New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19


previously used.
Two new hgh-pressure boilers being In
stalled in Building No. 10 at Dock and Third SITS,
taking the place Of the tubular low-pressure
marine boiler which has been in for the last
ten years. 1t was necessary TO cut the old boiler
in two before IL could be taken through the doors
OF the building. The steam Is to be used TO
furnish power for pumping out the stone dock.
President Chlmann of the Brooklyn Union
Elevated Railroad has under consideration the
establishment OF a station at Hudson-ave. and
Sands-st., the nearest point on the line 10 the
new Sands-st gate. 1t is likely that action will
be deferred until the Yorkst gate is closed to all
traffic except teams and there is at present no
sign Of closing II soon the station is not likely
to be built right away.
Commodore Montgomery Sicard. the COM
mandant Of the yard. has q months leave Of
absence. and Lieutenant Commander Adams
has been detached from the yard and ordered to
the receiving ship Richmond The departure of
both officers will probably be delayed until the
return to duty Of Commander r. NJ. Berry. chief
aid to the comma ndant Commander Berry Is
at present on the sick list.
MEMORANDUM on THE PURITAN DISPUTE.
BY the change of duty between Commander
Charles S. Sperry and Commander J. J. Hunker.
of the Ordnance and Equipment bureaus re-
spectivey. it is thought that the squabble over
the Puritan Will end. and the work on the
Monitor go ahead without further delay. The
text Of Secretary Herbart's decision In the cele-
brated case raps both the officers concerned al
though Naval Constructor Bowlcs gets the light
end Of the stick" In his memorandum Secretary
Herbert takes occasion to crticse him mildly,
While his censure Of Commander Sperry Is
noticeably pointed. Following are some OF the
remarks Of the Secretary relative to the case:
This cause has given the Department much
tween the Bureaus OF Construction and Repairs and
Ordnance represented at the Navy Yard, New-York
10y Naval Constructor Francis r. Bowles and Com
mander Charles 5. Sperry, respectively. TO the
proper method OF the installation of the gun mounts
ences finally degenerated into bitter quarrel be-
Fraudulent conceaimenf Of unmecha1ica: work pre-
ftrred by Commander Sperry. These charges did
not mention Constructor Bowess name but they
involved him and his character and were considered
in that light by the Court which investigated them.
~ MaTch or the present year the Department.
after careful hearing. during the progress of which
decided 10 permit such installation TO proceed upon
the plan that was being followed by Constructor
whether this plan or the plan upon which the Bureau
OF ordnance Insisted the work should proceed. was
eide the original question thus raised Depart
ment came 10 the conclusion that the installation of
proceeded and therefore ORDERED that Sonsfructor
Bowles proceed with the work accordingly. The
SeGre3rY in reaching tbs conRclqson expressed
nance and Construction and Repair as being de-
sirous that the two Bureaus should thenceforward
already been unnecessarily delayed The relations
between these two Bureaus in the matter Of ship
necessarily intimate. If faithful work is to be
done for the Government, Bureaus whose work
posed 10 be helpful to each other and differences
Of opinion should be reconced by personal consulta-
ton. and, II necessary, concessions.
LATER PHASES OF THE CASE
AS 10 the later phases Of the controversy the
memorandum says:
The dispute in this case was in the first place.
largely about measurements which requisite
that Should male these
for itself In order 10 arrive at It's own determine
wise make made these same measurements
10 enable it to determine whether the work was
to the Department why, If these officers had been
so disposed. the inspector Of ordnance might not
have been present and have participated in such
measurements made by the constructor.
Whatever reasons might have existed for not pur-
no necessity for such formalities as really were
observed Commander Sperry testified before the
Court of Inquiry that about April II he notified the
constructor in writing that he wished TO inspect
ordnance work on the Puritan. and desired that
the latter would appoint convenient time In
e b Bureau sd aha and sh
be present at such inspection. Such notice from
the same Navy Yard and had daily access to each
other seems to have been natural prelude to the
which was followed by. first the calling Of court
Of inquiry by the Department. the proceeedinss Of
twelve hundred pages TO be reviewed 10y the De-
ment and fourth serious delay in the compile
tion Of the Puritan. which ship the Department
had been for months endeavoring to get in readi-
ness for commission. Leaving out Of view the
controversy which was settled by the decision Of
between these two oficers-Commander Sperry and
Constructor Bowles-concerned only me want o,
the Puritan. This want Of parallesm was not
bs nova a the ay than IN this o
possible however. that the parallesrn might have
should be Commander sperry made q written
report to the comn1andant Of the yard asking nat
question. He testified before the Court that Con
for I'd him II,
saying that il would not expedite matters ana IN
tween them Commander sperry replied that he
had sent in the report thai 1t sia'eS ohy l ren
on the part of Commando spsrry indoated IAN an
thinks should have animated him. but on the other
hand the fact is noted that ne had prsyyCqsy
with certain work then proceeding ana that
Constructor Bowles had refused to suspend Wo TX
for the settlement Of the question raised until ne
ordered to do SO by the commandant OF . ,ne
other at arms length.
AS TO THE CHARGES OF UNMECinANIcAL
Continuing the Secretary says:
on May A. when the defects in and injuries TO
become known By reason OF Ing m
sperry made the charge Of fraudulent attempt to
the calling Of the court Of Inquiry by the Depart
ment II has been urged In behalf OF ominai t
that unmechanica work was found TO nave been
done, he had charged The fact Is, h9wevSr.
Allen Hoard which had been called at his instance
by the commandant. 1t is the Court OF inquiry
that has resulted in much VeXdtlous Delay, ana
that was called upon charges mace 10y 'ommdhder
Sperry after and based upon the discovery Of ne
broken and injured bolts. The findings OF ms
court are in part. THAT the install lation or the
run-mounts was conceived estimated ana allowed
for with care bv Naval Constructor Bowles. ana
with an obvious desire TO reach he degree OF
mechanical stability and exact adjustment De
sired. that there attempt to deceive or
commit any fraud In such installation either upon
,be Wart Of Naval Constructor Bowles or any Of
he officers or men under his orders, ana me
court desires TO express most clearly ana '0rclpiy
i,s oninion that the evidence relieves MY. lSoWles
and his subordinates Of any charge Of neglect OF
duty or lack Of honesty or integrity in the Work ol
the installation.
COMMANDER SPERRY DECLARED NOT JUS
Titled.