New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
TIVE MONITORS TERROR AND PURITAN
GO TO SEA
CHARLESTON THE DESTINATION OF THE FORMER
vrssr1-REDUCINo THE FORCES AT THE
YARD-TRoUBLE OVER THE NEW
DRYDOCK


YARD-rRoUBLE OVER THE NEW
DRYDoCK.
rhere was a lttls bit of sarcasm in the firing
=. a salute from the Cob Dock battery yester-
a.v as the monitor Terror and her big sister
,he Puritan under their own steam, started
AVN the Bay The smaller of the two vessels
e under orders 10 join Admiral Bunce's block
aiding squadron off Charleston and is in good
condition for sea service-that is good as mont
tors 60 The Puritan. however, will return to
the ward before long, her trip is mainly for
the purpose OF testing her guns. getting her
conpasses adjusted and getting things in gem
era shaken down into place. The departure OF
these two vessels leaves the yard clear of
shps In commission. with the one exception
Of that unfortunate craft the ram Katahdin.
which Is tied up az ihI main seawall under
orders 10 start for So, tomorrow and join
the feet Her deoart,lr. will leave the little
rorpedo-boat Ericsson. rhsps was so badly dam
aged in the drydock .mash last August. the
only vessel capable OF offence or defence
the yard. She is almost entirely repaired and
IS scheduled TO so into commission at an early
date and go chasing after her larger COM
ranions. The natural result OF all this getting
ships 10 sea is reduction in the workings forces
struction and Repair and Steam Engineering
beine the principal sufferers A draft OF
eighty-one men was made yesterday for dis
charge from the latter department. and there
are rumors that more will follow unless suf-
Gent funds are placed az the disposal Of the
officials. The laying of o. MA will interfere
with the work on the Chicago and the Atlanta
somewhat. as the extra work demanded by the
n 2 he wa hos ha
p7.aton for the month. and there must be
wait until March l at the earliest. The men
laid OF include machinists, blacksmiths, cop
persm!ths ship filters. helpers, boilermakers
and al the other grades and classes in the
mechanical parts OF the work
NEW DRYDOCK TEST POSTPONED.
Just when the new drydock will be ready 10
receive the Puritan for test Of its holding
power is question which is far from beins
settled. The date recently set. February rs, is
now regarded as too soon by fortnight. the
chic; difficulty in the way of opening the dock
being the delay in the w,y< Ct dredging out the
approach. The big sho al lredge is rapidly
moving the mud from il ron Of the caisson, and
divers at work st;al E7;2n.ng out the stone
work left under water y GO -'e old retaining
wall was removed Thee ha - been and Il
few slight leaks in the sides o. - dock, but they
are not regarded as OF SItN4a1: Importance 10
the drainage pumps are woc<.1S satisfactorily
there is no fear expressed that n. dock will not
come UP TO requirements. The question as 10
The extent 10 which the value % the dock is
l@ssened by the reported difference Of nearly two
feet in the contract length and the actual figures
- the dock is shown by the fact that the oId
dock. No. - Is in constant use. although its west
wall has "drifted" in TO the extent Of four or Ne
inches in some plares WltFOut injury 10 the
structure. This is occasoned by the nature OF
the soil in which the structure is built, quick
sands forming a large part OF the foundations
OF both the docks. Tne whole trouble with the
construction OF the dock IS regarded by those
who have looked on the economical side of the
question as a strong 2rg-.iuent IN favor OF build
.ng stone docks irstea I'd Of wooden ones. The
suit is much more satisfactory a2d the bills for
repairs are reduced o. mini";un.
MORE DOCK TROUBLES TO COME
But with the opening Of the dock the
troubles Of the Department in connection with
me work will NOT be ended for the latest phase
# the business is a demand made through
Brooklyn firm Of lawyers. by John Gillies, the
contractor who was compelled TO give up the
l.u before il was assumed by 7. & A. Walsh.
The present builders that the Government shall
uar him for q lot o. material which mad been
rejected by the Govern rent inspectors when
t vas first brought u the dock, and was left
there by Mr. Giles when he went away. II
IS now said that. with the permission and by
the authority of the Department the material
was used in the construction of the work by the
present contractors, and no return made 10
Mr. GiUhes This appears to be case where
the contractor has the hes: Of the Govern
nent and as he has. in addition. another claim
for materials and plant which the Government
has used there is a good chance that the big
and bothersome affair will be much more ex-
pensve than was reckOned on even when the
DELAYS first became sufficiently long 70 attract
notice IN the mean time the Walshes are
going ahead with the work and Will have II
done az the earliest possible date and the Off
Gals al the ward are awaiting developments.