New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
NAVY YARD AFFAIRS.
orrrcrRs AND MEN STILL DISCUSSING
THE SAVING OF THE KEARSARGE.
WORK on THE MARpLEHEAD wAIrING-wHAr


80 difference Of opinion among officers as to the
dv,sability and desrabilty of saving the wreck.
Two officers who were talking in the Navy yard
yesterday morning differed in this way. One OF
tbern avowed that the ship slow and uncom-
fortable and not up to modern requirements
ord altogether not worth saving. But the other
one said that he didn't look at it from that
standpont: he had some sentiment about the snip
The whole matter is Ole Of sentiment anyway The
desire TO save the vessel even at the expense OF
largo amount Of money. and when she cannot here
ef,er he used for active cruising duty comes from
- continent on the part of those who love the ship
for having been a powerful instrument in preserv-
ing the Union. 1T may be only sentiment out II
IS strong one go
10 made 10 rescue the old ship and tow her back
into some mort To accomplish this result Congress
has decided that the sum of $lOVW may De spent
The Boston Towboat Company is making prepara-
lions TO do the work and early TINS week the Dig
steamer Orion is 10 start for Roncador heef with
tho necessary wrccking appliances. The Govern
r+ commemorative on this expedition Will be Lieu
tenant F. T. Brainard the officer VINO went 10
Colon in a small boat to carry the news oil the
wreck If the Kearsarge Is delivered safeiy AT the
Norfolk Navy Yard the wrecking company VIII re-
caivo the amount named. but If the attempt is un-
successful the company will receive $1,000 for It's
,roube provided that every cnort has been maze
Whether the ship can be saved or not as much
salvage Will be brought back as possible II the
fu Of he '''N
beine possible to save it. it might happen that IN
short time relics of the original Kearsarge would
be as numerous as other famous relics OF the world
The vessel has been rebuilt since her hSht win 'he
alabama but that would make no diherehce
Tverv mariner who should find a piece OF wreck
,n the Caribbean Sea would be sure TO regard II as
. ~ from, the original Kearsarge; and in rev
weeks the streets of the large cities might be heo
with fakirs selling "reics from de Famous near
saree on'v a nickel each" But If the Nessei Is
~rfrl ma
8 nor as q receiyng-ship-such duty as the YER
mont now performs in the Brooklyn Navy faiu.
rrbus she would be kept in the service ana "oul'
he interesting from historical STANDPOINT "ii"e
at the same time she would not De ue"o ie''' '''
the Navy list -, ~
,,b court OF inquiry on the loss of the kear-
600 has practically finished its iabors. but the
court is only temporarily adjourned penang is
dissolution by the authority tnat ordered " ~
convene acknowledgements ). u. Jel'o'u
Kelley. the judge-advocate of the court mas oeeh
ordered to deliver the authorities at Washington
The findings of the 1t is not known 10 any
but the members of the court whether inc! sHA'i
report the facts only or whether the presl'VHt "a
the court Rear-Admral Gherardl was ordered 10
give IAN opinion on the merits Of the case anu the
propriety or expediency. or otherwise o. lur'her
judicial action" The proceedings can be authentl-
Gated by the signatures of the president ana judge
advocate of the court only before submitting 'hem
10 the Secretary of the Navy. but the latter may
the proceedings to be revised, in which case ne"
evidence may be received and recorded, and Wit
nesses may be recalled and rs-eXamined After the
Secretary has reviewed the proceedings they are TO
be filed with the judge-advocate-genera!. and not
until then will the findings be made pubic
Whether there Will be cOUrt-inartld4 VIII DC ue-
.termined by the Secretary.
DELAY ON THE MARBLEHEAD.
There is another delay in putting the Marblehead
into commission, but it is what might be called an
unavoidable delay" The fact is that since the
vessel came to the Navy Yard to be finished a GOOD
many things have been ordered which were not
planned for. 1t is the custom to have the officer
who will command the ship TO go TO her before she
goes into commission sort OF superintendent OF
her completion; after he gets there he is likely 10
md niiimber Of things which could be advantage
ously changed or things which coud pe pT91nStdOlE
added. This vas the case with the MarPlehead,
and has increased the amount OF work to be done
her. But the source OF delay on ~icn b bne OF az
GERS lay finger definitely vas me WsatheI' "a
course, the officers could not ward on the coIa
much work could be done BY this means loss OF
about ten days caused The construction OH
thinking that the ship might be ready to go into
commission by March p II is rpmored; h4weVei'
though her officers TO report Tor duty TINS week
some work on the Castine has already been be-
gun The Sponsors with which the yesseI Is sup
lans for Improving the stability Of the ship these
Sponsors are to be removed and hgh ba yera
weeks before the work Of engthenlns TINS snip anu
MacliaS
the Steam Engineering Department to dlscohhect
under its surveillance ready, and for the EQUIP
ment Department to remove me eioc.IC T 90
drydock the work of cutting the ships can 9e De-
The material 10 be used in lengthening them has
been delivered and then made ready ior use De'''
T T5e timber drViock into which the vessels are
to 90 is at present occupied by the monitor Puil
the SIDE arm6r except two-one on each side-had
been in place on the monitor readv or
use The Nina is being rebuilt The sne e % w., ,hhe
nriplnsl boat. New deck beams made OF steel are
beng put In. and the snip is 70 be bull' up a. dnne
the Navy viii have new and strong tusDo%l her
general service new shaIt oS Sn the boat can come
out of the dock for the rest OF me WolK; t - anG
,ns Nina will probably taken from the docks ~, IN
about ten days; and lnea IL ~, - 5H9cnnati viii
ddeRss to and bd PPand As Bu' the win
ready for the ,Machias ard the caS'iHs wHe" '"e'
are The Mine, also IS only waiting for ne Two
KS st are in posion) in order TO have the heavy
ii nb Of hitting her side armor about hnisnea.
TWO SHIPS NEARLY READY FOR DUTY.
Within the next few weeks two Of the pioneers
of the New Navy" Will again be resuy ~, 'I -
Su,,, that may be- required these are the ana H.
- ,ba Atlanta and Boston Of that first LOT or
ouartet,e known the a H. C. and - OF u,e
Atlanta Boston Chicago ana Dqlphn,. sou ,Srrs
S % soon be selected captain John r. , baTG T.
again 70 ~ r. ID Taussig viii be the execuuFe
ecer nspeST NatSan au TGEn may Ha be o
oetaitsu rea nv many OF the visitors to the WorIa
Fair as the officer who comma ana be- t p in com
ision IN about three weeks at the Noriok 81
UilSd Nd the Boston at about the same ui"s ~
aard; anu fsisnd Navy Yard Ii Is believed tnat
she Vii not be back to Ho aoel 'o' WIZ
ING ,,1,.snap, i H. II. Nicke!s, VINO mas peeu ~
tached from The Navy Yard ana o n scu no Rear
ihnmiTsl " 4 Kirkland leaves most o. IssIerrnI
<Auil1' frcr the last two years he mas been seCie
friendsc ~, I-ni;ed Service club. and recently ne
Was the surprised recPcnt OF teS Hr his OF pcs
ete,in, vas kept quiet until week ago ne Wa