New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-03
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD.
THE MAINE READY FOR SEA.
v>n OF A BIG scARE-THE pRyDoCK QUESTION
NAVAL NOTES OF iNTEREsT-BOKEAU
CHIEFS REroRT-NAvAI. ARCHITECTS

ffer
=, the second-cass batte-ship Maine and her oems
~sr hv the head" and opsided, II was announced
,.s.or,av that she all ready 10 leave the yard
"a expecied to start on her TRIP 10 Haruihe' :
u = and Newport. As was stated in The tribune
q, the time the stories about the ship first obtained
o,-rencv the question wholly one OF the distri'
,,,o, Of weight and the removal of her star
hard sheet anchor the proper Pacing OF her sup
- ~ stores ammunition and coal, together with
~. martial filing OF her trimming tank, have
brought the ship to an Almost even Keel The Dig
,care has resulted nothing to the dscredit OF the
designers or builders OF the vessel. and the Navy
has IN the Maine good ship Of her class as there
Is afoat 49,
dock IN the Navy Yard has again brought up the
os,io, OF drydocks. The batt,e-shp. so II Is
Wv said cannot be noated into the dock before 'he
curing tide early this week. The idea that the -
nartunent might dock the vessel at Port Royal Ia
yie,y OF the delay In Brooklyn. was headed on oy
,Ae Richmond Locomotive Works. which built her
machinery This firm wrote TO the secretary OF ''e
Navy that II ne locked the Texas at Port hoya'
Do would have 10 assume all the responsibility Tor
any damage 10 the machinery OF the snip ana 'he
Secretary in spite OF the fact that the f0r' i'osa
dock has been declared to he safe, was not IN
c,inei to take the risk. Both the Cramps ana 'he
Richmond people have shown great dlstrnst OF me
psrt ROYAL dock and the intention OF the
secretary to dock the Indiana there as test is
announced If the big work stands this test con-
tractors may not be TO risking their ships
IN he structure which they consider unsafe
The work at the yard has gone along without any
,srtcular furry for the last week. and the two
rar!tors under construction one week nearer
e,upiction The finishing touches preparatory to
runtng her big guns are being given to the Puri-
pns turrets and three OF the guns are awaiting
,nplacement The Terror be made ready for
~ at short notice. the work on her Is confined
% small Jobs in the way Of minor fittings.
The contra ctors rushing ahead as fast as
ppsble on the Undertook. and their Spite
tnvers and dredges and pumps have few Idle
ronents The progress this work is extremely
satisfactory to all concerned. and the chances that
Will be finished within the contract time are
rovng brighter every day In the shops some
What smaller force Of men IL employed than has
tesn AZ work recently. the principal Job being the
obstruction OF the engines for the Chicago A
change Of working time goes into effect tomorrow
b. order OF Commodore Sicard The days work
vii begin at o'clock at present. but the noon
hour will be cut in two. work In the afternoon be-
ginning al $3.50 instead OF o'clock. and ending at
4S instead OF o'clock. This is made necessary
By the shorter time OF daylight and the fact that
the shops not provided with artificial Light.
Commodore T. o. Selfrldge who is succeed
Rear-Admiral Kirkland in command Of the Euro
pean station. is DESTROYS Of having a larger feet
20 command than that on the station. and
has made suggestions to the Department 10 that
effect lie argues that Europe Is the central point
IN the world. and that from it vessels could be de-
tached and sent 10 distant points with much less
delay than II they duty at some other sta
ton. Il is time. too, he says. to impress on Euro
pean nations the fact that this country has strong
service. and the presence of powerful feet there
would do observance OF the
Monroe Doctrine than anything else.
Admiral Bunce's fleet. at Port Royal. will
soon be increased by the addition OF the monitor
Amphitrite. which is now at the Norfolk Yard I'M
dergoing a thorough overhauling. which. when
completed Will put her in good condition to take
part in the evolutions of the squadron. The am
rnuntion for the four-inch rapid-hre guns Of the
cruisers was almost exhausted by the target prac-
tice OF last week. but fresh supply has been sent
TO the feet
CHANGES IN THE INDIANA.
Following the reports OF defects in the Maine
zones the announcement that the battle-ship Ind
lana is in need Of a fixing UP. and Captain Evans
reports that certain changes will have TO be made
before she can be regarded thoroughly efficient
and comfortable vessel. The defects are in design.
in construction 1t has been decided to reduce
the weight board by 10000 pounds. Although
the top Of her armor-bet is not much below the
calculated point II is slightly and the reduction
o. the weight will have the effect OF bringing 1t up
something inch. 1t has also been deter
mined 10 take out OF the ship one bow and one
stern torpedo-tube and their accessories, for the
men and giving additional accomnSoda lions to the
junior officers The Importance OF torpedoes is not
Sspensed with and replaced in time Of NV War AN
Other complaint is that on the decks OF the ship
Tb removal Of some Of f these is ADVISED under
the .suppostion that she Will have hayward ia
in ne vessel are recommended to be remedied. but;
generally speaking. the Board OF Inspection found
the ship to be a highly efficient fighting machine,
and credit TO American ingenuity and workman;
afoat, taking into consideration the amount OF
metal she can throw at an enemy at one discharge
II is expected that Secretary Herbert will ask
70 enlist ZOO more men: With this addition the
service would have a total enlisted force Of 100
needs The thousand men authorized by the last
Congress- have been rapidly disposed Of and when
MO commission next month there VIII be only
the oon and
navy Yards and the ram Katahdin will be ready
a Considerable Increase IN the enlisted force to
The Secretary in his annual report will point out
he need for the increase. and 1t Is expected that
gfess 10 the matter In his message
CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT RULES
The Secretary Of the Navy will soon issue orders
making important changes in the present Civil Ser
vice rules relating 10 the employment, promotion
and discharge Of workmen. The features OF the
new order hs We been decided upon, and they will
probably be made public early next week Since the
discovery Of the informalities at the New York
Navy Yard as a result OF the Inquiry OF Lieutenant
Knapp Mr. Herbert has had the revision OF the
present rules under consideration. The most i'm
pOrtant change will be relating 20 the re-eH-
ployment OF laborers who have been discharged on
account OF slackness Of work. The new rule VIII
insure the unemployment OF only the best men.
Under the present system. all laborers who are DIS
charged when the work at navy yards becomes hsh'
are preferred for future employment That Is TO
say. they are first called upon owing to their prac-
tica experience Generally they are restored to the
rolls in the order in which they We're discharged.
man dismissed In November. for Illustration.