New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-25
NAVY YARD AFFAIRS.
CHANGES IN SQUADRON COMMANDS
NEWS AND GOSSIP FROM THE GOVERNMENT
NAVAL sHoPs-How THE WORK Is

NAVAL sHOPs-HOW THE WORK Is
GOING Of
The changes in squadron command in the last
few DAVIS cspcciaily the orders to Rear-Admiral
John c. Walker to command the Pacific Squadron
have afforded much material for comment DIS
cusson and surmises among the officers OF the
Navy The detail of Admiral Walker has probably
caused more comment than any other as 1t has
been frequently said that he would probably not
have another sea command before his retirement
in 1891 but would remain in and about Washington
l. is about six years ago that. when Commodore,
he was offered command Of the Pacihc squadron
with the appointment of Acting Rear-Admirai' ana
with the uniform and rank OF the grade but ne re-
fused to take it, Since then he has had the most
desirable duties and the impression has grown
that re could have any duty that he desired HIS
thorough familiarity with the policy OF the Ad-
ministration with regard 10 Hawaii OF the "hoie
subject connected with the requirement OF l'irl
Harhor. In Hawaii. for naval station ana with the
needs of the Navy for Il rnid-iacihc coaling sta
tion were probably the reasons for rcvoking the
orders OF Commodore ". y kirkland t. relieve
Admiral Irwin. and ordering Admiral walker IN
stead. The latter will sail from san Francisco on
April :. and will reach Honolulu about ten days
after Admiral Irwin ceases TO command rs h'
reaches the retiring age April Is. In the mean
time Captain \. :. Barker commander oi me ihli-
odelphia will be i'm command OF the squadron.
Commodore Kirkland will sail from here on Aprii
for the Brazil Station. where he Is TO coihhia'
by way Of southampton, and viii reach his station
about tee lst of May No officer OF the Navy y
befter known IN the Argentine and Brazils than IS
Commodore Kirkland. for he has served in that
squadron more years than any other officer ana
his wife is owner OF large estate III Buehos
Ayrcs.
Commodore Stanton is ordered to remain IN com
rnand OF the North Atlantic Squadron teiHP"'"''!'
and there are rumors that there IS to be Il coii-
of he.
Navy Department several weeks ago. among inc
rumors is one that Commodore Richard W. M'""''
who recently received preparatory orders 10 COM
mand the North Atlantic Squadron, VIII Univ
Acting Admiral Henry Erben' OF the H"'"
ucan Station the latter having asked TO be reuTeu
with the grade Of Kcar-Admiral, which Application
Is now, before the Secretary. Another IS That COM
raodore Francis NJ Ramsay. chief OF the bureau
of Navgation who becomes a Rear-Almiia' "'
April TO- is To be ordered commandments oi
the North Atlantic or Home Squadron.
The consolidation Of the NavA War COLLEGE anu
the v,y,l Training station at Newport under one
command and ordering Captain J.. NJ Hu"'e u
that command a few days ago mas ""D-"' ~
the attention Of officers the "eXstenc" 81 Il Si"'''
OF some seriousness Previous TO the c'nS'H''
ton Commander Henry c. Taylor WIS Pl''''' ~
the war college and b. rs reported 10 nave n'''
oyerzealous in corresponding with members Oh C'h-
gross and ureing the continuance OF the coIess
as a separate ana distinct institution II Is sA'l 'ii'
these letters were sent direct - members OF ''"-
gress instead Of through the regular oiiicAI ch'"-
ncis-that u.s. through superior ''i''iS- ana ','"'
CAPTAIN Ounce reported the matter 20 the Navy De
rortncut Just before the cousol. Iaton TWO OF
the officers detailed as instructors were H''"'he'
and put on waiting orders. presumably because
they were involved in The questions affecting '"0
maintenance OF the college, and now comes we
order Of the Navy Department that the training
station war college. torpedo school ana tofpelo
station b. consolidated into one command u be
known As the United states Naval station New
port X. L." and 20 be under command 81 Inc
senior commanding officer On duty az ti'i STATION
Captain Bunce is put in command. and comm1nieF
Taylor Is ordered % report for dIiy under captain
Tae Slarbi"hc.I IS o, go into commission week
from tomorrow and hor officers are AL Fctly
1or net. @ a. az Mo- f,w weeks later the
cruiser Cincinnati now under construction AT the
Navy Yard Is expected TO b. ready % 30 l4to com
mission ana her officers have been ordered 20 her.
lieutenant Commander !. -. j. Kelley. VINO IS AT
present Juigc-Advoca;e IN the courtmarial ~ com
mander Heycrmtn. Is 70 80 TO me C.nc.nn"i As eN-
The monitor Terror IS nearly ready To- be- t'K"h
out 81 the drydock. The %oTk OF rNcuhF tH' ar ar
morpaics INTO position VII soon De- nn'sa ~. '
armorpates FOR the Puritan haVr pes"n ,2 1ir'Hr.
%@ T IN q ihe ', me but f5r he r., the ve
VII haye To be- d''Kel ~ % ino iT nat the Tcrror
viii be- taken Of dock In the latt"r part ~ thS
to be heecd over 10 tcs, her metaccnirc height.
and also TO have her bottom ccan' ana panied.
when she Is put into commission on April =. AMI
consequently she may not b. dock,I until several
days later.
In addition 20 the work which is being done 20 tho
nov vessels. there have been TWO other matters ot
importance 90 the Yard in the list week one II
these was thc investigation into the affairs of The
new drydock This is secret. what the result VIII
be- cannot Doe predicted. The other Is the court
martial Of Commander U-yernau.
Engineer in Ch.rf George ". Molvili" made i've
recommendations IN hearing before the Joint
Naval Committee ~ Congress few days ago in PEE
gard 30 improving the personnel u the Navy. The
first was mat %" Engineer Corps should %" in
creased by th. addition II 10 line officers not above
the grade 90 junior lieutenant second. hat on
lauecr officers should have positive instead 81 reia-
tive rank ''iu order that they may have legal au-
th0rty the performance OF their duty anl proper
recognition Of their position hs a CpfnDatlnt cic-
legal provision should u- mr. ic for the examination
Of chief engineers when they advance from one
grade 10 another Fourth. that the duties Of the
Bureau Of Steam Engineering should De defined by
an assistant chief OF the bursiu. These recon-
mcndatons especially important, az well AZ
interesting. from the Fact that they come from
the member 81 the Engineer Corps VINO holds the
corps to-day. Tn long-continucI contest between
the line and the staff Of the Navy IS not forgotten.
The staff has not yet been able 10 accomplish the
reforms which IL desires, and which r. feels - be
necessary for us welfare. The recommendations
made by Engnccr-in-Chi-f Melville are ut least
one step I'm the way " reform.
chief Engineer Henry W. Fitch. who was recently
detached from the san FrAnc5co and ordered before
the Retiring Board for Investigation TO his physi
cal disability has received six months sick lea We
on recommendation Of the board. and will probably
spend most Of the time South.
UHIT THE SNOKESTACKS MEAN