New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-03
AT THE NAVY YARD.
DEEPER WATER NEEDED IN THE WALLA-
BOUT CHANNEL
THE COLUMBIA TOUCHES THE MUD WHEN W."
ING OUT OF TIE DRYDOCK-TALN ADo'i

THE COLT MBIA TOUCHES Ifii "''
,xc OFT OF, THE DRYDoCK-TALK ABOUT
SHIPS AND MEN
The need for further dredging ana oeere' "".
IN the Wallabout Channel al inc -'' -,
shown Yesterday afternoon, when vac tnotnt or
cruiser Columbia. with nice ne" - a.ar.,
bAr huu was foated in the timber "oVN anu
ou her cruise TO the quay "''" 10 49,. e,oo,,,o
to en-, 90 Tho dock there was genie out ehecuNe
~ 80 - - - rroeress and it took a coupe OF
.9,, .,,os N null her free from the muu' Inc
or,,,s.r v,as comparatively hsht al the ''he' 40 '
SIN has 10 take on board apou' Low" ' -
,,.,,orv n her work in the south Inc state
-, made By Commander sampson cilleI Vi 'ie
- ~ ordnance who is at present at the New
-. ,ornc5o station that the Columbia Would ho'
- . vennort for her torpedo outfit. but when she
-. ,ha ,,rookvn Yard would proceed at once 10 JOIN
Rea--Admral Meade's squadron, is borne ou' DS 'he
orders received at the yard yesterday directing thd'
the cruiser when ready for shall proceed 10 the
Hudson River anchorage and wait Tor further Or
ders Her trip to Newport will be made IN the
spring. when she returns from the Fleet Of Evolu-
ZION. on Monday mo ming early she will begin TAX
ing coal on board and will probably be ready ior
orders by Wednesday afternoon
The work Of putting the Hl.-inch side armor
OF the monitor Puritan is complete, the ias' Pa'o
having been put in pace on Wednesday l"e'e -
still a large amount of work 10 be done on the
monitor, however, as ner luT'ttS "iO NV
pleted and the Bureau of Equipment aii"VuneeS
that II will not be through with its WORK oeioie
August o. ,. .,icb
on the Terror the Puritans red-hu!l sister. which
is ahoat work is being pushed forward rdpis I'm
the same bureau has announced Una" 49,
be required 10 finish her. .a ,o-
commission soon after the Amphirite lie" he' nag
was little misleading. as Commander Elmer y, "lo
Ordnance Bureau, will require ninety oa!S u ils'
his work and the Equipment Bureau VIII hoI DC
,hroueb before July 10. II the Maine Is ready Tor
commission by August !. according TO present edi-
,c,,,afions she will be doing well.
The work of fitting out the Lancaster as gum
merry training and practice ship is being pushed ana
the Department of Construction and Repair an
nounces that it will be through with the old-time
cruiser early in April
These statements of the ;.me required Tor the
completing of vessels on which work is being done is
based on the reports made by the heddS OF the re-
spective departments interested
APPROPRIATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
CAPTAIN Peter C. Asserson, the head OF the civil
Engineering Bureau OF the yard has been on leave
Of absence for a few days. and has spent part OF
the time in Washington and Annapolis The acuon
OF the Senate in reducing the amount or money APP
proprated FOR improvements In the Brooklyn Navy
Ward has caused considerable unfavorable COM
n,ent Contracts have been let for extensive and
necessary improvements work has already been
started on them, and. while the amount at present
available could carry the work on for some time
a reduction OF the appropriation is likely to cause
serious decay in the future. The quay wall on the
cob dock for which the apportionment was stricken
from the bill by the Senate, is sorely needed and.
while the Department of Construction and Repair
can struggle on for some time without the new
workshop proposed the addition Of the building
would have been a great help TO the efficiency OF
the depot
Congressman Clancys remarks In favor OF the
full appropriation provided for are thoroughly 10
the point. and have received many commentators
from the yard officials 1t has been pointed out
that the money for the proposed improvements was
a levy on the funds derived from the sale OF the
Wallabout lands TO the city OF Brooklyn and is
in no way a direct drain on the Treasury
The proposed reduction in the number OF battle
shjps and ,orpedo-boats 10 be constructed has
caused considerable discussion In naval circles The
question OF the relative value OF heavyweight
batte-ships armored cruisers. unarmored cruisers
OF light weight but great speed. and the swift ana
spiteful little fighting machines called torpedo
boats has never been settled with satisfaction to
every one and probably never will be. Each arm
OF the service has its adherents and in the
naval economy OF the Nation each arm has It's
own work 10 do. One thing, however. should not
be lost sight OF. The great naval Powers OF the
word are building more and more torpedo-boats'
and the speed and power OF the little crafts are
constantly being increased. They are placed IN
the front rank OF fighting machines by naval eN-
,erts across the Atlantic and in their httie rVais
the torpedo-boat des;royers, the advances IN the
method Of construction speed and destructive
power have been almost startling. Some OF the
recent destroyers added the British Navy have
shown a speed of over twenty knots average on
six runs over the measured mile, and carry one u
FOUNDER three G-pounders. one pair OF TORPEDO
tubes on deck, and in the bow for Ie-!nch
torpedoes.
The fastest OF her Class, the Hornet. with
draught Of si4 feet, has shown speed Of 2s. knots
or 90 miles an hour. and has n coal capacity SUM-
Gent 10 steam 5000 miles at 10 knots an houi Inc
lesson taught by these fgures should not lie over
looked and, while Democratic extravaganza mas
made strict economy necessary, not only n ha'di
matters but in every other department OF Govern
Inent expenditure there is little doubt that many
other sources oe expenditure could be cut off, with
a diversion OF the money the Increase Of the Navy
10 the benefit Of the Nation in its foreign rea-
tons. wei home.
The suggestion has been made that the United
States be represented at the opening Of the Baltic
Canal by the German Government. This sugges-
lion is good The feet q evolution. under
command Of Eear-Admiral Meade with the New
York, Columbia and Minneapolis leading the pro-
cession Of smaller vessels. would BE- if sent to KEEL
an exhibition OF the naval strength Of the United
States which would hardly fail to be Of benefit
The last massing Of American ships in European
waters was when the White Squadron made its
celebrated tour. What then the finest vcssc.s
owned by the United States now entirely out
cassed by later ships and while IN the Columbian
naval parade Germany had her swift tripc-screw
cruiser the Kalserin Augusta. and England had
her Blake, the American cruisers mentioned could
whip and outsail the foreigners which were at that
time the pride OF their respective netis.
The hurried departure Of the Montgomery for
Truxillo WILL OF course, remain a mystery until the
sealed orders under which she sailed made pub
nc In the mean time the tests Of Alabama coal viii
wait. and Kear-Admiral Meade% feet Will be short
vessel II is not thought that there is anything
serious demanding the presence Of war-vessel on
the Mosquito Coast and the probabilities are that
she will return 10 the feet before long.
Now that the Chicago Is hOmeward bound, gossip
has again been revived as 10 the probable assign
nent OF Captain Alfred T. Mahan. I'm command Of
mat vessel. 1t is more than probable that he VIII
De assigned 10 duty In the Navy Department. as II
~ Known that Secretary Herbert IL anxious 70 have
ITep,ain Mahan write a naval history OF the Civil
war. AS all the official reports Of operations
are on file at the department his facilities for the
%pfk would be unexceptlonab.e. and II Is this fact