The San Francisco call., 1895-12-30
the Monterey were transferred to the
cruiser, and others will be shipped in their

stead.
The Adams will be ready for sea in a
board were engaged Saturday testing pipes
and auxiliary machinery, which seemed
to give satisfaction. Her destination will
probably be changed from Alaska to
Honolulu. TO relieve the Bennington,
which will come up to the yard for dock
age, as the regulations require that all
steel and iron ships shall be docked every
SIX months Tor scraping and painting.
AS soon as the Adams IS hauled from
under the shears, which will be next week,
the Monadnock Will be given her place
and her big guns will at once be hoisted
in the turrets. The last day or two fires
have been lit in her boilers and engines
run TO test the hydraulic pumps, pipes
and gear used in working the turrets and
machinery. The monitor will not be given
sea trial for some weeks, though, should
occasion require, less time would see her
fully equipped and ready for sea.
The Baltimore is looked for at the yard
by the latter end of the week. AS her ma
chinery requires extensive overhaulirg,
she will 60 out of commission. Work in
steam engineering is getting very slack, SO
much so that Saturday night eight ma
chinists, five helpers and nine copper
smiths were discharged.
As soon as there is prospect of the dry
dock being idle for time the Pensacola
will be fioated in and have her propeller
taken Off. The machinery will then be
taken out. The same course will be
taken with the Swatara. The hulls will
be appraised by a board of naval Off
GERS detailed for that purpose, and they
will be offered for sale under sealed pro-
posals. Whoever buys them will get their
money out OF them by towing them on the
beach and either breaking them up or set
ting fire TO them for the copper that may
be gathered from the wreck.
force of men are engaged in preparing
lot of condemned stores at the yard for
sale under sealed bids. The sale will be
held about the 18th of February. Sched-
ules will be ready for bidders along toward
the middle of January.
ihe Philadelphia will not come to the
yard. but will take her coal and stores on
board while at the City, and will then
probably go down the coast.
The efficiency of the fire brigade at the
navy-yard is shown by the fact tina. at a
drill Saturday afternoon the two steam en-
eines had each two streams of water play
ing on an imaginary fire quite distance
from the engine-houses in less than three
minutes time. The bIuejackets from the
Independence and the marines from the
barracks also came up to the main part of
tue yard in six minutes time. The fire
department is now well equipped with ap
paratus.
New Years eve will be celebrated at the
yard by domino party to be held in the
sail loft. Considerable interest is already
manifested in the various styles of dress
that will be worn on this occasion. A
number Of ladies and gentlemen are ex-
pected from San Francisco and from the
barracks at Benicia.
On account of break down of one of
the engines in the electric-light plant
room. the piledrivers doing tide work on
the new piece of quay wall under con-
struct1on have been forced to cease opera
tions at night, the only times the tides are
favorable for their work.
Owing to the non-arrival of a Fish Com
missioner from Washington competent to
give the necessary orders for repairs re-
quired to the Fish Commission steamer
Albatross, work has been delayed on the
vessel. The Commissioner is expected at
any time; then the repairs will be COM
menced.
A general court-martial was held at the
yard Saturday to try a sailor from the
Mohican who had deserted the ship while
north. He returned to the island, gave
himself up and is now being tried on the
charge Of desertion.
The report of the trial trip of the Boston
has been forwarded to the department at
Washington. The report shows the cruiser
w DC AL odtloIaClOly IL.
The Washington dispatches of to-day
state that the Petrol is ordered to come to
Mare Island to have new tubes put in her
boilers. This is not likely as the work
could be done over on the China coast
with little expense, as she is one of the
smallest gunboats in the navy-scarcely
800 tons displace about the size
was rumored the Adams would be sent
there, but Honolulu will be her destina-
ton.
In week or two fires will be lit in the
boilers OF the monitor Comanche for the
purpose of turning the engines over and
seeing they are all right. She will also
be put IN dock and scraped. Nothing un-
usual may be considered in this, as she has
been in the water lying in ordinary for
many months, and the authorities deem it
advisable to know that she is all right.
There is some talk of providing her with
modern rified-guns in place OF the two To-
inch Dahlgren guns now in her turrets
The tug Unadilla is nearly ready for q
trip to San Francisco, and one of her first
duties will be that of carrying stores down
to the flagship Philadelphia.
The yard-tug Nellie is up on the ways
receiving extensive repairs, which have
been needed for months. New gunwales
are being built, and boilers and engines re-
paired.
The residents of Vallejo rejoice in the
fact that Congressman Hilporn has been
appointed on the Naval Committee as they
feel it will rebound to the benefit of Mare
Island navy-yard and that more liberal
will be received than has
been the rule in the past. Mr.. Hilborn
is more conversant with the needs of the
yard than any other Representative in the
House, and while visiting the yard re-
Gently expressed himself as strongly in
favor OF having appropriations made for
buildings, plants. drydock and the build
ing of torpedo-boa.s and cruiser.
The Monterey is ready for sea, though
soon as possible, provided they are not
transferred from the Baltimore on her ar
short few men, who will he shipped as
rival.
The Pinta, on special service in Alaska,
is destined to remain there for some time
longer If the Adams is sent to the isan
as now anticipated. New years will be a
holiday at the yard. Open house will be
kept by most of the ladies at the station.
The Wrong Connection.
The following communication to THE CALL
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