New-York tribune., 1894-01-07
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD.
PLACING THE SIDE ARMOR PLATES on
TIE CRUISER MAINE.
VESSELS TO ATTEND TUE Trial OF TIE MONT
GOMEHY-PAY,A:T TEX srLLiNAN's CASE
r,,r. ,-r-,N I;NGDNw

4 Niece of work was done in the Navy Yard yes
,erlay which marks interest ng point III IN NJ
tor. Of the cruiser Maine. TBS was 'h' pnt''"s
in position OF the first armcr plate on that vessel
I, viii BE- remembered that for months the cry has
b,an for arnor plates. The Maine was well ad-
v,,cad in the construction department. she was
r.,dv for her heavy arinor; finally even the wooden
backing WAS put in place Bui SUI me "'i'o p''s9
did not arrive. anl 80 the woF" on u'e N'',r' wa
kept back. \ few weeks ago the ar"'or io' '''
blrbct.s came. and this was pnt in place 40" me
les FOR the armor belt have begun t" arrive ana
number of them are already here. TIE first one
was nut into place on the vcsso yesi'rd"y' II the
rest of the plates arrive on time Il j. "ii tit 'c
whole job Of putting th''n IN place ''" - "''i'"u
in two or three months. Then the tuiret p.'trS Wi"
have 10 b. mounted. These plates nave not as YET
begun 70 arrive and the naval constructor does
,,. knoy when they are coming. There VIII then
be the ordnance of the ship to be attended to- No-
lctner provided that the material arrives Pf"'nPtN'
IL is thought that the vessel may be i'dlc riiy 40
go into commission by about the lsi OF August ihis
,vi1 no nearly four years after her launching ana
nearly six years after the laying of the first Keel
nate fshe was launched in November, 1871 ana the
first keel plate was laid carly in October. lSSN.
The armor belt extends for lSo feet amidships on
each side Of the vessel. and X seven lcet pro'n'
three feet are above the water-line, ana lo"r ''''
~. bolov II; beginning the top. the arrnor belt
is eleven inches thick for four feet of It's breadth
after which II tapcrs below the water 10 thick
ness of six inches at the bottom. There are twenty
plates altogether. and some Of thes" are 80 arg
that they weigh G2VD pounds-3l tons cich Inc
plates are Harveyzed on the surface ana part way
throurh. for the rest Of the way they are not
treated 70 the hardening process but are left to act
as = sort OF cushion. and also TO hold the Harvey
ized surface together and keep n from cracking.
Owing to the great weight Of the plates II may wen
be imagined that 1t is a difficult job to put them III
the place left them in the side OF the snip. ne
large travelling crane near the edge OF the granite
drvdock was in use yesterday after the plate had
b.en lowered by means Of this huge engine 1t was
necessary 10 Jack it into place. The mere h'thR
of the plate however Is not the Only diicu'' mat
ter First a correct form Of the back "l 'h' pl"'"
has to be made, and from this the WOODEN pacN'ns
is put into the proper shape, 80 'hdt ''' P'"'' '
fl It exactly; moreover. holes have to be bored III
IN. hacking so that when the plate is In position
II may be secured by large screws from the IN
side The screw holes in the plate are not deep'
because the plate must not be wraK'h" put '"'S
are very numerous. ana thus the massive piece Vi
steel Is held securely in position
The monitor Terror IS now in the drydock 10 re-
,.r,. bcr heavy side arrmor. All OF these arinor
mates have been received. excepting the two when
will 20 in last these two plates hav" h''h i"fte''
but not yet finished because II Is desired 10 op'he
all chance. Of mistake by sending the exact size
Of the plates after all the others have been put
into place. -,
ON all the new vessels in the Navy fard the
work is well advanced and this year VIII doubtless
see the completion of some OF IT. II j. eNpeo'e'
that the cincinnati Will be- ready to 20 INTO com
mission early In the summer. Il not before ana "
Is said that the Maine may be ready 10y AUGUST j.
rh. two monitors Terror and Puritan. may not u
uut into commission this year The Puritan how
ever. IS not so far advanced as the Terror
FOR THE MONr,oAHRY's 1EGAL
Although f. has been expected tha; tho dispatch
boat Dolphin would soon 10 to Norfolk she has
no, vet gone 1; IS now though; that she VIII re-
main here until the Montgomerys trihI UP VIA
take part In that. and viii ths. perhaps so Sou'h.
