New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-05
.vrA1RS IN THE NAVY YARD
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO
HAVE AN OVERLAPPING.
or INQUIRY TO CONVENE TOMORROW
THE TEXAS TO GO OUT OF COMMITS
s1ON-MINOR NOTES.

,r.n m ship in commission al 'he yaru' anu
.rssk in the usual routine caused by the hol-
. w. there has been no undue activity at the
days lion Of the North Atlantic Squadron In
last week. and. contrary 10 general expec'a-
the '1 ,onitor Terror has remained in undis-
u'o"' ossession of the timber-dock. where she is
pu'eu her final oveitauling. The sudden de-
-. ~ the battle-ship Texas on Thursday af-
Dali was due 10 the receipt Of orders to pro-
te'n0.a che Norfolk Navy Yard. where she will
wv O..soa unon by a board of inspection and sur
NC ~ % ont of commission until certain
wy "a changes are made These repairs will
P % least six months for their completion.
W. .bere is little chance OF the Texas doing
..,,,sng with the fleet. if the fleet Itself does
". ,,,sine The changes are covered in the
denominations to the Department of Engineer
C,h,af Melville and Chief Naval Constructor
,,horn and include the taking off OF her bot
49,. ,,ates and the strengthening or the frames
. .hs, they will stand the strain Of her engines
a. nresent every revolution of her engines shakes
.,e bottom plates in manner which is not at all
ossurjng 10 the men on board the vessel. IL
uos expected that the ship would be brought To
~. Rrooklyn yard for repairs, but ii was deemed
49,, ~ send her to Norfolk, and leave the home
I'D free for other vessels Of the squadron which
r,sv need slight repairs. and not close the TIMBER
49,, Tor 60 long a time as the Texas will be out of
water
Nar,ion was made in The Tribune at the time
tho Maine went to Newport for her torpedo out
A. that her hydraulic fittings operating the tur-
rats had been frozen III the trip down the SOUND
and the report OF the Inspection Board shows
49,, sbe is suffering from defects similar in one
rs,pect 10 those which afiiict the Texas. In the
,.,,er shin the hydraulic apparatus leaked so
avn hn
,mcb GUNS and there is also considerable leakage
IN the Names turret apparatus. Another delect
IN the Maine is in the location Of her ammunition
bosts connecting the compartment with the
ds,k These have been found to be too near the
s,,okestack and there is danger that a live cin-
de- might drop through the chute to the ammu-
r,,ion commitment and blow the ship TO pieces.
Taere will be an alteration made. terminating
tho hoist on the deck below the guns, the shell
HANG nassed inward through a hatchway. When
the fee is disbanded. the Maine will go into the
hands Of the Construction Department, and the
shellroorn will be shifted to the chamber now oc-
cupied by the ammunition and the ammunition
70 that now occupied by the shell.
THE KATAHDIN ACCEPTED.
In snite of the fact that her speed did not come
In to the required rate. the Ammen ram katah-
din will be accepted by the Government. and
Commander Robert Leary has been designated TO
take command Of the queerlooking ship. This
move is generally regarded as wise. and AS the
President has signed the act providing for her
acceptance, General Hyde. OF the Bath Iron
Works is receiving many congratulations the
Katahdin has been object of interest ever since
she came to the yard. and there have Deeh many
visitors disappointed at not being allowed TO go
on board the vessel while she has been moored al
the Cob Dock wall When she is put in commits
sion she will be attached temporarily to the
North Atlantic Squadron. Commander Leary'
who is on waiting order and who is a member
Of the court-martial now convened in Washing
ton for the trial Of several members or the class
OF seamen gunners charges of hazing COL
ored members of the class, Is thoroughly &C
ouainted with the Katahdin, having superin-
tended her construction at the Bath (Me) Iron
Works He regards her as Being fine ship ana
predicts that she will give good account Of her
self az an engine Of destruction in case OF war
A proposition has been made to the Depart
ment by Engineering Chief Melville that ne De
permitted to lengthen the propeller shafts OF the
Katahdin. believing that by this means he Will
be able to make the ship attain speed OF seven
teen knots an hour with safety, and at cost or
not more than $1,000. The proposition is under
consideration.
CHARGES TO BE INVESTIGATED.
naval court OF inquiry has been ordered to
assemble in the court-martal room In Building
No Z Tomorrow to investigate charges OF NAL
administration in the Engineering Department
Secretary Herbert has for several months been
receiving complaints from labor organizations
and representatives Of those bodies have person
ally appeared before the Secretary to urge an In
yestlgation The complaints date from the cut
IN wages last summer, and are specially directed
against Master Machinist Howatt, Chief En-
gineer Ayres now in Philadelphia) Passed AS
sistant Engineer Reynold T. Hall and quarter
man Miller. who are accused or incapacity, III
treatment Of workmen using Government prop
ertv for personal ends. disregard or the spirit OF
Civil Service rules. retaining inefficient ana Ia
vori,e workmen. and various other offences
against the dignity and peace or the oiackshths
and ,nachinists Commodore Sicard AT the IN
stance Of the Secretary. made an inves.eaI oi VI
the charges and reported that while they Were
vague and> not specific, IT wcuId De as WI. ~ ~
have court OF inquiry sft them ana Hhu "Hetiiei
or M, there Ia sufficient basis FOR furtner actioi
I'm the way OF c)urt-maftial or o'heI pIoIeeu-
ings The court is composed OF Comnou0re I'op-
ert l. Phythian Captain Francis j: H!ssinsoh
and CHIEF Engineer David smith with Lleuten-
ant J. J. Knapp as recorder lieutenaht hhaPp
Is the officer who made the inspectloh vi nv a.
rious departments in the yard Which resu'.eu ~, -"
the transfer of Civil Engineer Asserson 70 ,he
Norfolk Yard and the shifting OF Naval No"-
s.ructor Frank L. Fernad 10 other duty
The same men who have made charges asdii's.
the engineers have also implicated Lieutenaiit
Knapp as IL has been asserted that ne pun y
slighted his inspection Of the steam engineering
deEartment through a personal friendship io'
Mr. Hall. who was his college companion. .o,
This may lead to an interesting conpiI
but the officers interested have niue app ,m
sion as 10 the result Of the inquiry. Ex-Lieuten
ant w. II. Stayton. who has been seen ar .o, ,ho
sci for the defence in recent court cases a. .n'
Mr. Hall has been absent from the YARD TOT ,Ie
last three weeks on leave. but VIII be pfese sn
when the court convenes. Chief Engineer ayr "a
will come from his station in Philadelpia; anu
the investigation is looked forward to with much
interest by the officers In the yard ~
Another court Of inquiry Is likely 10 De COIL