The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-22
FAULTS OF THE NEW YORK.
REAR ADMIRAL BBNHzM TALKS ABOUT
THE CRUISER.

TIE ship ss ne Knew Her snd H.speetsa
Her Q. ME Hsrbor-Nsw Amm..itior
Tubss VIII Probably Have 20 ne Pet I.
sac Her Mseszi.ss shift.a-Undsr.r-.ea.
Rear Admiral A. z. X. Bsnhsm, in whose
squadron on the South Atlantic station the
cruiser New York has been In service for sew
eral m onths. was question: ed yesterday by Bun
reporter at his country home in Richmond.
Staten Island. in regard to recent structures
made by the Board OF which Admiral Belk ma
was President concerning the war ships con-
struction. Admiral Bsnham made an inspec-
tion OF the New York at Rio Janeiro and re-
ported to the Navy Department few weeks
ago. but he says the inspection was m erely q
routine inspection. and that the report con-
eerned the vessels ordnance. Speaking Of the
alleged faults In construction. he said:
II can hardly speak authoritatively regard
ing the New York's sesworthiness. because
that was In no degree the object OF my inspec-
ton. and the faults she lie said to have 1 know
OF mainly by hearsay. know that the vessel
is very hot below decks. and that her ventilst-
ing apparatus Is not nearly so good as might
be. The magazines for her elRht-inch guns
are also In the wrong place. They were put
amidships for greater facility In getting the
ammunition to the turrets: the intention was
to avoid handling and carriage But they are
TOO near the boiler compartment, and undoubt-
eddy they will have to be removed.
The New York also rolls good deal. This
may not be exactly detraction from her sea-
worthiness. but It certainly is n serious fault
in her fRhing qualities She would be no
match for ship equal In all other particulars
which had the added advantage Of stability.
The inclination or declination OF her gun
platforms would be an nsurmountablo obsta-
al 70 nTa If Al m wnuld not
only Re manifest In an open sea, but would
also hold good to lesser extent In calm
wats,.nshting In harScy for ins ia &c N.x
carries, very light batteries for her displaee;
OF her class. This deficiency 10 so obvious
that i ha. been generally Esmsrk is; b The The
.bin Thea h.Se gone over her rom stem 10
stern, have admir:d her: have viewed with ar.
Hhos Il as sna n.g S.y.
white she is certainly underarmed. that Is
fsnss n S' auss n could
her finch guns; This would entail very little
Any daS S.TGy S .h pS G Il ysSsns
h & .SS Sainsls q bS.ia
when the vessel is overhauled.
TT he ammunition tubes, VIII eh come in for so
tio nsn nsaeq ao1fsd and proSsSy
they will have to be replaced. The replace
msnt would involve no radical changes. and; I
think. could be effected speedily and to the
ships great Improvement. The tubes now In
service were not the ones designed for tho
New York. The original tubes were armored.
and were specially designed to protect the am
munition in its passage from the m agazines to
the guns. The sides OF the New York do not
afford that protection. and unless the armored
tubes are put back l should regard that as a
serious defect to the ship as q fighter. The
original armored tubes were ordered to be
taken out By sx Secretary Tracy; but it seems
to me that It was mistake.
talk. now work perfectly. Before I LETT Rio
Jansiro they were In good order and don't
them. As originally fitted the machinery that
moved them was very complicated. and there
fore extremely likely to get out OF order. The
turrets would not stop at the right place and
they wAbhled. and were generally unservtcs-
able. But all the machinery WAS simplifed By
Lieut.. Dashiel who has more than ordinary
mechanical ability. and now think the tur-
rets and their machinery to be perfectly ser
The New York. think. is not 90 we'll con-
structed In Any way as the San Francisco. the
Cincinn att and other OF the new vessels. Her
Joiner work. particularly, seems to have been
hurrisdly finished. At the same time. think
the ship can be fixed up without any great
trouble. now that they know what is the m at
ter with her. and that she will he. as she has
been considered. one OF the cracks OF the new
nayY.h