New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-05
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
RUSHING WORK ON THE SHIPS UNDER
REPAIRS.
NO HEAD FOR THE YARDS BUREAU OF CIVIL
INEERING-cLEANING OUT THE BIG
pocK-THB BROOKLYN KEPT IN
DOCK BY LOW WATER

DOCK-THB BROOKLYN KEPT IN
DOCK BY LOW WATER.
Fog. rain, drizzle sleet and snow. have hao
no effect on the work OF preparing the SHIPS a'
the yard for the cruise which Is TO begin as
soon as the repairs now being made are com
Melted. The ships will not leave port as fleet.
but will take their chance OF being finished anu
sent AWAY. and under orders issued on Friday
will assemble for manpuvres and target praC'Oe
and drill work In the neighborhood OF the D'S
Tortueas with the torpedo fotilla within easy
rooon,ng distance somewhere in the CUR. Inc
Nownort with the members Of the Nicaragua
Canal Commission on board. is 10 sail from 'he
ward to-day on her trip to Greyto"H i"'
Rrooklvn which has been in the timber oocN ioi
acme DAYS was 10 have been hoateu Oh rliua''
hut the tide did not rise high enough" anu '
will remain In the dock until h'eh "a.e'
morrow In the mean time her ne" oo"' "a P
is hardening, as about ten feet Oh w".'i no. no.
been left in the dock. II Is expected '"a' II "
take until the new year to make her e"'''''
ready for sea duty, and there IS "orN e"oue"
tho other ships In the way or minor repairs ~
keen them in the yard for the rest Oh 'ne ii'o'
This does not imply that the ships cou'u "o' 81
70 sea at short notice In case OF ei'ei sc"O'' 90
f. well known that there Is always so'"e
to be done on board ""is''P
where II can be done. ,y -,
One of the peculiar results or the sa'iiiis vi
tho Newport to-day is that 1t leaves the Earo
-. o,,,r engineer directly attached to the
p,reau NJ. Menocal. the head OF the local pu-
~ 80. member Of the expedition. and the
o,,,v assistant he has being detailed TO speciai
av,,, In connection with the repairs to the DIG
a,aocr Some Of the work of the Bureau has
Nan turned over 20 the care Of the line oncers
recent1v placed in charge of division A OF 'he
Rureau. but there are lots OF technical points
coming I'D all the time in connection WIN '"e
large amount Of work now being done by inc
Government and contractors at the Earu winch
apparently call for the knowledge ana eNpe'l.
ence Of an expert and the absence or a heau oil
tho Denartment is likely to cause considerable
difficulty IL the place is left vacant long
PUMPING OUT THE BIG DOCK.
To the great satisfaction of every one con-
nected with the work. pumping was begun OIL
Friday afternoon and continued yesterda! at
the big drydock and when work stopped yes
terday afternoon only ten feet of water renamed
IN tho dock The damaged apron will be uncov-
oroa to.morrow. and the direct work Of repair
bsoun II will take a lot OF scrubbng to clean
the dock after the water is pumped out. as the
dredging operations In the channel nave kept
the water almost thick for several weeks an"
much Of the mud has been carried by the ude
into the dock The workmen yesterday were be-
ginning TO SPECULATE on the probable catch Of
cells when The bottom Of the dock is uncovered
&C they abound In the waters around the yard
The Texas had little experience with eeis al
the time she filed her englne-room with water
and sank AT her m oorings and there was lively
time in the machinery department when 'he
rooms were cleared of water
The grounds in the neiehborhood Of the big
dock do not present an inviting spectacle, as
In front Of the dock is a huge wall or TIMBER
and mud with an inner sloping wall OF rocks
Beyond the line Of the dock is the litter caused
by the construction of a sewer through that por
ton OF the yard next to the boundary wall, ana
the dumpings Of the contractors who are build-
ing the seawal along the channel from the
dock to the causeway leading to the COD Dock
Altogether visitors to that part OF the reserva-
ton would do we'll to be equipped with rupoer
boots and mudproof garments
Naval Constructor BoWles who has carried the
work ahead to its present stage. Is hopeful OF
having the damage to the dock repaired WITHIN
few weeks and has the pilng ready TO drlVe
for the wall which is expected 10 protect the
stucture from further damage by water getting
behind the walls at the entrance.
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL.
Capta,n Winfield s. Schley, chairman OF the
Lighthouse Board. has successfully passed MS
examination for promotion to the grade or COM
modore. Commodore Francis NJ Bunce' com
mandant Of the yard will be examined this
week for promotion to the grade OF rear-ad-
mjral before a board consisting or Rear-Ad-
miral E. o. Matthew Rear-Admiral Mont
gon1ery Scard and Commodore Charles 5 Nor
ton In view Of the fact that Rear-Admiral
Scard is to be a member OF this Board II Is
Interesting to note that there has been recently
a difference OF opinion between the two o'ilcers
regarding the reports as TO the completion or
repairs on the various ships at the yard, when
are under the command Of the Rear-Admiral.
Captain Silas Casey, Of the NewYork. who sue
ceeded Captain schley in command Of the nag
ship. will spend the holidays at nome on ieaVe
of absence of a month, Captain +. F. Chadwick
taking his place in the starboard cabin Of the
cruiser. The third dance OF the season was
given on Friday afternoon In the court martial
room in Building No. l. Music was furnished
by the Navy Yard Orchestra, and the guests
were received by Mrs. Farmer and Mrs. Cowles,
the latter the sister Of the Assistant Secretary
OF the Navy. Among those present were Com
mander West, Commander Swift Captain Rob
erts Lieutenant Commander Cowles. Chief En-,
gneer Farmer Lieutenants Mckelvey and
Stanton. Mrs. Price. Miss Wilson. Mrs. You
mans. Miss Gilbert. Miss Hazeton the Misses
Kirkland. Mrs Curry. Miss Curry MISS Mart
lieutenant Carlborough. Mr.. and Mrs. Bart
lett Miss Gibson. Miss Horton Mrs Danforth
Miss Webster Miss Post Miss Trowbridge, DIT
Farenbolt. F. Kinds. w. Jessup and n. MERIT
CHANGES OF THE WEEK.
Among the changes in assignments OF the
week are the following affecting the ships and
officers Of this station
Lieutenant @. II. Peters, detached from me Nm Nm
phitrite December 10. and ordered home. NaShhg
ton D. c.. with two months leave
Lieutenant +. +. Sawyer. ordered TO duty as eN
ecutive officer of the Fern December 10 -
Lieutenant A. Mertz, detached from the Fern lie
cembcr 10 and ordered 10 the Amphtritc 49,
Assistant Engineer E ". Dunn. detached IRON
the New-York Navy Yard and ordered to the Con
cord temporarily. on arrival on the Asiatic station
70 the Olympia u . -
Passed Assistant Paymaster T. VI. Hicks. ordere
10 the New-York Navy Yard as assistant store
keeper 49,, ,>,,.
Mate A. Anderson, detached from the Dolphin
and ordered 10 the Vermont
Paymaster II. T. Drury, ordered TO duty Il
charge OF naval clothing factory. New-York Nav
Yard.
A,thing factory at NewYork Navy Yard and or
Scred home, with four months sick leave.