Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-06
MONITORS AND CRUISERS.
Some Vessels in Course Of COnstruc-
ton and of Repair.

OF the ships under construction at the
Brooklyn navy yard the big double-tur-
reted monitor Puritan Is the largest. For
many years these great monitor hulls have
been a familiar sight to the frequenters of
the Brooklyn navy yard. They were COM
menced during the closing years Of the
great civil war, when the brilliant success
of Ericsson's Yankee raft with a cheese
box on It," as the Englishmen called the
first mentor, led naval constructors
to accept the type as the favored model
for battleships.
With the rebuilding of the navy under
the brief impulse that came from the
Spanish war scare over the "Virginius af-
fair" appropriations were made for re-
building and finishing these old mont
tors. For years the work went slowly
on. the plans changing from time to time
to meet constant improvements in naval
war engines. until, two years ago, the Mi
antonomoh was finished and went in COM
mission. But the cost of maintaining the
monitors is large and their service Is linn
tied to the coast of their own country by
their generally small coal supply and the
unseaworthiness that comes from the small
freeboard. SO that the Mnantonomoh is
through with active service for time.
Monitors and Cruisers.
The Terror. the second monitor. is nearly
completed. and her guns are already
all in place and another year may see her
ready tor a cruise, II there is a necessity
of 1t. The Amphtrite. building at Norfolk
navy yard, and the Monadnock, completing
at the Mare Island yard. near San Fran
cisco. complete the list Of monitors, and it
is doubtful II any more will be. built. as
the present ideas of battle ships point to
the necessity of having battle ships that
are able to hight for harbor protection, OF
to take the sea in pursuit of an enemy.
The cruiser New York has been at the
Brooklyn yard for three months undergo
ing minor repairs.
Among the repairs the shifting OF the
ward room into the quarters occupied for
merly by the Junior officers has occupied
some time. The steerage OF this ship is
not the stury compartment of the old
time vessels, where the cadets and younger
commissioned officers were huddled to-
gether, had to sleep in hammocks closely
crowded. and live and eat In the same
compartment: for In the New York the
junior officers have large, comfortable
state rooms, and roomy mess room be-
sides.
The Cincinnati. which met with an ac-
cident a week ago, while going up the
sound to New London to take part in the
Ericsson's trial trips. by running upon
sunken wreck, has been In the Brooklyn
dry dock since the accident, having her
damaged bottom repaired.
The damages We're found to be not at all
serious, and the crack little cruiser Will
The San Francisco, after months of re-
pairs to her hull, machinery and battery, Is
again in the fine condition that once made
her the pride of the Pacific coast, where
she was built and will probably soon sail
for the European station to relieve the
Chicago there as flagship. Whereupon the
Chicago will return to be put out of COM
mission and have her rather antiGuated
engines replaced by ones of the very latest
model, which are under construction now
m the engineering department OF the
Brooklyn yard.
The battleship Maine has successfully
met all her speed and horsepower require
ments, and is now having her heavy tur-
ret armor placed In position. This will oc-
cupy some time, together with the mount
ing of her guns. and it is doubtful if she
will go into commission for many months
The Old Naval Hospital.
In another department work will soon be-
gin Transforming the old naval hospital
at the Brooklyn yard into a modern sani
tary hospital with every modern medical
and surgical device. where the young sur
geons er tering the service may be sent for
a time to have tho use Of all the modern
devices for a naval surgeons use and the
sick ''bluejackets' may have every advan-
tage that modern medical skill can give to
keep them from the inevitable last voy-
age to Davy Jones locker"
The present great stone building will be
almost entirely rebuilt or changed, and 1t
is expected to equal any hospital OF the
kind. ..r