New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-01
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
- rRo1rBLE WITH THE TEXAS NOT
ALL OVER
, ENGINES HAVING A DOCK TRIAL-FAuLTs
-r, NEED TO BE Observation-Disclosures
ING WORK ON THE NEWBORN

MINOR NOTES.
os a rush and whirl Of water astern
A.. hattle-shlp Texas all day yesterday, and
v. ..,ch her engines were not subjected to any
% strain they were run at speed suffi-
% Give them a good dock test. The ship
-. I'm NJ the coal wharf. and the force Of the
.hrovn astern by the great propeller
We. was felt long way out toward the East
p'"N Il Is. perhaps, just as we'll that the en-
NJ. .,.ora not pushed to their utmost capacity.
s'"e, = not we'll with them yet and the sea
as ,,,ch is slated for this week, is awaited
'''','' ,,rsat deal OF interest not to say anxiety
- rare run up to about 100 revolutions
-. during the forenoon test, but In the after
1rsre logging along under steam pressure
.sout 10 pounds. and making between sixty
.sventy revolutions They were not making
,,ss about the work. bat there is still some
.,@cul.v with the circulating pumps. and the
ouun was not all that could have been de-
-,-s5 The smaller cylinders gave no indication
=, the power being eXerted "in their midst" but
the big low pressure cylinder, when the piston
,rould come up on the return of the stroke
danced a little in response to the movement OF
,hs big rod and its cap One thing is evident
IN connection with the new battle-ship, and that
e. tina. she is not satisfactory as far as her Of
disposition Of the component parts Of her de-
partment Of the interior is not the best that
could have been devised, and that the constant
alteration Of plans and adoption Of new sugges-
lions while she was in course Of construction,
have made II her a vessel in which many faults
are apparent II is noted. for instance that the
hydraulic arrangements for working her turrets
are tucked away where ii is extremely difficult
20 get at them that ammunition hoists are so
fashioned that there 5 a chance that they will
not hoist when the time comes for them TO 90
their work that the men who feed the furnaces
are cramped for room, and that there is light
ress where there should be strength, and
strength where lightness would do just as well.
IN the nature Of things a vessel OF war is
series Of compromises. and all the elements
which go into the construction OF successful
ship have to be accurately determined and pro-
por,ioned. The vessel, like a chain. is only as
strong as the strength of her weakest part. and
slight deficiency anywhere is likely TO have
serious result when the ship Is called into an
ectlon in which every inch OF the floating fort
ress is called on to do it's full duty Some of the
defects in the Texas have already been pointed
out and suggestions for their remedy have
been made by the Naval Constructor under
whose supervision she was built 1t Is now as
serted by those 10 whom the ship IS an open
book that these repairs are only temporary ana
Of little use. and that even were they permanent
they would not wholly cover the needs OF the
case. Ii is hoped that the existing deficiencies
will he overcome. and that the vessel will. after
she Is properly fitted be all that she was ex-
pected 10 be; but even If the highest standard
s finally attained the present state OF AFFAIRS
should be staraag lesson TO the naval authori-
Ia. ter American
shipbuilders can turn out vessels equal II not
superior to those of foreign builders ana that
when ship is built from home designs mere re
Of failure by charging the defects up 10 Foreign
designs
A rush is 10 be made TO get the New-York TO sea
by December a. the date set for her sailing Dy
the Department. The flagship Will go into the
timber dock on Tuesday and have thorough
scraping and cleaning. and in the mean time the
Bureau Of Steam Engineering mas renewed the
people of the work or hxing up her
dynamo engines, the engines az present peing IN
Z he hands Of the machinists. the eIectrlc hsnl-
ing wires Of the ship are now connected win the
sho~e rlant bv cable and the workmen from the
Bureau of Equipment are busy replacing wiring
In different parts OF the vessel The Work on her
five mains has resulted In a great Improvement
end when she starts on her trip SOUTHWARK she
will be in the best condition possible
THE TORPEDO-BOATs AND MONITORS.
There is much satisfaction in the yard over the
1ne performance Of the Maine torpedo-boat,
which went out on Wednesday for run over the
measured mile course in the Hudson River. The
little boat was not speeded 20 her utmost limit,
but made several runs over the course at ncreas-
ing speeds and behaved admirably. Her en-.
enes ran without a hitch. and, much to the relier
OF the officers who had charge OF the runs, the
'hoodoo which has up TO this trial travelled with
the little flyer, apparently driven overheard
or LEFT behind. The engines worked up 10 ABOUT
two hundred and fifty revolutions minute, CIV
ing speed Of about thirteen knots an hour, and
now the officers are engaged in picking out
supply of good coal for her final test OF extreme
speed al which IL is expected she Will show seven
cen knots if not more. over the measured mile
and fulfil the conditions under which she was 10
be placed In service. Just what Will be done Win
the boats Ohere are two Of them) is as YET
moot uoint as although the Maine is expected
a. the ward in a few days. there have been no
preparations made for transferring them TO the
decks OF the heavyweight cruiser
There is talk OF a time limit for the completion
r. the coast defence monitor. the double-iur-
fAtted Puritan. which has been in the stone dock
f'r SO long The latest announcement is that her
Ming tower is due at the yard in short time
md then the work OF fitting her for sea VIII De
rushed No move has yet been made toward the
mounting OF her thirteen-incn guns, anu 1 on
more OF the big quartet Is still to come. Inc
work Of equipment is going ahead rapidly ana
The gingerbread work" OF hight IRON above hel
deck her bridge. etc. is nearly all UP. A luhn 1s
,hing ahou, the Puritan is the appearance made
h.. ber washboards, the iron work around her
bows raised above the deck level, TO Keep the
wash of water off the deck when the vessel II
under way. The ship has low freeooard ana
th,s fixture is necessary, but II reminds oarsmen
D. The washboards attached 10 WORKING sheiis ios
= 80 nurnose and looks somewhat out or
tlacs on a warship. The Puritans smaller slster
a. Terror. is practically ready for sea the worK
r..essarv for the remaining per cent OF Coilpe.
4 M being Of such a nature that it can De dohe d,
short rofjce and the vessel provisoned ana
E aled and sent out
NOTES OK OTHER MATTERS
Work on the retaining wall IN the h!'"eS
B. Sin. the water inclosed by the COD Doch' "
Foing ahead as fast az the TIDE VIII permit. "uo,,
y the work Of laying the foundation OF 'he "an
has t. be done below or near the me u ~"
water. and the flow Of the tides Is an important
actor in the progress of the worn. Ine ' CO..
FACTORS who have the building OF the il Ia" ~ ne
yau In hand are full OF business. the eoss % 81.
,ard being fringe Of pile drivers anu n starf