New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17
.rFAIRS IN THE NAVY YARD.
,~,uE WORK GIVING RISE TO MORE
RUMoRs OF WAR.


49,, THE EUROPEAN SQUADRON.
STOPPED. AND THESE SHIPS
IT is SAID. WILL RE-
TURN HOME.
uors rumors Of naval warfare are in the
o" the Navy Yard, and, as usual under such
.,onces the officers at the station have
e'.u N saw for publication. This latest attack
"' ,or fever Is due to orders received by
w aors Scard the commandant, yesterday
C0.rd no more stores to the vessels OF the
-, souadron. The general storekeeper has
V"r, large amount Of stores which have &C
ma. Under the orders providing for their
ru. e. the foreign station, but these will be
pm. srbiect 10 further orders. This action
S' 49, - mean that the entire European Squad
s' % no ordered home and attached to the
u" Atlantic Squadron, with view of backing
%" ,unosng display of naval force any ac-
," IT., may be taken by the President on Gu
w" ...o,utlons passed by Congress. 1t has been
%" .,n,as theory in many quarters that the
's .ucv Of the Government in regard to
i' eoirs would be vigorous. and this view
0''' no based on good foundation. according
re laval people who are disposed to talk on
nsabject' uhua tho feet has osten-
,.ar gathered for the purpose Of drills and
wv ,.,,ors no programme has as yet been ar
e'0'u.' I'd there are no signs of any in sight.
sh,,s are there, others coming. and that.
Inv 49, ,acs OF affairs is all there is to II. An
"" ,o,nt which gives weight to the prevalent
~ -. IA that the work on the ships at the Navy
W, he,nr rushed. 1t has been usual to set a
a.. the completion OF work on the vessels,
,,s time ran over a week. or two weeks. or
' ,,rse weeks there was nothing thought OF 1t.
49, housyer. this is changed. The Ammen ram
,,..,d,n which was slated to join the fleet on the
,s.h renorted 10 Rear-Admiral Bunce promptly on
.,us and Yesterday went down to Tompkinsville
-, tank her place in the line. The work In her
.,yne-room was not entirely completed. but she
..,n sufficiently good condition TO warrant her
sander and she was declared ready for business.
r,.,d her away on time required some overtime
,,t IN the part of the bureaus. and this rule
vu be followed in finishing the remaining ships
,tthe yard The Newark is practically ready FOR
.sa and will join the fleet in a few days, orders
IA that effect having been received There are
si, ten DAYS needed to fully complete the work on
:. the monitor Terror, but no work will be started
rhich will delay her beyond her appointed time,
and she will be ready 20 leave the yard early this
week The Puritan will not be ready for some
time as the work of placing her 12-inch guns has
not yet been begun
Last and greatest comes the battle-ship Indi-
ana, and, while the schedule calls for eleven
days of work in her engine-room, and con-
adorable work In other departments. che is
sheduled to sail on June 1, and will get away
On that date.
In addition to these ships, the Maine and the
Columbia will be at anchor off Staten Island
before a week has passed, together with the
Mt,e-ship Texas the monitors Miantonomoh
md Amphitrite the torpedo-boats Gushing.
rd,son and Sti,etto. and the dispatch-boat
Dolphin.
VESSELS IN THE EUROPEAN SQUADRON
se II regard to the European Squadron II ~
pointed out by naval officers that ships on d
foreign station cannot remain without sup
plies. and that the stoppage of supplies Is In
yariably followed by the recall of the ships. The
squadron is composed of three ships, the triple
screw cruiser Minneapolis, q sister Of the CO.
lumba, commanded by Captain George H. Wad-
leigh the San Francisco Flagship of Rear-Ad-
miral Selfridge). Captain Edwin NJ. Shepard
commanding. and the Marblehead. Commander
Charles H. Davis commanding. OF these YES
terry. carrying twelve G-inch rifles. four e.
FOUNDER four 3-pounder and two 1-pounder
rapid-hre guns, three Hotchkiss revolving can
non, and four Gatlings. The Minneapolis. she
OF the swift heels has lighter gun power. al
though her main battery is not TO be over
looked, consisting Of one S-inch. two 6-inch and
eight finch rifles. supplemented by a liberal
supply of rapid-fre guns. The Marblehead is
q eis IF no
battery Of eight 5-inch and two 6-inch guns,
with eight rapid-frers and two Gatlings.
The addition of these vessels TO the squadron
already ordered to assemble In this harbor would
make feet vastly more than sufficient to enforce
any demand which might be made in connection
with Cuba. and meet any emergency likely to
arise calling for their services. 1t will take some
time for the ships TO get home from Europe, but
once here there would be little delay in preparing
them for active duty.
In the mean time the crews of the ships are In
nigh state Of efficiency, drills are kept up con-
6antly. all sorts Of calls are made at all hours OF
the night. and the routine Of the day covers rihe
ana cutlass work in the forenoon. and practice IN
handling the big guns in the afternoon.
MORE DEFECTIVE WORK DISCOVERED.
I more defective work on contracts has been dis
.''efeo this time in connection with the new
BOUNDARY wall of the hospital grounds A short
Sne ago letter was written to the authorities
y zone Of the workmen employed by the con-
"a''0fs' complaining Of the way In which they
"e'e expected 10 do the work. and board OF IN
spselion' consisting Of Civil Engineer Franklin Z.
.'i"oie' Lieutenant Yorke Noel and Passed AS
.'.ah' surgeon oliver d. Norton. was appointed
" ooS into the subject This Board has made a
..us report, and now second Board. consisting
=. Sivi Engineers Christopher c. Wolcott and
w. .. o. White. and Mr.. Lane, foreman mason,
.as oesn appointed to find out how far the con
aaeiols. J. NJ. Brosnan & Co.. are responsible Tor
Tue faulty work An inspection Of the work re-
'ea's the fact that in many places the wall has
''en quilt by making the outer surface OF bricks
s'er mass of loose bricks. laid inside without
1'o'ar or cement, leaving the structure nothing
a'O'e than shell. This inspection and investiga-
a0h Will probably be followed by similar proceed
GkS COVERING all he al the Naval Hos