New-York tribune., 1896-12-06

when that fate1uI yoke gave way. 1here ls
considerable argument over the strengthening OF
the doors and bulkheads. which are supposed to
divide her into water-tight compartments. and
the question Of Increased weight is one which is
hothering those who have the problems to solve.
THAT she is one of the steadiest Of the ships In
heavy sea way Is known. but her freeboard Is
NO, too high as It is. and the advsabllity Of low
.r,ng It by even a few inches is an important
Question. There is no need. however for any par
t,cular alarm In regard to her, as all hands have
taken warning by the recent accident and its re-
sults and the ship will not lose through lack Of
caretakng.
REPAIRS ON THE FLEET.
The flagship Is booked for O stay Of at least
ten days in the drydock. on account Of the lack Of
water sufficiently high to noat her over the sill
Of the dock In that time she will be thoroughly
overhauled wherever overhauling may be need
ed. and will be as "1t as fiddle" when she
again takes to the water. She will be followed
In the dock by the Massachusetts, which requires
the same conditions for docking as the New
York and Indiana. and the batte-ship Will have
as successors the Columbia and the Montgomery.
While the date set for the assembling Of the
feet Is December IL. 1t Is extremely doubtful II
the work can all be completed by that time. on
account Of the water conditions at the drydock.
Work. however. will be hurried as fast as possi-
ble and the delay will be small as the forces
at the yard can make it. 1t Is understood that
the Massachusetts is to receive. while she Is at
the yard the bronze statue OF Victory, to be
presented to her by the State Of Massachusetts.
which Is to be placed on her forward turret The
date for lne presentation has not been set, but
will be announced within q few days. and 1t Is
said that the statue will, after the formalities.
yelled until the ship reaches Boston Harbor.
Whatever ships may not be In readiness TO sail
by December Is will be left behind. and all the
ships that can go to sea will sail on that date
for Hampton Roads. The Ericsson. which has
been at the Erie Basin dry6ochs. is expected at
the. yard in day or two, and Is slated to join
the fleet Immediately on being put IN commits
sion.
WORK DONE IN NOVEMBER
An idea Of the amount Of work done at the
yard in November may be gained from the fact
that S15OOO0 was expended on repairs in the
month. and Of the 81. 800 900 available on July
! last for repairs S1,2O0,O00 has already been
used The employees of the departments Of Con-
struction and Repair and Steam Engineering
have had no idle hours for 80 long that they
are beginning to forget what LAY off" means
overtime having been the rule.
Captain Glass. Of the Texas. denies the asser-
ton Of the doctors that the ship is In an un.
healthy condition owing to the settling OK
Wallabout mud In the various compartments
into which the water leaked when the ship was
thoroughly cleaned. first with fresh water ana
then with hot water and soap, this being fol-
lowed by bath of sulphato OF iron and tnor-
ough disnfection.
MORE TROUBLE OVER DRYDOCKa
The drydock question Is again to the fore IN
the yard, this time through the delay In dredg-
ing the approach to Dock No. 3. now under con-
struction. According to the accounts there mas
been a stoppage in the work, and the con-
wit 6ray
dredge from the yard waters. asserting that
their contract has been fulfilled This Is de-
MED by the Bureau OF Yards and Docks and
the vouchers of the firm are held up" In the
ONCE awaiting a settlement Of the dispute the
officers Of the bureau assert that the con-
tractors fulfilled an agreement with the buiiders
OF the drydock regarding the removal OF inuo
which had been deposited outside the retaining
wall when the big hole in the ground was aug,
and credited the cubic yards 50 removed Oh llio
contract with the Government which was a..
entirely separate affair. AT any Tate' 'her, 40
q lot Of work vet to be done before there Will DO
water enough at the Sill Of the docK 10 aoa. tiIs
heavy ships over. and the yard peopie aSsei
that the contract with the dredgers' II ~ hau
been carried out. would have IeAt "a'ei ~
plenty.
1t is intimated that the low price bid for tho
Job has had something to do with the stopPass
OF work. as all the soft silt had been taken away
and hard bottom reached. which required mmch
more work than had at first been expected .iiv v
the facts In the case but so far nothing mas peen
done to bring the contractors to an accounting
or to expedite the work. contract mas peen
made with Marvel e. Co., OF Newburg, y. l., 10
replace the defective suction pipes OF the DOCK
the price being $1,000. In regard TO the aitars
which had bulged at the head or the doch' INV
engineers report shows that the denectioh is
three inches, and that there is vertical move
nnent at the same part of the dock OF ABOUT the
same extent. This has caused fear that the
Qucksands which are known TO uncerly the
Dock No. was built have begun to move, ana
me question which is stirring up the bureau low n
S. How much further is II going TO sh1t!
chief Engineer Menocal has rccommended tnat
the altars be removed. and as everything appears
70 be at standstill as far as the actuai worN on
me dock Is concerned the contract tlrne LOT lts
completion. which would expire within rev
days. has been extended for three months
Another rumor In regard to drydock AFFAIRS is
mat Chief Engineer Menocal Is dissatisned Win
9e results Of the court otinquiry into the acci-
oent to drydock No. 2. and Will demand court
eartial instead Of accepting the reprinano oe-
need by the Secretary.
GENERAL CHANGES IN COMMANDS RC-
MORED.
The assumption of the command OF the Indi-
ana by Captain II. c. Taylor. recently OF tho
War College. at Newport. and the probable as
asnment Of Fighting Bob" Evans to duty IN
connection with tho Lighthouse Board Is re-
9arded by some well-informed naval officers as
osnaoOWinS q general cnaDse IN coiiiI's
n the North Atlantic Squadron. Captain Met
{ln Miller Of the Raleigh. has only q short time
sert OF his three years Of sea duty In his present
s,tece; Captain w. g. schley OF the flagship. -
SSneady doing overtime; Captain Glass. OF the
aexas, is In tho second half Of his third year
No the question OF the commands is an interest
ms one. 1t is an open secret that Captain
,cehiey is entirely Satisfied with his present BILL
- and. In view Of the present etate OF Cuban af-
ssass and the possibility Of surprising results
xnould the next Congress call for the recogni-
beIIi0erencV Dr6lCr
SSuy again. And there are more In tho same
- SSsr Outside Of the personal productions OF
- !. omcers concerned, there is the point raised