New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-14
FAIRS At THE NAVY YARD.
ALTERATIONS on THE MACHIAS AND
MARBLEliEAD.
PREPARING FOR THE TRIAL or THE MONT
GOMERY-TO IMPROVE THE DEFENCES
OF NETWORK HAKi}OR

PREPARING FOR THE TRIAL OF THE MONT
GoMERY-To IMPROVE THE DEFENcEs
OF NETWORK HAKGoE
The proposition 10 lengthen a vessel that mas
Just been completed and put into COMMISSIONED
cut her in two and insert entirely new compart-
ment in her hull-Seems rather radical But TINS ~
just what has been proposed in the case oil tne lie"
gunboat Machias, which is now moored In the Navy
Yard II will be remembered that the Machias went
70 the Navy Yard to be completed and fitted FOR
sea- and that il expected she would go 10
China for river work Then the talk began about
the instability Of some Of the new vessels ana IL
was declared that the Machas was lacking In TINS
respect \ board Of officers, which has commonly
been called the Stability Board, was appointed ana
made reports on some OF the vessels; but several
plans were proposed for the Machias. and il was not
until after careful and thorough investigation INTO
the matter and consideration OF the various plans
that the board finally made report
It is by no means certain, however that the Ma
chias will b. heightened after all. The board IN
cluded TWO plans in IFS report one was to cut the
vessel open and 10 increase her length by fourteen
feet bv the insertion Of new compartment, ana
the other was to leave her length as it X, ana to
increase her STABILITY 10y tightening her spars ana
her battery. and putting in her bottom weights equd
- thos, removed from other parts OF the snip. IL
seemed as if perhaps the former plan would be
more expensive job to do. The Secretary Is TO
choos. be- voen the two plans and as he has not as
vet made known his decision In the matter of course
it is not known which Will be done The 'astlhe
is 10 be- treated IN the same way as the Machas
The decision OF Secretary Herbert In the matter
will be- awaited with much Interest for IT may
mean an extensive well as expensive job to BE-
done IT IS thought that the work might be done
in the Navy Yard. and in that case there probably
would be work FOR an increased number Of me-
chanlcs The yard has an excellent plant OF
the machinery necessary in ship-buiding work.
and after the material had been obtained IL WouId
not take long 10 do the work.
Especially II the Castine should be sent to this
same Navy Yard 90 have her work done, there
would be a busy time in the yard. This length
enng of the ship would remedy the defect IN her
stability would give Il much-increased coal ca
pacity and would enable the ship to retain her
present battery. At the same time the other plan
would be a much less expensive one 10 follow; 1t
would require much less time that the ship could
be sooner ready for sea. and although 1t would. 1t
Is true make her battery lighter. even then the
guns would be- heavy enough to do effective service
Workers have not yet had chance 10 see the
Castine but that vessel is Of the same tyne as the
Machias. being her sister ship
Another job Of alteration which Is to be done In
the Navy Yard IS the cruiser Marblehead
This vessel. unlike the Machias. has not yet gone
into commission. But she has had her official
trial. the contractors have nearly finished their
work her. and she has gone to the Navy Yard
to receive the finishing work. The changes 10 be
ing the weights. Her coming tower and the sup.
ports for her six-inch guns are TO be- removed ana
her chains are 10 be put as near me pot,oi, as pos
sibe instead Of on one of the higher decks IL is
also probable that her spars VIII be ghtehe az ue
ones that are now ready for her in the Yard are
heavy Another proposition m aoryancT II 10 inSe
and nv.-inch guns and using instead four-inch
guns To make these changes Will require good
v.ss.l viii not be finished before the first OF
MAY II IL unfortunate that these changes nave 10
th.v viii Increase the efficiency OF the ship. al
though they not made absolutely necessary by
There probably will not be any such changes
needed in the cases of the Cincinnati ana the Maine
vessels These ships nave been built in the
Navy Yard with the greatest Of care and when they
can be- expected Of any vessel. The work OF
putting the heavy armor plates IN position on tne
Maine continues. when this is done the vessel VIII
almost complete. with the exception OF the turrets
'"he departure Of the Nesrvius i2r New-i.onIon;;
with only one commissioned ship there the Machias
after the trial Of the Montgomery has been com
ploted she is TO return to the Yard. further than
this She has no orders although it has been un-
Ierstood that she would soon go out to destroy more
Of the floating wrecks which are 50 dangerous to
ago ana went up the Sound. Both this ship and the
Vesuvius will attend the trial of the Montgomery.
this time to delay 1t.
Another master workman's place is vacant in the
Navy Yard. and. rs usual a competitive eXamina-
ton will be held to III it. time the place IL
hat of master electrician at a salary OF ST. day. |
The examination will be held in the Yard Tues !
lay January y. and the rules governing the appca
and the examination of the kind
hos, which have heretofore prevailed In these ex- |
iminaonS II will he open 70 citizens OF the United
iucting this kind of work. Applications must be |
addressed To the Commandant Navy Yard. New |
DIRK and must not be delivered to him later than |
Monday. January %
The question whether the Naval War College at !
Newport Will be- continued seems 10 be- settled by |
the Navv Department by the appointment OF Com |
succeeding Captain Mahan. 1t is hoped that under !
Is president the War College will prove a |
source OF much benefit TO the Navy and the officers
n II. The Department has sent 10 Congress mod |
'ol"Ee this year the estimate being smaller than |
or previous year The interest OF the new |
PRESIDENT centres I'm naval tactics and the solution
" various problems N the handling OF ships nil- |
iiduallv and In numbers. In order TO carry out
his ideas I'm this department there Is
need of floating plant; steam launches might be
Iscd and by them problems might be solved prac-
iclv: later. larger vessels such torpedo boats
md even ships. might be used. II is DropOs,d also
% have other open-air work. such naval recon
lossance and work on the formation OF plans for
ocal naval defence.
Some improvements are to be made I'm the de-
enc" of Ncw-York HarhO.. Lieutenant Commander
Daniel Dclehany and his assistant. Lieutenant ].
y. Fremont, have started enc-getcally % work I'm
his direction. and they viii do what they can i'm
he fulhlment Of the duties of their Office In the
irst place they propose have the present laws |
or the defence OF the harbor amended and also |
. have the appropriation increased as to pro-
10" additional boats 10 patrol the waters of the
nner and outer bays. That this IL necessary may
r seen from the statement that last year 10 O0 600
ubic yards of refuse were dumped In the harbor !
which, II Is said. Is enough 10 cover an Central |
lark with a layer eight feet thick.