The Portland daily press., 1895-07-16
PREPARING PROGRAMME
For the ManOeuvres Of the North
Atlantic Squadron.
HE FLEET WILL LEAVE NEW
YORK AUGUST


in the Navy Department-Three New
Vessels Approaching Completion-In-
vestigatipg Matters at the Navy Yards.
Washington, July 14-Navy Department
authorities expect that the programme
of the manoeuvres which Acting Admiral
Bunce is preparing for the North Attain
tic squadron will be completed within,the
next ten days and will be approved by
Secretary Herbert so that the squadron
will be able to start on its voyage on
August 1.
One of the important features of the
practice cruise of the squadron will be
the trial of manoeuvres laid down in the
revised squadron drill book, which has
just been completed.
The feet will leavevNew York on Au-
gust /, and will cruise along the New
England coast as far as Bar Harbor. Its
cruise to that point will be..marked by
drills of all kinds. 1t is expected that
among the manoeuvres will be forma-
tions of all kinds the landing of detach-
ments for drills and for target practice
with small arms and artillery, exercises
with the boats of the squadron; practice
in day and night signalling and exercises
with the searohlight. One or more of the
vessels will be ordered to make an at
tack at night and the other vessels will
be directed to discover the enemy by
means. of their searchlights.
THREE NEW GTTNROATS
Naval Constructor Woodward has in
formed the department. that the three
gunboats under construction in Newport
News, Va, are rapidly approaching a
stage where they must be launched. The
first of these will proba bly, be Gunboat
No. 2, and she will be launched during
the first week in August.
Lieutenant ]. J.Knapp, whose inyesti-
CATION of Irregularities in the New York
Navy. Yard resulted in the scandal which
has just been disposed of by the Secre-
of naval regulations in regard to the en-
ployment of labor. 1t is understood that
he has gone to Boston and the Ports
mouth yards to look into the methods OF
employing men at these places.
Lieutenant Knapp will visit the Nor
folk yard on similar mission, and will
complete the circuit of all the yards by
going to Mare Island. Secretary Herbert
does not believe any serious Irregular
ties will be found at any. of the yards,
but he is determined to have the regula-
tions for the employment of labor strictly
observed.
TRANSFERS OBJECTED TO.
Opposition to the Secretary's action il
transferring Naval Constructor Francis
T. Bowl es to New York to succeed Nava
Constructor Fernald, who goes to Nor
folk, Va, is already being manifested
1t is said Mr.. Bowles would much prefer
remaining in Norfolk Some pressure i.
being brought to bear upon the authori
ties for the retention of Mr.. Fernald il
New York.
Advocates of the plan for the disposit
ion of the S-inch turrets on the proposed
battle ships submitted by Chief Nava
Constructor Hichborn are getting q
great deal of satisfaction out of the test
of the Amphitrite's big guns at sea. Un,
der this plan distance in the rear of the
3-inch turrets, so that the muzzles of the
8-inch guns just project above t he latter
turrets. 1t has been asserted by the ord
nance authorities that the blast of the g.
inch guns would kill the men working
in the 3-inch turrets.
The board, consisting of Naval Con.
structors Linnard. Taylor and Assistant
Naval Constructor Dashiells which has
been investigating the comparative merits
of the American corn pith cellulose and
the cocoa cellulose, will convene this
final report for submission to the Secre-
tary There ia little douht that the BOARD