The morning call., 1894-03-19
AT MARE ISLAND.
The Haste to Get the Alert
Ready for Sea.
One of the Crew of the San Fran
cisco Writes From Rio de
Janeiro-Changes.

VALLEJO, March 1S.-It would appear
as though the fate of the nation depended
on getting the United States ship Alert
ready for sea by the 1st of April. All day
Sunday last and far into each night since
the coppersmiths and all other classes Of
mechanics who could be worked were
busily employed in their various branches
OF trade. So anxious are the authorities of
the navy-yard to carry out the orders of the
Secretary to have the ship completed, that
neither time nor money is spared to carry
out the departments wishes. 1t begins to
look as though the little warship will be
completed in all respects by that time
The spars and rigging are all in place.
The monitor Monterey lett her buoy the
middle OF the week and steamed down
past the island and out into San Pablo
Bay for the purpose of giving her rudder
trial. While at the yard an extension IF
several inches of wood are added to see If
it would not aid her steering efficiency. A
number of tests were made, which in each
case proved satisfactory. The monitor
Will soon go TO sea Tor the purpose of fir
ing the big guns in the iurrets, they not
having been fired since the armor around
the upper part OF the turret has been
put on.
The boilers of the Yorktown, still in
dryd0ck, are undergoing repairs. Some
six thousand tubes will be required to be
replaced. 1t is expected she will be out of
dock next week.
The Boston has quite q large gang of
machinists at work on her machinery.
The boiier-makers have large amount Of
work on hand. The force will be increased
as soon as there is a let up on the Alert.
Ensign Harry George, D. S. N, who un-
til recently has been the assistant IN spec
tor OF electric lighting on board the new
ships under construction at Cramp 81 Sons
shipyard al Philadelphia, is here superin.
tending the preparation of and putting in
the electric light plant on the Boston and
Alert. He Will also superintend installing
the plant on the monitor Monadnock.
A letter from the cruiser San Francisco,
written By one OF the crew, formerly a cit
iZen of this coast, and dated Rio Janeiro,
February 8, says: "Wben the six-pound
shell was sent across the bow of the Ira
Jano it was mistake, though. erhaPs. a
most happy one; the order given By Com
mander Brownson having been ten feet
al baft the boom.' This was The Detroit.
and the effect of the shot was to cause Da
Cana to consider the subject of surrender
10 the American admiral, In which he was
successfully opposed by his captains"
The writer further says that he has
beard the officers of the ship talking of
the relative merits of our ships, and also
comparing them with those of Brazil. The
general opinion seems 10 be that the
AQuidaban is a more formidable vessel
than any of ours in the harbor of Rio. and
that the New York, because Of her pane
and the interest taken IN her by the peo-
pie OF our biggest city, is greatly over
rated, her battery being absurdly small for
so large a vessel. If she had encountered
the AQuidaban in the proposed fight, for
which special work she was detailed, the
Brazilian. many think, would easily have
\ III mil n ho viz of
Owing to the return of the Marion TO
Yokohama, she will be repaired there in
stead of at Mare Island. She will go di-
rect from there to Bering Sea.
The coast survey steamer Patterson is
still at the yard awaiting orders.
The announcement Is made that Captain
Henry Glass, u. S. n, captain of the
Mare Island yard, has received prepara-
tory orders for the command of the pro-
tected cruiser Cincinnati, recently COM
pleied at the New York nayy-yard. This
vessel will carry battery OF eleven guns
and is of the same type as The Raleigh.
As Captain Glass time would be up at the
yard in Septe mber next, and as the Monad-
mock will be completed by that time. hopes
were entertained that he would be given
command of her aud so remain on this
station. Captain John w. Phillip, q. S. N,
is spoken of as the successor of Captain
Glass as CAPTAIN Of the yard.
There are thirty or forty Cinnamon en-
rloyed at the island as servants to the
officers and their families. The Deputy
Internal Revenue Collector visited the
yard Friday for the purpose of registering
such of them as might desire to avail
themselves of the benefits of the registra.
tioE laws. They were nearly all willing
to comply with the law.
The selection OF Captain Edmund o.
Matthews, u. S. N, to be chief of the
| bureau of yards and docks department
meets with the hearty approval of all the
| officers stationed at Mare Island. and who
are interested in its advancement in the
first rank of navy-yards.
Work has been commenced on the build
ing Of a shed to be over the new trending-
slabs and angle plate furnaces in the court
Of the construction and repair depart
ment. 1t will 5a Of iron. brick and glass
and cost owe: 5000.
Old age and physical disability seem to