The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-20
amounting to sf,e42ao. Continuing. the
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amounting to sf,s42N Continuing. the
report says:
THE new drydock which has Just been
completed at this place. Is the only one
on the Pacific coast that can take bat
tleships like the Oregon. As these ves-
sells are of such draft that they cannot
so TO the Mare Island navy yard when
In need OF repairs. IL becomes necessary
10 provide for this elsewhere; and as
important repairs to the machinery can
be done only when the ship is In dock
recommend that an appropriation be
asked fer the necessary tools to do the
WORK which may be found necessary when
ships are docked. md for the erection of
the shops for these tools"
Referring 10 Mare Island Commodore
Melville says:
This Is the only repair station on the
Pac.nc coast. and there are now at that
yard under repair no less than seven YES
~eis requiring more or less extensive re-
pairs. after several years of continuous
commission. The shops are ili-adapted TO
the work. and the absence of proper tools
ana modern boller-making plant are Sc
verely felt. The result is shown in an it,
crease OF the cos; Of the work done az the
yards beyond what IL would cos. If proper
tools were At hand and properly arranged
Tor facilitating the work. There are Ger
tam things which should be obtained with
out delay. The iiacst important ecinr A hy-
draulic boiler-making plant"
As 10 the new drydock at Port Royal
5. G.. the report says:
The completion AZ this station q. the
cniy dry dock on the Atlantic coast which
viii take the 5attieships makes &. impera-
tive that there should ne facilities 4 { hand
for doing the ordinary repair work that
may be required when one OF the vessels
Is docked. also which can be done only st
such a time
Commodore Melville points out in clos
Ing that large number OF valuable en-
gineers have been retiring during the
year for physical disability. owing 10 the
heavy strain on this branch of work and
an increase OF the force IL urgently recon-
msnded He says:
''The personnel element Is one which must
enter largely into the result of any naval
engagement. and IL we had the most pow
crfui and sxifiest navy aaoat I; would be
valueieSs in time OF war IL we have not
a sEficsent number OF trained men 70 see
that the machinery Of this feet Il in con-
dlsion good enough TO keep h going in ae-
tion. The guns will he roweriess without
machinery and. other things being equal.
that feet will give the best account ot
Itself which has the best list OF trained
men In the engine rooms ss well as al
the guns The sacrifice Is merely tnvit-
Ing disaster 10 the whole navy"
The report gives a detailed state
fnent OF the condition Of she warShips
far as their machinery and mechanical ap-
psratas ara concerned. As whole. Il
shows that all TIE modern ships are IN
good condition. except In fen minor IA
stances. in which the machinery is being
cserhauled. The oli-tirre ships are. as
usual, reported as an,squsted, bat most OF
them are said 20 be Ssrvfcsseie, consider
ing their age.
The report saws that during the year the
bureau has prepared plans and sPeeifca-
tiorx for ne machinery % hstsiesAins
Ne< & Z. : and g for the Hartford ard
for tug No for the League Island navy
ward, ars rsans FOR ss-kuot ard s@-knot tor
veeo boats. ara for a resrrsnge-sert oS
the machinery cf TIE Atlanta. due 20 the
fitting ~ rev boilers in that vesSe,
Work a. the New York navy yard on
she rev machinery For the Chicago IL
progressing as rarf6ly az the Apnroa-fa-
;tou fer that purpose viii permit TIE
cor.nietioa ef The boilers hal hesn de,aved
ewing to failure 10 obtain The nsekel-
ssge, plates originally ordered. and 20 fur
,nsr DELAYS consequent apon the failure
% the manufacturers ~ deliver within
a reasonable tsrne enough she'll plates a,
nickel steel of a satisfactory finish 70
complete ore cf the cylindrical hsslsr<
TIE working OF the nickes-ssrfI plates
finally accepted Fer ere boiler has also
involve: some delay. saI ,h@ experiment
ax a ~h19e ADDED considerably 20 ne cost
OF manufacturing cylindrical boilers.
The department hsvins seeded THAI en-