New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-17
GROUNDLEsS ATTACKS ON THE NAVY.
ALLEGED DEFECTS IN THE MONTEREY AND THE

GROUNDLESS ATTACKS ON lI1H +><> ' l.
ALLEGED DEFECTS IN THE MONTEREY AND THE
COLUMBIA FOUND TO BE THRILLING
Washington May 10 (SpeciaD.-Three puohsheu
stories calculated to throw discredit upon the a",
minisration of ma, al affairs by Secretary Tracy ana
at the same time TO injure the Navy. were found
TODAY upon inquiry at the Navy Depar tmeht' 10
be without foundation in fact The two prlhcipdi
stories related TO the Monterey. The hrsI ""ch''
that the thrteen-inch and six-inch armor Oh l"''
vessel was defective that 1t had been put III piaCe
without having been previously tested for balhsuc
properties. and that part OF secretary heioe't
mission to the Pacific Coast was to ascertain t"e
location and consider the ACCESSIBILITY OF removing
the plates As matter of fact, plates representing
the thirteen-nch and the six-inch armor OF '"e
Monterey were tried at Indian Head before the lo'S
of armor were accepted The test piece OF the SIN
inch armor was fired at from ten-inch gun on
January 1892 and that Of the thirteen-inch group
on March II OF the same year. The experiments
showed that both plates were up TO contract re-
duirements in all respects. the best foreign pro-
iectiles being used in the firing In order that tne
conditions should be the severest possible. Inc SIX
inch plate won premium
There Is no truth in the report that Secretary
Herbert contemplates the removal from the Snip
of her plates in order that they be fired at IL
is a fact that much haste was observed In com
pleting testing md forwarding the Monterrey arn"f
TO San Francisco but no feature OF the uSnal pre-
limnary inspections ana tflal WAS ollI''eu ''4"'
acceptance The necessity for expedition was due
TO the possibilities of with Chill secretary
Tracy alive to the importance Of the occasion had
the vessels completion FASTENED as much as PfaS-
ticable The ships armor s said by oincla'S, N
the ordnance Office OF the Navy 10 be as gopl III
all particulars as the best any OF the new yes
sells. ,.a..
With respect tc the story that serious d'iec's
have been found in the Montereys hydraulic gun
carriage apparatus and that the guns In TIE snip 5
turrets are disabled. the Navy Department ,hlE
positive information TO the contrary. rev uai =
ago according TO official reports, IN securing ,ths
guns for sea accident occurred whlch lcfult.I
in The bursting OF the rubber hose which connects
the carriage with the pumps supplying me water
from the engine room. No part OF the essfntial
mechanism Of the gun disabled. nor was inc
weapon al any time made unserviceable. The cos
of repe ring the damage Will not be greater thah
* and the time consumed in the work VIII not
take more than two hours. At.
The reported defects In the Sponsors arm nor or me
Columbia which are said to impair he usefulness
OF the six FOUNDER rapid-hre guns OF that v'sse are
but triflng BY order Of the Navy Department. I'm.
sign Andrews Of the Bureau u Ordnance. one OF
the Nayys cleverest experts In such matters. aiter
a vlsi; 10 the Columbia, has reported to the Nhlei
OF Ordnance that. while error Of minor impor-
lance in the armor protection plates for me guns
has been made BY the builders days labor ana
the expenditure ~ not more than 80 VIII SuDlce
TO make the necessary changes To remove existing
defects Upon the Columba's return from Nor
deep-sea trial trip the change VIII be male Oy the
Gram