New-York tribune., 1894-04-08
N1 Wy YARD AFFAIRS.
NOT ENOUGH MEN TO FURNISH CREWS
FOR ALL THE SHIPS.
III THRIVING 'r THE FINisrHNG TOUCHES To
jlIE MAEELEHEAD- OTHER MArrEEs
NE INrILI,sr

i
not that there are not men ready to enlist but
| that under the present law additional men can
not De taken on. There is. however, some ques-
! ton In regard to whether any action should be
| taken or what the action should be. The qucs-
ton becomes Of immediate interest this spring.
in view Of the fact tha; several new ships are
Or soon will be ready 10 be put into commission
! The Columbia was TO be put into commission on
April ?. but the date postponed until April
=, and now another order has come pOstponng
it indefinitely. This however was no doubt due
to the fact that more work had to be done on
her by the contractors before they turned her
over TO the Government. for the is now all
ready for her on the Vermont. But there are
other vessels almost ready to be commissioned
ana whence shall the crews come? on the
Vermont there are said to be several hundred
men available for the ships. and the
Lancaster will soon be home. bringing others.
So some of the ships. at least. can be fitted out.
1t is recognized however. that all OF the ships
now in the Navy doth those already in use. and
those still being builO cannot be kept in
mission with the full number OF men belonging
| to them unless the force be enlarged. At the
same time Secretary Herbert. 1t is said intends
| to get along for another year under the present
arrangement. not thinking It advisable to ask for
| enlarged appropriations for the Navy this year
in view Of the bad condition and the pros
| poets of the National Treasury. Whether the
| limit will be extended in year or two and the
| Navy be permitted to employ more men, is a
| question: but IL is pretty that change
| will be made without serious discussion The
| Navy Department is limited TO 5000 enlisted
men. and yet 1t has been shown that in order
| to put the full complement Of men all ships
a few more than II. 900 would be needed.
An officer in the Navy Yard in speaking Of
| for increasing the force at all. I'VE are no
worse off now than have been at any time
since the war" he said 1T was never the
custom. after the war was over. TO keep all Of
the vessels Of the Navy in commission. vessel
would come home from three years cruise. her
men would be paid off and she would be put out
Of commission; then she would be laid up wait
| ing for repairs or for orders. Another vessel
would be fitted out and would 60 off for a cruise.
OF course it is desirable 10 commission the YES
sells Of the navy fast they are COM
pleted and become ready but the other vessels
do not need to be kept in commission all the
time" When asked If the vessels would not
deteriorate If laid Vp he said: THE ships might
be dOcked and painted as often as they are now
every six months. Then. too an officer might be
assigned to each ship who would have complete
charge Of her. not as mere watchmcn 10 keep
her from burning. but TO keep her from deter1O-
rating with a few men under him To do the
work. He would not receive sea pay but shore
pay, and the duty would be desirable. When
ever a vessel needed for anything she would
be ready and could be fitted out and commits
stoned and sent away. Ike the suggestion that
has been made that every ship should belong 10
some articular navy yard and station. Her stores
etc would be at the yard and she would 60
there for repairs" The idea Of this last state
ment was that ships would not be kept chasing
about the world as they are now. The Benning-
ton for instance. started from home and went
to Europe; and from there started for the Pacihc
by way of Cape Horn, and Is now on the way
to San Francisco from there she is 10 g horh
10 ion the Behring Sea fleet.
The officer referred to brought out the fact In
the conversation that vessels are only needed III
certain parts OF the world. In South America
and Central America. in China ana IN some
other places, vessels are absolutely needed an
the while But II some of them were kept at the
navy wards out Of commission. yet READY Tor
immediate use, vessel could be sent 10 any
part OF the world where necessity should arse.
Bv doing this there would be no need To enlarge
the enlisted force. The new Vessels coud "'
commissioned and given practical trlai as laS, %
as they come along while the ouer ones '"uiu
be laid up in the yards.
VESSELS LIKELY TO BE NEEDED AT ANY TIME
Some Of these opinions would be objected 10.
II has been shown in the last few months that
ships are liable to be needed at any time in va
r;o,s parts of the world. 4 large fleet Was
needed at Rio and did as has been shown. effect
, i've and valuable service. Then vcsseIs were
needed at Bluehelds and when the kearsaige'
the only one available. was wrecked there was
no vessel 10 send until one could be taken from
The feet at Rio. The presence Of some repre-
sentative Of the Navy is almost constantly needed
in the West Indies. The trouble about the ms
sionaries in Turkey made 1t necessary 10 send a
vessel up there, and at least one is needed III
rurone and the Mediterranean. And It is neces-
cary IN get an effective force ready 70 serve IN
R.hring Sea in the summer: while a fleet mus
ba kent %
A. me Navy Yard there have been few things
~ some interest or importance during me ias'
v,ook The matters which have cpninlhneu the
greatest attention have Of course preh tne o,u'
martial The trial Of Lieutenant Lyman, h"Hl-
ntor of the Kearsarge was finished and the re-
nor, was sent 10 Washington on f1ldaN. oH lI''
same day the cOurt-martlaI OF CdpodIn oii' rh
of the Minnesota. was begun ana hllsHe1. Inv ine
irves,igation into the new dryiuck question was
ale, finished and the report was sem III uu'!ns M
tba week The decision on these cases pS s t.e
., Wy, ,,,tins az Washington will be awaited with
s.reat interest II is thought that me puhshhleht
~ CAPTAIN Shepard will be light II their ~ ''y
at all The disgrace OF 'he va, ,b f,c, ,hat he
punlshment probably. Ana the ldc> I'm, wa, o nv
pwrrsa a letter to the Secretary ~ the Navy con-
fessing that the first o1c was "I..'rn ,,H " "r'r w.
ha,ad and the fact that the second et',r "iu ilo
hed'e'; ;htneton "a' I'm time TO prevent the order
ing Of the court-martah VIII douPtie1s ,,S a" nr
pailiating circumstances iron, ,ostteatin5 .t' and
Enc emnloyed in the drydock lnNrstIBd'ioI' ' -
en-, ,be secrecy Of all the proceenlhg,' anu . 'n
fact that there was counsel on each SUI - ', t',
Ia e,nnosed that the lnNeStiBd'io" "''.
pd w wreightv matter and the announcement ,.h ~
,bn a findings in this case Will also De hea'u VIZ"
The commissioning Of the Marolehead was an ar
other important matter. That ADDS adds ""o,rDa Tre
on,n ~ the list of vessels in active serNir'. |
name 10 S 'n, &C. NOT vet entirely ready for sea-
NJ, MA t6e dnaI work is being done Ter G'n-
have been adjusted her seGondary hr p%i nr
,ery has been put ON board as wen ge as ,s e to he
liat. Ao ,o be heeed over to find her metacehirf
aoNNrI -, ~ wnr, is being done In nearly all de-
par,inenM M,,aI Annropriation bill now takes up
~ ~" o,,antIon In the bill as Ii comes from M
House Naval Committee no provs,on ercent ~ 'b bv
~ ,ey construction work on vessels eNcept Ds
% iSr .rm orsfer Of small appropra ions which nave