New-York tribune., 1896-10-25
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
4 N1YMRER OF HEAVY FIGHTING SHIPS
AWAITING REPAIRS.
ACTIVITY IN ALL THE DEPARTMENTs-A TEST OF
NEW BoILERs-BLAME FOR CHIEF EN'l-
NEER MooRE-NEEDs OF
THE HOSPITAL


With the Indiana, Texas. Maine, Amphitrte'
Terror and Katahdin in commission, me three
battlesh!ps being up for minor repairs the navy
Yard Is at present one of the most actlve ana
picturesque places in the neishoorhooo OF New
York. All over the reservation the SOUNDS OF
work are incessant. and as II is expected that as
soon as some Of the ships now tied up at the
bukheads can be got away others OF the meet
will take their places the chances are that there
vii, be plenty Of work at the station for long
time, outside Of the regular routine ana the
business Of the shops The Indiana, 1t Is eX-
pected, will be at the yard for month II not
longer. The difficulty with the lndianas tur-
rets which caused much trouble while the
ship was weathering the recent heavy storm.
in a measure expected as the attention OF
the Department: had been called to the fact that
the turret fastenings were unsatisfactory. and
arrangements had been made to remedy the fall
ing before the ship started on her cruise with the
squadron. The chief trouble arose from the fact
that the storm Of unexpected severity. and
the work. which would have stood the test OF
ordinary weather. or indeed pretty stiff blow.
met more than It's match in the bowling tempest
which struck the ship. The material for the re-
pairs required and the changes In the fastenings
tle.ship arrived at the yard everything was in
readiness for preventing a recurrence OF the
trouble. There is to be considerable overhauling
and repairing on the other big ships but nothing
Of serious nature. The Maine. to the eye is in
spick and span condition. and the -eXas is
worthy rival. but there are several things in the
Interior Of the ships which need the attention OF
the yard forces. They will probably remain at
ro~ Afoiv nd
Texas came to the yard Oh Friday, and both YES
sells fred the eleven-gun salute TO Commodore
Sicard. being answered by seven guns from the
Cob Dock battery. The Texas is the only one of
the big ships tied up at the quay wall, near dry
dock No. /. the others being at various places
along the Cob Dock wall
The present is one Of the best times for visitors
to see the different classes Of war ships. as the
heavy battle ship the armored cruiser, or second
class battle-shp the monitor and the ram are
represented by vessels in commission.
Talk about the vessels being placed In the
drydock is not based on any orders so far re-
ceived at the yard. and that they will not go In
the dock this week is shown by the fact that the
monitor Puritan foated yesterday and tied
up at the quay wall. her place in the drydock
being taken by the navy yard tug Nina. which
IL In need Of repairs and paint, and will occupy
the dock for at least week. With the excep-
ton Of few rubbed places on the inner grooves
Of the dock. the damage caused by the giving
way OF the casson has been repaired. and these
defects will be remedied soon. When the moni-
tor was hoated the secondary battery In
place. and she Is slated for commission In the
hrst week In November. with Captain Chester or
Captain Hoff in command, and the officers and
men Of the Newark. which has been ordered out
OF commission at the Norfolk yard, as working
force. II Is expected that the battle ship Massa-
chusetts will come TO the station some time next
week
TESTING THE CHICAGO'S BOILERS
The Chicago lost a lot more of her paint last
week. and as the vessel approaches the state OF
Old iron, her engines are approaching completion
The last r,yet i'm the boilers driven last
week, the nickel steel boiler being the last one
70 be finished. One Of the carbon steel boilers
vas subjected to a test last week and gave re-
suits which are credit 10 the boilers. The boil
ers are supposed TO work at a pressure of H.
pounds to the square inch, and when the pres
sure was applied the gauge marked 20 pounds
Without a leak showing or defect being visible
IN the setting-up shop the work Of preparing th'
engines for their first turning over Is goine
ahead rapidly and they will be ready for steaif
within a month Tests OF tho condensers enc"
mat they all right. and the engineering forc'
confident that the new machinery for th'
cruiser will be fine example of the work whicf
can be turned out in the Government shops ane
Standing object-lesson in favor Of placing GOV
uninent work In Government shops.
James p. Howatt, the master nlach!nist OF th'
engineering shops, has taken his wife and daugn
on two weeks trip through trampine
e'0und with which ne is familiar, covering The
s''ie-nelds Of Gettysburg, Antetam. Chancel
~sssiie, Fredericksburg, Harpers Ferry ant
Richmond.
CONTRACTORS RUSHING work
"osx on the approach to the ne drydock, No
esang pushed ahead rapidly. The trouble