The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-10
TOO MUCH WATER.
Serious Defects in the
New York.
SOME ONE HAS BLUNDERED.
e..
Tn,possibIe to Dock the Great
Battle-Ship.
SOME ONE HAS BLUNDERED.
SHE CANNOT FIGHT WELL EITHER
There VIII Probably Be an Investi-
CATION to See Where the
Blame Lies.

NEW YORK, Nov 9.-It was definitely
ascertained this morning at the Brooklyn
Nayy-yard that the new armored cruiser
New York, through a radical defect in con-
s'ruetion, draws considerably more water
than was intended. and Is unable TO get
into any of the docks in this country.
When the cruiser had been ligbtened as
much as possible she drew 19 feet inches
forward and 26 feet2 inches aft, which is
more than the Brooklyn Navy-yard dock
can take.
= The exact amount Of draught over her
designed lines is something less than two
feet. It was intended by the Navy De-
paFtment that the cruiser should come to
this port after she had been at Newport
News, where she was to have been put in
tue best condition, so when she came to
this city she might be thrown open for in
spection; but when il was found she
could not be docked there she was sent
hese to the navy-yard TO be cleaned.
THE discovery that she cannot be docked
here either leaves it for the Navy Depart
neut 10 decide what shall be done with
her. Meantime the torpedo tubes have
been taken out. as they were found useless
under the added draught aft, and this has
seriously reduced her fighting power.
. Regarding the published statements that
there. are defects in the new armOred
cruiser New York. Captain j. W. Philip
said:
They are entirely untrue. The New
York can enter the drydocks here. at
League Island. at Newport News. at Nor
folk and at san Francisco. 1t is not true
that5he would have to 90 to Europe to go
nto. drydock.
Tue Times Washington special says:
Whatever may be thought about the sta
tility of the New York by those who have
studied her at the navy-yard in Brooklyn.
Assistant Secretary McAdoo and Chief
Naval Constructor HichbOrn have the
greatest confidence in the report of her as
to. stability and efficiency. They both tell
abaut> the same story based, presumably,
upon the same facts.
e. McA doc says that there can be no great
alarm felt about the difficulty of docking
the:Ne& oIk, and that it is mistake TO
.Say.that there is no drydoek into which
She. Gau be put. She has already been In
:tne League Island drydock. and the super
intend eat Of the Newport News Ship-
building Company was at the Navy De-
partment to-day TO ask that bis company
might have the docking of the cruiser to
test her metacentric height.
. .MT. McAdoO says that the New York
c6uld:. be docked in Brooklyn if there was
water. enough in the Wallabont chan
naf to allow her to approach the dock.
.0ther naval officers say the same thing.
. :Enion Iron Works people were mHch
.alIlrsef yesterday at the predicament of
the New Yurk; but they were 10th to talk
about it much, probably because any state
:ment might reflect upon the naval officers
who were responsible for the acceptance
:of tie cruiser, which was builtin the East.
and toward which the rival ship-buiders
at Philadelphia have been pointing the
fRger Of pride.
Henry Scott was asked how he accounted
for the fact that the New York draws
more water than was intended.
''Of Course l know nothing about her,"
said he, beyond what 1 have read. but
would infer from what the dispatches say
that she went out light on her trial trip.
The Olympia is down to her load water
line. She carries enough ballast to bring
her to Just where she will be with guns,
ammunition and full supply of coal on
board"
Then the fault was with the naval
board that approved her?"
''Oh. don't say that; don't say that.
Indeed, don't know where the blame lies,
but there is a screw loose somewhere.
They are having a peck Of trouble out
there lately with the Machias, the Detroit
and others, and now it seems to be the
pride of The navy the New York
"Of course they Will be able to dock her, Z"
he continued, "but they will be compelled
to tighten her a good deal, and this process
will have TO be gone through with every
time she is taken into dock"
a man who is interested in naval affairs
said:- now let the Eastern newspapers
turn their attention to the ships built in
their own district. They abused the Mon
terey without cause. as has been proven,
and new they have just ground for attack
a home. 1t is evIoent to me that the
Cramps made big blunder and imposed
on ihe naval officers by sending out the
New York light, and that now she is down
TO :isr load water line the error is dis
covered"