New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-11
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD.
ONLY THE COLUMBIA LEFT AT THE HOME
STATION
SHIPS ASSEMBLING AT NEwPoRr-PLANs FOR TIL
EvoLUTroNs-woRK IN THE YARD-NOTEs


As was foreshadowed in last Sundays Tribune.
the vessels OF Rear-Admiral Meades feet have all
left the yard with the exception of the Columbia,
which Is to go into the timber dock tomorrow
for an examination as to the damages sustained by
her experiences In the drydock at Southampton.
The Board OF Inspection, OF which Naval Con-
structor Bowles is the head will begin their work
on Tuesday and the time when she will be able TO
Join her sisters at Newport will depend on the re-
suit Of their examination The report OF the Board
will be sent to Washington but that Will not cause
any delay in the repairs. work Will be begun
on them at orce and rushed through with all posi-
BILE speed The cruiser Raleigh. Captain Merrill NIL
Ter commanding left the yard at o'clock on Fri
day afternoon bound for Newport. and will join the
awai. the arrival OF the Minneapolis which came
into the harbor yesterday and anchored OF Quar-
antine. A draft Of sixty-two men was sent down
TO the cruiser on the Navy Yard tug. and as the
draft was the cause Of her stopping on her way to
Newport. she ready to resume her voyage as
soon as the men board. On her arrival five
OF the squadron will be ready for duty. but the
evolu.ions will not begin until OF the vessels
ready for business the feet. according to the
latest accounts is to be divided into two sections
the first being made up OF the New-York Mime
apolis, Columbia and Cincinnati and the Atlanta
MONTGOMERY Raleigh and Amphitrite in the second
division. When the battle-ship Texas which goes
into commission on August Is. joins the squadron.
she Will take the place OF the Cincinnati IN the
formation and the Cincinnati that OF the Amph-
trite which will be regarded as an auxiliary. and
take whatever position may be assigned to her
The plan Of evoiutions as made public Is compar-
atively simple until the fleet Is increased by the
Texas and possibly the Maine. at Hampton Roads.
when they will be complex. The programme
includes the determination of the turning circles
of each ship. at full speed under natural draught
and at a speed OF knots. using full and hall
helm at each speed Turning circles with both
port and starboard helms are also TO be determined
sh,ps having two or more propelers shall maintain
The same speed all engines when turning Inc
second section. In addition TO determining the
turning circles when using all screws VIII also
determine them when using the centre screw alone
and when using the wing screws only FOR the same
conditions Of speed and helm Detailed instructions
are given as TO bearings and distances while the
evolutions are under way. signals to be used IN
Governing the movements of the ships, and pro-
ylding for the recording and tabulating OF results
The report comes from Newport that ar-Admrai
Bunce changed the usual order OF feet procedure
on the trip the flagship NewYork bringing up the
rear Of the procession. Some time was also taken
ND off the harbor of Newport in determining turning
circles
The reason why the Navy Department VIII not
hermit Japanese naval officer to witness the naval
manoeuvres Of the North Atlantic Squadron at
least from the decks of one OF our warships is De-
in fact OF kindergarten nature-and the De-
nar,ment does not care to have any mistakes made
criticised by a foreign officer. Japan is not the
only nation which is interested in the coming naval
manoeuvres of the North Atlantic squadron other
nations have ntmated that they would ike TO nave
az officer witness the manoeuvres but II they were
to request permission from the authorities thes
would meet the same refusal that has been given
to Japan. The Navy Department regrets extremely
having 20 decline TO permit japanese haVai OFFICER
10 witness the manoeuvres, for they appreciate 'he
fact that they will be Interesting and instructive
Besides informing the japanese Government OF
their refusal in this connection II Is UNDERSTOOD
the repv Of the Department states that 1t Will De
'ad to have a japanese officer witness the manoeu-
vres Of squadrons when Navy is more familiar
with drills, exercises, etc.
A HITCH ON THE NEW DRyDOCK
Since Secretary Herberts visit to the yard
week ago. work the new buildings mas gone
ahead at a steady rate, and the prospects no" are
that they Will all be completed inside the con-
tract time. On the big new drydock however
things are different and owing to a friction be-
,,asn II G. 4 4 Walsh the contractors, and civil
Engineer Menocal. there has been sight deay IN
the work and operations were entirely SUSPENDED
for one day. The trouble arose over an oIuei VI
the civil engineer relative 20 the driving OF pies
to which the contractors took exceptions. Inc
whole affair was one of the matters of detail when
1, had been the custom for Mr.. Menocars predeces-
sor 10 settle without the necessity OF reference ~
the authorities at Washington, and 1t resulted w
some sharp correspondence between the contractors
and the civil engineer. In which the washes re-
ouested Mr. Menocal 10 ask the Department 70 put
a man In charge of the work who had authority TO
settle matters of the kind which might come up In
the future Other not at all pleased
with the way matters have been managed IN the
yard of late and there is possibility that the De
partment will hear from some of them before 'he
various Jobs now In hand are competed i"e'
make the claim apparently with justice, that the
margin OF profit on the Governments work is SO
ANAL that taking into consideration possible deays
IN navmens and consequent loss OF the use OF ther
money they cannot afford to be subject to delays
caused by the officers in charge Of the works
one OF the minor sQuabbes when occasionally
crop I'D In the yard has got into the courts. WEST
n. We,r and Colonel Peter McDermott, two clerks
in the paymasters Office In the yard, have had 80
many disagreements and squabbles with each o'hef
that a complaint has been forwarded 10 ""s"-
ipgton De Weir has sworn out warrant io'
the colonels arrest, accusing him OF throwing
heavy ylass at him and INJECTING painful wound
in the ribs The colonel, who is war veteran
and formerly commanded the 10th New-York VOL
unteers Is satd 10 have admitted mat ne thre"
the glass but that It did not hit DE weir III re-
taliation the colonel accuses DE Welr OF putting
peanuts in his ink and 80 interfering with ME
work also OF mixing red and black ink in his ink
well. and many other tricks OF the sane 'n .'
ter. The case is to come up before Judge "aisn
next Tuesday. and both men will have chance 70
air their grievances. 49, l.,
An echo of the labor troubles whicn resu'eu "
the investigation by Lieutenant D. ). hhaPp "a Ink
affairs of the yard. and the detachment OF Nav"
Constructor Fernald and Civil Engineer Assersoh
was heard, so the story is told. during the recen
visit to the yard Of Secretary Herbert II may %
remembered that Immediately after the oe'a."
rnent OF the officers named orders were issueo a''
rating. certain workmen incudlns ma''e oS
a..- TIA ,,ho ia a we-known Brooklyn Repub
ucan and dlscharging others. Later Information
was that Todd had been reinstated and no" 'n'
story is told that when Secretary heroes. wa
busy inspecting the work in the yard loau 'n s
him and after a short conversation informed u"
ha ,xoud serve unQer tne Wv