New-York tribune., 1896-12-27
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
WORK ON THE NEW DRYDoCK TO BE
RUSHED TO A FINISH.
THE SHIPS NOT LIKELY TO GET AWAY BY
JANUARY i-D1sAPPoINTMENr OVER THE

Work at the Navy Yard has been somewhat
deIayed by the snow storms. but as the white
mantle has been cleared away in places where
work was going on. the usual operations of the
contractors are again under headway. There is
little or no progress so far on the dock. but
tho visit of Commodore Matthews to the yard
will have a good effect on the big Job. as it is
understood that rush will now be made to fin
ish it, on the ships there is little more to he
dime 10 fit them for sea. The training-s ship Es-
sex occupied the drydock for part of last week.
and when she foated she looked much like
n ship ready for business. Her yards all in
nlace her battery has been mounted. and it is
exrected that she will he ready for her cruise
within a few weeks. The Marblehoad received
a share 81 the attention of the dock people. and
the floating In of the Columbia and the Massa-
chusetts was postponed until this week on ac-
count Of the tides. The ships will hardly get
away by January unless they so in an unfin-
shed condition. there is much more than
weeks work needed to thoroughly ht them for
service. The Texas will not get away from the
ward for some time. although the report of the
Board Of Inquiry. of which Commodore Sperry
was the head has been forwarded to Washing
ton. 1t is said that some extensive alterations
have been suggested but no definite information
was to be had on the subject. as the members OF
Talk of war in the yard seems to be forbidden,
as every one to whom the subject is mentioned
laughs at the idea of Spain making fight
against the United States. But underneath the
laughter there is desire the part OF the
Younger members Of the service that the Gov
ernment shall do something which will give ac-
,ivity to the sea arm. beyond that obtained from
the annual or semi-annual cruises for the pur-
poses of practice and training in evolution The
concentration Of the fleet in waters nearer the
possible scene Of operations than those OF New
York is said to have 70 significance. bu. the
fact that the ships are fully equipped with al
the supplies both of ammunition and food and
coal that wolld be required Il they were going
out TO meet an enemy Is not lost sight of, and
there are those who make no hiding of the fact
that they are all ready for fight and while
,h4v are ready 10 uphold the policy OF the powers
hat be- are full Of hope that those same pow
ers will give them something to do which will
show the world what the American Navy is good
for.
In connection with the work Of the Bureau OF
Construction and Repair, under the impetus
given bv the new supply of funds. interesting
list Of vessels which are to be repaired has beer
made public. Under the plans Of the Bureau
work will be completed on the following vessels
the order in which they are to be taken being
determined by the heads OF the Departments
The Adams. the Alliance. the Amphitrite the
Atlanta the Baltimore, bO.. : and steam cutters
for The Naval Academy and two for the battle
ship Kearsarge. TO replace two issued to the
Columbia: The Castne. the Charles, the Colum-
bia the Concord the Dolphin. the Ericsson. the
Essex. the Fortune the Franklin. the Indiana
the Eatahdin. the Marhlehead. the Miantono-
,noh the Michigan the Nohican, the Mononga-
hela the Montgomery. the NeWa X. the New
York The Pensacola. the Pctrcl, the Ranger. the
Richmond. the Terror. the Texas and the Nesu-
wins The ships which have been az the Navy
yards in the current fiscal year for repairs
which have cost in each instance 5000 or more
are the Indiana the Maine. the Newark, the
Terror. the Bennington. the Ranger. the Massa-
ch1setts the Texas the Charleston. the Katah-
din. the Concord. the Vesuvius the New-Iork,
ths Baltimore. the Amphitrite. the Montgomery
the Essex the Petrol. the Columbia, the Mon
terey. the Marblehead, the Castine and the
Monadnock
As a result Of the visit Of Commodore Mat
thews TO the yard it is expected that the new
drydock will be completed within the next SIX
or eight weeks The principal work yet TO be
done is dredging. which has been delayed by
dispute with the contractor, the removal OF the
old Wallabout wall at the entrance TO the dock
and the extension Of the quay wall on either SIDE
of the entrance. Commodore Matthews brought
the contractor round 10 his view of the dredging
question: and the work will now be pushed rap
idly 10 completion. The work Of replacing the
damaged section pipes has been finished, and the
slight damage occasOned by the recent STRAIN
iu, of the altarS and piles from the presence oi
surface water ana the action Of qulcksand VIII
be soon repaired at a comparatively sindi eN-
u-use Portions Of the dock at Norfolk ana Port
ROYAL both OF which have been built only rev
years are almost completely h0heycoiiDer ,ioi
The ravages OF the teredo. Commodore Mat
fba,vs proposes to protect the wood 10y sheet IRON
plates three-eighths Of an inch thlck. over d
cushion of felt the cost Of which will not exceed
the limits Of current appropriations. Inc dock
at Puget Sound has a stone sill, and the DOCKS
al Mare Island. Boston and Portsmouth are Oh
stone.
The special executive committee which is now
arranging a public exhibition Of the silver ser
vice 10 be presented by the City OF Brooklyn |"
the Cruiser Brooklyn and for the public pres
sion Yesterday afternoon in the rooms OF the
Brooklyn Warehouse and Storage COMPANY
Scher1nerhOrn-st and Third-ave Captain r.
a Cook OF the Brooklyn. and Secretary Her
bert have written TO William Berri. chairman
OF the committee saying that changes IN the
plans Of the Navy Department VIII make II I'M
noesihla for the public presentation to take
place on January 9. the day first set apart by
the committed The Brooklyn is now at
League Island. and will probably leave there
about January l. when 1t will go TO Newport
for its torpedo outfit. and then to Hampton
Roads This arrangement has upset the plans
Of the committee and has caused them 10 aban-
don temporarily all arrangements for the pres
entatiOn.
Notwithstanding the delay in the presenta-
ton the silver will be publicly exhibited pract-
cally as originally intended. On Tuesday. Janu-
ary , the service will be shown in the Art AS
socia ZION rooms at a view which will be open
only 10 the subscribers TO the fund and the
city and naval officials. On wednesday the
Alvin Manufacturing Company, the makers OF
the service will be allowed to invite their
friends 10 see X; and on the remaining days or
the week the general public Will be permitted
10 see II The rooms will be open each day
from > until 9 p. m. While on exhibition the
service will be guarded by delegation OF
sailors. and the rooms VIII be decorated WIN
the National colors The service was formally
L. 4 f.G