The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-06
AFFAIRS AT THE YARD.
Movements of Naval Vessels and Doings of
officers at the Upper Bay Station.

Movements of Naval Vessels and Doings Of
officers at the Upper Bay Station.
VALLEJO, CAL, Jan. 5.-The cruiser
Boston left the yard on Thursday fully
manned and equipped for her long voyage
across the Pacific, to be gone for the next
three years. She will lie at San Francisco
until orders are issued for her to proceed
first to Honolulu to replenish her coal
bunkers and leave few cases of stores for
the Bennington. Her captain, Fran
Wildes, is a man to be depended on in case
of circumstances requiring determination.
The Adams is nearly ready for sea, her
guns having been placed on board and
stores laid out ready for hosting on board
SATURDAY morning. She was hauled from
under the shears to above the berth OF the
Monadnock In passing by the Monadnock,
the tide being strong, the ship Veered IN along
side of the monitor and one OF the after
boats, suspended from the davis of the Adams,
caught the line OF iron stanchlons ana DENT
ana broke some twenty OF them like reeds.
The Monadnock during the coming week
will have her after-turret guns hoisted aboard.
They have been partially unhouSed, ana men
are engaged in getting the guns In readiness to
hoist. There is quite an army OF men at work
on the monitor, and though the officials state
there is nothing unusual going on, yet TO nall
an obseryant eye one see that work on her
is being pushed to have her completed just as
soon as possible. There is not an Idle man on
engaged in their work of putting in place the
steel pieces in the coming tower, the turret
superstructure of this almost impregnable
fighting machine, which is intended TO guard
the Golden Gate. There is yet much to do, and
the work is being done exceedingly well, and
will, it is expected, be completed before the
Venezuela question Is settled
The old monitor Comanche has been hauled
in alongside the wharf and in the coming week
the engines will be turned over, frightened up
and oiled. She is now lying up near the coal
wharf. which that considerable coal
VIII be put on board In fact little more than
that will probably be necessary TO give her
days steam trial. In all respects the old mon
itor is ready Tor service. She has good crew
aboard, plenty OF coal and the old 15-inch
guns would do great deal OF damage to a ship
at close range. The little misunderstanding
affair, should the monitor be ordered commits
stoned and steam down TO San Francisco, would
attract considerably more attention among the
water-fronters than the Philadelphia or Boston,
now lying off the water front.
The Albatross was hauled out of dock the lat
ter part of the week and the dismantled
Ranger will go to the dock for the purpose of
having survey held on her hull. II is known
that some or the iron Is pitted and Will have to
be replaced. No orders have been received to
repair her, for the reason that the estimate of
costs has not been furnished. AS soon as the
surveys are completed it is expected work will
be commenced on her, as the Ranger is coz
sidered too good TO lie in ordinary or be con-
signed TO Rotten Row.
The Swatara has been hauled to the wharf
where the engines and boilers will be removed
and the hulk sold. The Pensacola Will soon be
so disposed Of
Stores condemned for sale are laid out in
various parts of the yard and in buildings, and
viii be ready Tor inspection in another week.
The ships are not included in the sale.
new bandstand is being erected in the
park. 1t has been needed for some time. The
band is now called upon TO be present at the
hosting and lowering OF the colors, morning
and evening.
The domino party on New Years eve proved