New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
.rrArRS AT THE NAVY YARD
oir,ET FOLLOWS THE DEPARTURE OF
THE FLEET TO SEA.

-,rrrN FIvE-INCH RIFLES TO Re sObsii-
NOR THE EIGHT sIx-INCH GUNS or
,,r c,rIcAGo-A DISPUTE DELAYS
WORK ON THE CAUsEwAY-
ENGINEER CHIEF MEL
vIILEs VISIT.
49,. ,psh is over and withthe departure of the
.or,v Of the vessels of the squadron on the
NC. ,olked of cruise for practice and manoeuvre
o"e .,r,, has resumed it's wonted air OF peace and
gill This. however. only applies to the
rSns as there is enough work in sight to keep
49, force busy for some time. and although the
s,s ships have gone to sea. the officials at the
- s,iu have their troubles The Raleigh
.h,oh IL was hoped would be ready TO sail with
- ,on,nanions was foated from the timber
- yesterday forenoon and moored at the coal
-.o,f where she will take on her supply of fuel
Il will probably get away by Tuesday of this
ii The limits of the cruising ground are de-
ened and she will join the other ships While
-. ore at sea The ram Katahdin is also at the
ard. and will probably remain there for week
= 90, DAYS as there is still considerable work to
- done before she will he ready for business
-. hos been foated out Of the stone dock and is
,oored at the Cob Dock wall Another vessel
a,so tied up in the yard. and will not so to sea
Tor some time if she takes any part In the pres
-, cruise. The difficulties attending the work
,rcs az her turrets have not yet been entirely
animated and the question as TO how her gun
u.or,,s will stand the firing Of the weapons is
s,ir 70 be settled. According to the present pro-
-.r,,,,a tbere will be several tests made Of the
aneren, parts Of the apparatus and she VIII
q short distance beyond
,,e Hook for practice with the big rifles she
oor-ies Ii is the general opinion that taking the
,r,nhrrite TO sea with the other ships was of
,.,o me-. from p tactical point Of view. and her
,eciancv as A member of a fleet engaged In deep
water work is seriously questioned. one or the
.,ronr noints against the ship and others of her
lass is the fact that they are so exceedingly I'M
oo,o Portable for all hands on board when there Is
any seawav TO speak Of that the handling OF the
,essel is a matter Of extreme difficulty. Her low
trs,board leaves her at the mercy OF sea when
.,.or ,.ossels would pay no attention to- and the
ir,erior Of the low iron hull is not peasant
n,acs when all the deck apertures are covered to
loon OH, the waves. In view OF the opJectiohs
- tho shin on these points IT is not considered
likely that Admiral Bunce Will take her iar away
,.or, shore as in addition to the points named
she il slow oi speed anu VIII i'''N'
.se will help in feet evolutions
u-RRYING WORK ON THE PURITAN
W., IN the big monitor Puritan is going
ohood ranidlv. and the mounting OF her I--ihci
riaas < set for an early date IN the mean
time inside and out. she is hive OF lnuusuS'
a,a tho orders Of the Secretary that she be
.r,s,ad a. ouick,v as possible are being carried
o,, Tho, lame duck" the torpedo-boat hrlcs-
con = slated for stay al the yard of at least
,u.o resks longer. the machinists and construc-
,io, ,eorls having their hands full of business
connected With the little flyer In cohhec'ioil
nth tho work on the Puritan, the retirement Oh
thief Engineer John l.. II. BorthwicK' VINO mas
tae, attached TO the vessel attending 10 the
anal work on her machinery. is a probability OF
tho immediate future Some time ago wheh
going from his hotel in Brooklyn TO the Navy
Ward he broke an ankle. and was United Tor
active service for several weeks. few Gays
ago he again broke the same ankle. and is now
IN the Brooklyn Hospital Chief Engineer
BorthWicks first accident occurred While ne
was in the line Of duty. and as the second one
was consequence Of the first he VIII hKey
he retired on account Of IAN incident OF ser
vice" II is said at the Department that 1t Is
not likely that ne will become sufficiently SOUND
again to perform all his duties afcat, and ne
will probably be ordered before an examination
board soon.
SUBSTITUTING 5-INCH FOR 6-INCH GUNS.
Ahout al, that is to come out Of the cruiser
Chicago has been taken out, and the vessel is
little more than a steel shell at present There
Is considerable satisfaction over the settlement
by the Ordnance Bureau of the question Of the
batteries for the cruiser, the armament OF -FOUR
vessels having been decided on. The ships are
the Chicago Ranger. Hartford and PENSACOLA
the latter having just been selected as the train
ing-ship for the Pacific Coast. Fourteen o-inch
Gums will he substituted for the eight G-inch
guns formerly carried by the Chicago thirteen
gums ~ the same calibre will be placed on board
the Hartford, together with four o-pouhH-
ers and two field guns. The ranger VIII
carry six 4-inch guns, four o-pounders' one
field gun and one machine gun While the reilsa-
cola will carry one 4-inch gun, one "-pounue''
one 3-pounder one field gun and one hha'iiine
gun II is the intention of the Department "
substitute 5-inch guns for the o-inch rii'es
formerly carried by the Atlanta, put IL VIII oe
some time before this is done nile Oh 'ho
subject Of guns for the cruisers II - gra'hSihe
to note that Captain Sampson, Chlei Oh inc n
reau Of Ordnance. has made plans TOT the p"ii0-
ing and distribution OF guns for the arnnan'en.
Of the auxiliary cruisers, in case OF need' anu
bids are to be opened at the Department sooH
for the supply Of the largest amount OF 1orslhss
that can be bought with the sum aValiapie'
The guns which are 10 be manufactured III 'ie
Washington Navy Yard. will be OF the T. d
and inch rapid-fre type, and there VIII DO
needed 80 4-inch - 5-inch and 20 O-inch' Inc
ammunition will also be made AT the washington
yard. and the guns will be held In reserve ioi
use on the private vessels on which the GOV
eminent can cali in case Of war, actual or threat
ened
More signs of life have been noted at the new
rands-st. gate. and at last there is chance that
the new entrance TO the yard will be placed IN
commission The trouble over the carving OF me
stone sateposts. to which Commodore Sicard TOOK
exception is 10 be settled by an expert. who has