral irwin TO issue the
necessary orders 10 the TeceiVing-ship indie
pendence 10 have the crew on board
promptly at 2 o'clock. At the same time
dispatch was sent 10 Captain Louis Kempff,
D. S. y. TO be present, and the same n0tit-
cation was sent to Chief Engineer Trilley
and the officers designated TO commands on
the Monterey.
Shortly before o'clock the crew. to the
number Of 160. headed by the Independence
band. were marched On board Of the Mon
terey and ranged in double files on tie
starboard and port sides OF the quarter
deck.
The officers were ranged in front of the
after turret, just beneath the 10-inch guns.
Captain HOwis0n (repTesentiBg Admiral
Irwin. Captain Kempff; Commander Pen
dletbn, the executive officer; Chief Engi-
ueer Triiley, Captain Cotton Of the indie
pendence. Commander L0ngneeker OF the
Ranger, anG Lleutenants Phelps and Rose
OF the Independence were in the center OF
the deck.
The wharf was lined with spectators.
officers and men from the various ships In
port, with goodly sprinkling Of ladies'.
As soon as the navy-yard gateKeeper had
sounded four bells Captain Howison turned
10 Captain Kempff and in few well-timed
remarks turned the ship over 10 him, and
ordered the colOrs to be hoisted and the
pennant broken"
At the usual signal the qusrtermaster
slowly hoisted the brand-new siXteen-foot
ensign, and the pennant rising as ball to
The masthead was broken" and huttered
in the breeze.
simultaneously the band played "Hail
COlum bia," and each officer and man un-
covered his head, carrying the cap in his
left hand.
Captain Kempf then stepped to the front
and in a clear voice read his orders from
the Secretary Of the Navy detschiDg him
from the Board Of Inspection az San Fran
cisco and ordering him TO the command Of
the Monterey. He then instructed the ex-
eeutiYe officer to pass the word to pipe
down." The shrill call of the boatswain' S
whistle was heard. and the men were
promptly told of into watches, port and
staTb0agd.
The officers who had been assigned TO
the ship presented their orders to the cap
tain. who. in turn, Endorsed them. After
the invited guests had offered congratula-
tions active life On the Monterey began.
Yesterday about 100 tons of coal were put
aboard the chip and her furnaces were fired
up. This was not for tie purpose Of raising
steam, but to dry the vessel, which is just
now a very ''rheumaticky" abiding-place.
The crew are still making their home on the
Independence and Ii may be some days be-
fore the Monterey is dry and Wholesome"
At the same time she is fit for fight. on
an emergeucy-that is to say, If the projec-
tiles were aboard. But 1t would not be such
q fight as the friends of the Monterey
would like to send her into.
The Homestead strike knocked out the
plans Of the projectors of the Monterey
and her guns could only be fought at dis
advantage just now. The probab abilities are
that If the gunners had say In the matter
they would ask for "clear field and 10
stripped from the turrets. When the iron
mantIes come 1t will be different.
Admiral Irwin, when asked by reporter
about the danger of "splinters" in the
wooden crowns of the turrets, said that
there would undoubtedly be surh danger
from solid shot, such as was used in the
Civil War, but that modern projectiles of
high velocity would simply pierce the wood
without splintering 1t. So, too. with the
rapid-fre guns of heavier caliber than the
Calling The admiral expressed the
opinion that the Cuttings balls would
simply bury themselves in the woodwork
or glance harmlessly from the surface OF
the tower.
ut Is no use Disgusting the fact" said
Captain Howison, that machine fire con-
eentrated on a turret unprotected by q
shield would made it impossible to work a
gun. 1t would be q rain of death. But
such fire would have 10 be kept up under
conditions which could hardly obtain In the
case Of the Monterey"
~ off pf Z ha f~fa - he
little Comanche lying in the stream half q
mile ahead.
ave could send a bolt right through her
tnrr6t, and that is armor-elad eleven inches.
But 1t is not solid armor like ours; it is
simply. Inch plates. shrunk one over the
other"
The crew Of the Monterey were kept very
busy all day ''tldying up" for the craft Is
by no means in such apple pieIorder as the
Adams. which lies just astern Of her. Nor
Is she even as fit for a fight as the little
Comanche which has been locked, painted
and OVerhaulcd. All that the Comanche
wants 10 20 into a fight is 100 tons of coal in
her bunkers. and then the general impress
sion is that she would make very nasty
antagonist in fight at close quarters.
81 am willing to admit" said an old salt,
who had been through the civil war IN a
naval capacity, that the Monterey could
make a sieve of the C0manche. provided
she could hit her. Bnt pu! both vessels
outside the heads, half a mile apart. and I
would take the Comauche for choice when
il came to a fight You couldn't hit her,
and she might hit you. Those big bolts
come heavy, now mind you! When they
strike something is going TO moye."
Admiral Irwin was non-c0mmittal about
Hawaiian matters. but stated that the
Adams and the Ranger are in readiness for
immediate service. Either can leave at an
hours notice, and each has her full COM
plement of marines 1t is thought that il
the Hawaiian difficulty adjusts itself the