New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
AFFAIRS IN THE NAVY YARD.
prAcrF1-L AMID RuMoRs AND TALK OF
WAR.
No EXTRA WORK IN THE SHOPS OR ON THE YES
sELs-rHE TRIAL TRIP OF THE TEXAS
AND THE RETURN OF THE MAINE
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST.


with rumors of war and lot of talk ca'cu-
lated 10 excite hystercal minds In free c'rcuia-
t,on. with all sorts Of stories and calculations
and statistics about the Navy and its officers
Auine the public prints. one Of the most serene
and undisturbed places within the limits OF the
Greater New-York is the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
OF course. in the event Of war with England
II is to that Navy Yard that the people of the
city would look for the centre Of defensive acuV-
ity. and they would probably find it there but so
far. the effect Of the Presidents message on the
routine of work in the home station OF the North
Atlantic Squadron has been practically nothins
All the officers at the station are debarred by
the regulations from any discussion OF the docu-
rnent which has stirred up the country, and they
are averse TO talking about what would De oohe
in case the question should be left to the aroi-
trament Of arms. but whatever there may De IN
the future for the great ship shop at present
there is the usual amount Of work going on WHICH
IS TO be expected when there is no snip IN coiii-
mission occupying the attention OF the uiieren'
gangs OF workmen and their officers. oroers
10 hurry along the fitting out of the two mohl-
tons are no cause for surprise. Since the Dig
hulks have been in process of construction these
orders have been received many times at vary
ing Intervals. and soon after they have been re-
ceived the work has Stacked up again. for one
cause or another. The Terror of which the lat
est report says that she acks only two per cent
of completion, is old enough 10 vote. Her Keel
was laid by William Cramp & Sons in the Ches-
ter PENN yards in 1874, but 1t was not untii
March 3, 1871 that Congress appropriated the
ynoney for her completion and authorized the
continuance Of the work. The Puritan. the larger
sister of the Terror. being forty feet longer
,lx,O
than her sister her keel having been laid by
John Roach in Chester, in 1875. the act author
izing her completion having been passed ten
years later.
At present the smaller Of the two boats Is the
nearer ready for sea- and ii would take lot OF
''hustling" 10 get the Puritan afoat and ready
for business in time to be of much service. She
is in the hands Of the Bureau Of Equipment,
and the work of installing her electric appliances
Is we'll under way bat her twelve-inch guns are
still on the ground and one out of the four she
Is to carry is still awaited at the yard The
mounts for these guns have not yet arrived,
and altogether the big red hull. with its two
turrets and its wicked looking ram. would be
almost useless as far as actual service is con-
cerned in case of emergency.
As for the Chicago and Atlanta. they are in
the same fix that describes the Puritan. The
Chicago now in the timber dock. has been almost
entirely dismantled, her secondary battery hav-
Ing been removed. and while the Bureau OF
Steam Engineering has carried out the standing
orders Of the department in regard to her valves,
ETC. so that they are all right. her boilers are
wrecks and 1t is doubted If she could carry steam
enough TO take her al a speed Of more than seven
knots an hour for longer than few hours.
The Atlanta is badly off as the Chicago
;c mod and hp
no guns or mounts on board save her eight-inch
rifles. Of which there are two. AS the matter
stands now. the yard might defend itself against
an enemy at close range, bat for the purposes or
sea-fighting 1t would not amount to much. And
10 add to the feeling Of peace and security of
which all this is Indicative II must be noted
that there is no undue activity in the shops. No
increase has been made in the force. and none is
expected. Several OF the officers Of the various
bureaus have gone away on leaves of absence OF
two three weeks. anG over the whole naval
establishment. except where civilian contractors
are struggling against obstacles In the way OF
getting their money. and rushing things in or
der 10 get through, there is air of quiet which
IS in marked contrast to the fiery talk which
has been INDUCED in by many people who are
more ready to fight than to pay the bills.
THE TEXAs'S ENGINE-ROOM
The trial trip of the Texas has been the sub
feet Of considerable satisfaction to Naval Con-
structor Bowles who had charge of the work
Of building the ship in the Norfolk Navy Yard,
and who is responsible for many of the changes
which were made in the original plans. and he
has received many congratulations on the sue
cess Of the vessel. With the engine people,
however 1t is a different matter The fact that
the focr hours could not be completed on
account of the choking of the pipes intended to
convey the water used in cooling the bearings
away fast as ii accumulated, the heating OF
a journal and the condition of the engine-room
due TO the filling of the crankpits with water
and OIL shows that, while the ship herself may
be all right, her motive power is not. Lands
men who may be surprised to hear or water In
an engine-room should know that the bearings
on the thrust-shaft, the big piece OF steel which
takes up the push of the propeller. are covered
by movable hood. divided into sections, and
that In the top OF each section is a pipe throuSh
which a stream of cold water is kept running
constantly when the engines are running, to
lessen the heat occasioned by the enormous
friction developed by the pressure Of the
screw. This friction is the direct result of the
force that moves the ship, the thrust, or push,
being taken up by series OF collars which are
part of the shaft The water complained of
in the crankpits, which was scattered like
shower bath every time one of the big cranks
went on its downward stroke. was used to cool
the bearings. as well as the oil with which
the machinery is almost soaked during
trial trip This is used with not spar
ing hand when an engine is put TO test and
as there three cranks in each OF the SHIPS
engine rooms. set at different angles the
shaft, IL will be seen that when the pits
filed with combination Of water and oil.
churned up by the flying machinery the room
Is good place 10 keep away from.
The Texas will be inspected again tomorrow.
and II is expected that she will then be ordered
10 the yard for some changes In her drainage
system and other necessary work. before her four
hours run is made to a finish To prepare for the
reception OF the big ship the Chicago will have
- asn1 nv1 x.f.rlyy, hoo hsfGx flr
@ day or two giving the cruisers hull a coating Of
ant-fouling paint for protection until she gets
back into the dock again She will probably be
f1oated or Tuesday.
THE CRUISE OF THE MAINE.
Orders have been issued which will bring the
Maine. now at Newport after her torpedo outfit
20 the Tomkinsville anchorage by Tuesday, and