The VesIvius is also here About week 'o"F''
Will be needed to complete the work on h'F' ana
she has no definite orders after this. Th"re arr
preparatory orders to go ost on more "fcck'ns
duty but these are not nnal i1 is thought th"t
she also will serve AZ the trial Of the Monis 'nery'
and Will then 60 out destroying dereHris IN" W'a'
OF the Montgomery will De- heid within we'A "'
two. 1t Is expected and IN addition 70 the Dophin
and the Vcsuvius. j. Is likely that one or moro o'
the Navy tugboats VIII be- used
tn. Koarsargc was usel IN these trials II new
vessels units she went South FOR the winter ana
/, may now b. asked whether The Machins VIII not
lake her place IN the trial Of the Montgomery.
This trial will be held In the Sound. not outside ana
II does not seem "a II there would be anything 10
fear from the instability Of the vessel There arc
however as yet no orders for The vessel and !, Is
no, known that she Will leave the Navy Yard untll
all faults I'm her construction have been thoroughly
rectined NJ present lit;ic work is being don" on
her air ports. but nothing for the Improvement 81
her stability The Stability Board mot In III" Navy
Yard last week. but it has not yet mad" any report
on the vessel; It Is 10 meet IN Washington to-
morrow and It is probable that som" decision aboh
the vessel will be reached this week. II was SAID
Yesterday In the Navy Yard that She IS not 10 be
nut into ,hc drydock be- hec.cI over and tested
for stability this has already been done twice.
THE ELECTElCAL rLANlS.
Another board which has been In session in tho
ward during the last week is the one which Is |
f., consider the advisabity Of combining under one
head All Of the electric work in the yard. At |
present the various departments which usr ',"c-
trlcl.y have their plants separate. Il is proposed
to have all the electricity which is used whether for
lighting purposes or for power. com" from one
The board oi oihcrrS hv"sVta', In ur"
present system and the plants, but whether IL WIN |
report IN favor Of the scheme or abdllst II Is nor
krown II finished It's work In the Brooklyn yard |
yesterday. and VIII now 20 - the NorioK yafd |
for same purI"s'. ,.., |
Of $1,000 for an sn-ton torpedo cruiser hut me |
boat not built * no hidS Mgre rrrely"a ron
speed was cxactcd and consequently there was |
small chance of making any extra money by |
iiyonld ~os, more than siO0D Now. however, bids |
are to be- opened again, and II IS thought t:at IN"
plans have been revised b. the Department and an
effort has been made 10 redncc the eNIcnsr U u
feet long. g7i2 feet broad and Of so tons dis |
,,lar.ncut: there viii be decks and coming |
inw.r she will have turrcts armor. but her |
battery VIII consist Of some G-inch rifles and five
tnrn.ln tubes. Her cngin's to develop G.OpD |
Indicated horse power. and the vessel, under these
nowcrful machines. ~ to maintain speed OF |
tvcn;y-th hrcc knots hour; the piston stroke Is to |
he Il inches and her screws are to make 3i5 revO-
iutions a minute Eight coil boilers VIII supply the |
steam
yACASCIES ~ THE PAY COHPs.
There are now four vacancies In the pay corps Of |
,he Navy and to nl these four positions nearly |
ope hundred applications have been received. TWO |
of these vacancies Of long standing. having |
been brought over from the last Administration. |
The delay IN lling the positions has been caused
nv tvo ca which had to be settled. The first
tho, of Pay Inspector Stevenson. who |
amined for promotion. but failed 10 pass ana was |
retired The second ease. that of Paymastcr j. &. |
hns llcnr snffel ID not