New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-25
NAVY YARD AFFAIRS.
GENERAL SILENCE REGARDING REAR
ADMIRAL MEADE's ACTION.
,,,, WORK on THE CINCINNATI-THE GILLIEs
yDocK-MIsFoRTUNEs OF THE ERICs-

any esnecially the officers not given to
p~,tng TIE various theories which have been adj
'" s r.rarding the removal of Rear Admiral
,sar1 " Meade from the presidency of the Board
y. Iouirv into the cause OF the accident to the
u 80 cincinnati has been. next to the accident
,, the principal subject of comment. Beyond the
N..,ent that Admiral Meade relieved at his
Sc oo,est ard the expression of the belief that
r,icle read before the Naval Architects and
I'' -'oers' meeting had nothing TO do with it, no
He will be expressed by the officers in COM
va at the Yard. Recent dispatches from Wash
NV calling attention to the estrangement be-
Ms ms, Rear Admiral Ramsay. who is Chief of the
-, Of Navigation, and Rear Admiral Meade
% ,sbooed subjects. Ii was said however. the
.cbes were pretty close the truth. Nothing
- seauite,y known, however at the Yard and those
-. interested In the subject refuse to discuss 1t.
80 Is no doubt among those who acquainted
,, naval affairs that the Admiral in command
', hs New-York station is. and has been for some
1--WE chatting under the enforced idleness caused
So ,he delay in finishing vessels under his command
a, live the captain of his flagship, Fighting Bob
rc2ns is essentially sailor. and thoroughly be-
,,ves in keeping his vessels on deep water as much
:. nossible his objection to "drydock cruising be-
,s founded the belief that the true efficiency of
,s Navy will be found the ocean. and that to at
r and maintain that efficiency service at sea
"a absolutely necessary. He long ago wearled
:, serving on examining and investigating boards.
,d there is no doubt that his assignment 10 the
cincinnati Board was taken by him as being an
infringement or the dignity OF officer in COM
uand OF the most important sea station OF the
1.r,ed States especially there was plenty OF
lass important but fully competent material which
oo,,5 be utilized for that purpose. That the Judge
Advocate of the Navy was in conference with Of
eosrs Of his bureau or Friday afternoon is taken
=, the Yard 10 mean that there Is an investigation
~ some kind on foot and the theory that charges OF
s,na nature presumably made by Admiral Meade
aeains; Admiral Ramsay is being discussed. II -
hardly probable. however. that anything VIII De
done before the return TO Washington Of Secretary
Herbert from his trip Mobile where he TOOK
mart in the ceremonies attending the presentation
"a The Montgomery OF Il silver service by the people
Of Alabama capital city.
In the mean time the work or repairing me
c-,,ser Cincinnati and the investigation into the
cause Of the accident TO her are both going lot
ward Yesterday Lieutenant Colweh and Ensign
WslAs were before the court and gave testimony
concentrating that already given by Captain Glass
and the navigating officer OF the cruiser Lieutenant
Dillingham;.
The repairs to the cruiser have been 50 lar du-
yanced that the Construction Department expects
"a have her out OF the drydOck in about TWO weeks
Yesterday the plates Of the cardboard strake were
being riveted in place. While the brackets nave
been made ready 10 receive the plates OF SraAe
3 which will b. put in place next week. After
his work is finished the compartments VIII be
fooled as a test. and then the work OF ce'heh'lhs
Will be completed. Workmen are READY 10 put 'le
new blade of the propeller In place ana 'ha' VII
he exad before the other work is hnished Inc
question as TO what caused the damage 10 'he
cr,,ser will hardly be definitely settled unth the
return TO the yard OF the tugs Narkeeta ana Iid'-
0c which started yesterday morning Tor fNecu-
ton Rock under command OF Lieutenant a u
mon to take soundings and thoroughly explore the
tuts were reported passing City island ABOUT .
O clock in the afternoon, bound home.
one of the AZ inch plates needed 70 complete
the armament on the port side OF the coast
defence monitor Puritan is on the dock along
side Of the monitor and will be put in pace
carly this week. The other one Is expected to ar
rive soon. Work on the Maine is gPng ahead as
rapidly as possible. Her after turfet plates are
all up but no, yet completely fitted. and as reports
from the armor-makers say that the plates for the
forward turret are almost ready TO be delivered ana
vii be shipped 10 the yard at an early date II -
expected now that the battle-ship Will be ready
for business by the end of March II not before that
date.
Some minor work Is being done on the san iran
cisco. and the prospects are now that she VIII be
ready for sea about the 18th of next month cap
tain Edwin NJ. Shepard, who assumed command OF
the cruiser this week is well known TO many peo-
ple outside of naval circles. He was captain OF
the frigate Kearsarge at the time she was ordered
N take Frederick Douglass to Hayti. Minister or
the United States. under the Administration or
President Harrison. Captain Shepard repieu 10
the order in a letter 10 the department saying that
his ship was not in condition to carry an envoy
OF the United States 10 a foreign country, ana
orders came back 10 fit the ship for that purpose
Back went letter to the Navy Department say
ing that the frigate was supplied with room
fittings bed linen and other material heceS-
saries for the accommodation OF Mr.. Doug
lass and the reply 10 this letter was the prompt
detachment OF Captain Shepard lie next came
,nto public prominence by r little dlihcuiy VIII"
CAPTAIN Francis u. Bunce. who was at that time
in command Of the torpedo station at Newport. X
l. the subject Of the dispute being criticism on
the equipment and general appearance OF some
men who were transferred between the oHcels'
This was finally settled by Captain Shepard VIII
ng a letter to the department. In when ne stated
that letter he had written TO Captain Bunce was
indited in haste and ne requested the privilege Oh
Withdrawing This was equivalent 10 an apology
and the request was granted and the matter
dropped Captain II. +. Picking. VINO renewed
Captain Shepard OF the command OF the .h'hneso'd.
is enved BY some OF the other captains VINO wooid
Ike TO have an assignment 10 SO comIoi' '"'e "
place.
As has already been noted the lttle gunboat
Nschas started away on her trip TO China on Tues
day. Her first stopping-place Will be Gibraltar,
and from there she will go to Naples or Malta ana
through the canal
The succession OF accidents to the torpedo-boa'
Ericsson is causing much annoyance to naval peop'e
ana there are many unfavoratle comneh,s Hia'e
with reference 10 her crew Of engineers. The as
serton was made that while the Mississippi River
steamboat men who brought her here are NJ "o oo
thoroughly competent TO handle DoaI on ' o zines
s,ssippl when IL comes hitting up the eieIi.c.
for trial Of speed on comparatively deep wa mt
naval engineers should be placed In charge. ne
delay In accomplishing the speed test OF TINS potnei
some little craft is nuisance IN more wnsS at
one Not only are there the worry ana expeHse at
tending these minor breakdOwns. but there IL a
considerable investment OF money IN keepns for
vessels stationed al New-IlOndon in readlhess loi
these trial trips The Vesuvius. for instance hhouu
nave gone out two weeks ago on nun. doI n,ber
Icts along the coast The Fortune, iwafla anu o,iei
Navy Yard tugs are needed at the YARD nc t R
pachboat Dolphin is sadly in need or repairs 20 ea