New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-13
RIrsHING WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.

RUSHING WORK AT THE NAVY YARD.
PREPARING SHIPS FOR SEA AN EASY TASK COM
PARED WITH GETTING MEN FOR THEM
Icvervth,ng at the Navy Yard is in rush oVV
the preparation Of the ships OF the squadron io'
possible duty at sea. The FORCES Vi 'no "''
ments of Construction and Repair ana steam Ell
cheering are working to their limit, ana the sn'p'
will be ready for within the time aiio"eu W VI.
orders The Texas still remains tied up al Inc Cop
I,ock wall and coal will have to be taken from her
bunkers before she will be light enough 10 go ih'o
drydock All the ships are pretty wei aions 'o""i
completion, and the only delay when can COME
according to the present programme VIII pe que u
the difficuty of obtaining drydock accommodations
Texas Is the vessel to go INTO dr!uock' an"
after she comes out, date which cannot be set
now. it will be the NETWORKS turn. Then the
Columbia Is due and possibly the Montgomer! anu
the Maine All these will take up considerap'e
time but It is not expected that the work VIII De
seriously hampered, some of the ships. IN case
of need would be sent to without preliminary
visit to the drydOck.
1t Is not much the question OF ships which Is
bothering the Department. according to one OF the
bes-informed officers at the yard. as II IL the ques
ton of men, Already the big monitor Puritan Is
lying idle because there are not enough men avail
able to man her. the Katahdin has no crew; the
Iowa is supposed to go into commission within
few weeks the Brooklyn is also ready for her crew
the gunboat Helena is slated 10 fly her flag on De-
cember ], and there are not enough men 10 oe hau
10 put any one Of the vessels in fighting trini JUST
how the department is to get out OF THIS predica-
ment IL a puzzle TO those who are interested ana
the problem Of getting ships ready for sea IL
swallowed I'D In the greater of getting men for
them after they are ready In addition TO the
trouble caused by the slowness OF enistments
there is another difficulty facing the Admnistra-
tion due to the lack Of engineer officers There
are already places for or eight more CHIEF
engineers than there the list. and between
twenty and thirty passed assistant engineers could
find plenty Of work to do in the shops and OIL the
ships. ,. 49,. ao.,,
nation Of the fleet do disturb the people at the
Navy Yard They are not allowed by the Naval
Reguat lions. to talk about matters relating TO tne
Themselves with saying that they are there 10 OBEY
orders and they are obeying them. III they go 70
they will keep right on obeying oruers; , me
promotion and are proverbially on the LOOKOUT Ior
I" a bloody war or a sicky season., are inclined 10
look the chances OF hghting with ar ss hone
of covering up defeat In Cupa wouid nav w
temerity to provoke hostties on the part OF me
United States The older officers smile ana Keep
silent But although they will not talk, they are
ali ready and the naval end OF anything that may
turn up will be In good hands as TAR as 'he No''h
Atlantic Squadron Is concerned
ENFORCING THE NEUTRALITY LAWS.
THE STEAMER THREE FRIENDS LIBEILED BY
THE GOVERNMENT.
Jacksonville Fla. Nov. l2-The steamer Ihree
Friends has been libeed attachment issued ana
served and she is now in the custody OF the 'hied
In the libel. which was filed with the clerk Of the
United States to-day. the vessel IS cnarseu NIL
ii7ttes against the subjects citizens or properly OF
Spain The case will be tried In the un'ed states