Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-24
TOO N UGH w 90 b
Danger That Bsssts the Present Htyls d
Naval VessaA
The Fight OF Yala saegests Some
Valuable Idea, 90 the Men whe
Build Our ships.

The details Of the great naval battle at
the mouth of the Yslu river. a. laid before
the public in the Associated Press dis
patches. have been OF great interest to
naval officers and form a fruitful theme
for discussion. This engagement Is bound
to have an effect naval construc-
ton in at least one feature. 1t In noted by
the naval experts that the heaviest losses
In the fight were caused by fire, and at
least three of the vessels engaged were In
flames during the fight caused by the ex-
ploson of small shells from the secondary
batteries. That steel warships should prove
to be SO combustible was regarded as
rather extraordinary fact, calling for ex-
pianation and correction, and the attention
Of the board of naval bureau chiefs has
been directed to that end. The result will
be heavy reduction in the amount of
woodwork that will be allowed In our
ships if any new ones are to be built
F1imsy Work Between Decks
Few persons who have not closely exam
ined a fine man-of-war have any idea how
much joiner work and combustible fittings
are contained within the walls of steel
Originally iron and steel war vessels were
plainly fitted, but gradually the quantity
and quality of woodwork have increased,
until the latter has. as shown In the Yalu
hSht, uccofuc d SOuTce OF great DANGER TO
the safety of the ship. Our own construc-
tors have been far in the lead in this addi-
ton OF cabinet work. animated by a COM
mendable desire to make the quarters of
and attractive. and the result is that some
of our ships are as handsomely and expen-
sively finished as a palace car.
Luxury Of Appointments.
During the great naval rendezvous at
Hampton Roads. preliminary to the review
at New York, the visiting foreign naval
officers expressed establishment and delight
at the luxurious appofn tments AMI finish of
the interiors of our ships, which made the
foreign vessels seem barren by contrast.
The British vice admiral HOPKINS. COM
planned that his officers had been made
discontinued by the comparison of their
own plain quarters with the mahogany fin
ished. carved and decorated wardrooms of
our ships. The British naval vessels, by
the way, are exceptionally devoid OF this
class Of work, and plain steel walls, una
dorned even by pictures, are the rule rath-
er than the exception. Now, our naval CT
ficers are fond OF their pretty quarters; but
they caAnot let that fondness jeopartlize the
ship and their own lives. Besides, the
woodwork Is expensive-surprisingly so
for ii cost about xSOO,tUO to finish the joiner
work of single one of our vessels-the
Columbia-a sum that would have pur-
chased at least two swift and powerful
torpedo boats. larger than the Ericsson.
me wood also shelters Vermfn, ana IL
makes very difficult, and sometimes impos-
sible the discovery of leaks and rust In the
ships hull concealed, as 1t is, behind heavy
hardwood bulkheads.
Some Reforms Proposed.
The total weight of such joiner work is
also very formidable, and IL it could be dis
tributed in additional guns or armor would
add something to the efficiency of a ship.
These objections to woodwork had already
been under considera zion 10y the naval de-
signers, when they received the hint con-
veyed by the Yalu fight of the startling
danger from fire to which these splendidly
fitted ships were exposed, and as a result,
1t is safe to predict, that in designs for
future American warships the British Of
fioerS will find nothing to envy on the score
of luxury. Some covering, 1t is true, Is
necessary to prevent the sweating" of the
steel walls The British rely for this upon
heavy coats of paint, but 1T may be that in
our next ships a concession will be made
to the aesthetic taste that will still pre-
vent the spread of fire and be light cheap
and vcrmin-proof, by the adoption for In
terror work of pressed sheet metal. now
made in elaborate and artistic designs.