New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
SOME CAUSES WHICH DELAY THE CON-
PLETION OF WORK.
KEW BOILER TUBES BEING PLACED IN THE
FLAGSHIP NEw-YoRK-ANoTHER MIsHAP

TO DRYDoCK NO 3-CRClsER
BROOKLYN TO co ABROAD.
AS is usual at the Navy Yard, time schedules
to pieces as the dates set draw near, and II
Is a remarkable occurrence when work is COM
pleted within the time limit set whep IL Is
planned. This holds good from the hitting oi
fleet for sea down to small matters OF oe'ai'
which ii would seem, should not require ''
consideration of time limit. Delays ho"e'e
are not often due TO the negligence vi iNe'
cheney of the officers in direct charge OF inc WIZ
in hand but may be charged 10 '"i0''
causes Delay in receiving material "ea'".'
which prevents working out OF oools' i"u''o 80
-, ,,.hicb have 10 be remedied, natural DIM
culties which have TO he overcome anu o'i'i
causes may be assigned for delays In compie-
80 =, ,yor,, but whatever the cause may be-
,,a General effect has been that date for any
n.rticular incident in connection with the
ward has come to mean almost any ola TIME
after the date named. An example OF thls 10
the preparation of the North Atlantic oquauio"
for sea 1t was announced some weeks ago 'iia'
the ships were to sail early in December lot 'he
South and begin their cruise OF evolution anu
practice TWO weeks ago the story was 'oiu /"
this column that rush orders had been receiVeu
a. the ward for the completion or the hecessai!
repairs and the fitting of the ships. Last "eeN
the same information came from Washils'oi
o,d this week shows a lot Of work still to be
done and the early part or Inc month i"p'u'
fadinr away. The Massachusetts, has been or
dered to the Norfolk yard to be placed IN the
drvdock there as the Simpson dock here is not
,srga enough to handle her easily although IL
nil take her out Of water. The Helena Wnlch
hos bAen slated TO sail from Norfolk on Ihurs-
dav NJ this week will be lucky If she gets away
from, this ward by that day 1t was lntendeo 10
dock the Texas in the Simpson dock tomorrow
hut II seems now that the TIDE VIII not serve
much before Christmas and the unlucKy snip
NAV have TO spend her holiday season out vi
water instead of being af1oat, with her new coat
Of paint and clean sides, and guns READY ior
business.
MORE TROUBLE AT DRYDoCk NO
THE contention made while the big drydock
No was being constructed that the work was
faulty Is borne out by the revelations maze os
the pumping out Of the dock itself ana t"e
space in front of the caisson when Is shei.eieu
by the cofferdam. Competent engineers nave
not hesitated to say that damage to the spi1 ,ii
between the abutments OUTSIDE OF .le me- Urhicb
was not enough to admit all the water Wn!cn
flowed into the dock. Naval Cohstl uo.u.
Bowles who is in charge of the WORK; mas ~,
against another difficulty on Inursa s;s wsv
the big drainage pump Of the dock gave W t,;
and the water which was flowing IN hau iuii
sweep Mr. Bowes, who had peen a. "a
steadily around the dock up to that tllhe, ha -
gone TO attend a dinner, and on returning W
Sis quarters went at once to the dock 10 see
how the work going on. IL was not eoine
at ALL and. without exchanging ms ee s,ns
dress he at once began the task or remeuyIne
the djfHculty and making the refractory Lunips
do their duty. 1t took all night 10 90 IL, pu. =.
was done. and. although there was 700 n,uon
water in the dock TO admit of any work oeihs
done inside the structure yesterday, the create,
part of it had been removed IL is unueIs tt
that he intends TO sink well whlch VIII cUtte'
the water which will be pumped out win d
centrifugal pump, and then sink trench IN
front Of the apron and put down row OF sieet
ping for it's protection. 1t is estimated tnat II
Iyiii cost 50 500 to replace and repair the altar
pieces and the braces inside OF the DOCK winch
have been injured by the leakage
II Is probable. IN this connection, that a ne"
numphouse will have TO be constructed Inc
present apparatus is entirely Inadequate, as .ne
big suction pipes will not take waite: peiow iour
feet from the bottom of the dock owing 10 the
dock being lower than the smaller structure
beside II. This trouble IT is SAID is oue 10 u. .
fleets in the plans, and 1t Is grahyls 70 fault
y found with the firm which took up the contrac.
uncompleted by the first contractor ana turheu
the dock over to the Government
THE BROOKLYN TO GO ABROAD AGAIN
Once more the big cruiser Brooklyn is to cross
the Atlantic Her first trip was with Admrai
Miller to the Queens Jubilee. This time cap
tain Cook is to take her over, within the next
wv f'N'NN
NJ the San Francisco as flagship of the Euro
mean station. The San Francisco sailed away
from the yard more than three years ago, anu
Is to be called home The orders recslnns rear
Admiral Selfridge from command or the EURO,
man station have been modified, ana ne VIII
remain on duty there until FEBRUARY Wnen
he will be relieved by Rear-Admlral rover
who will sail from here about the miooie OF
next month The Brooklyn, with her ample
equipment and accommodations. is regarded as
an ideal flagship for the station, and it is posi-
will mot
buttons but will be sent over with Rear-Ad-
miral Howell's flag flying. in time to relieve the
San Francisco on the date named.
The cruise of the Helena, which Is under or
ders to join the Asiatic station. is one whicn
delights the officers and men Of the ship; "A
year has been allowed for the ship TO reach hef
destination and the trip includes stops at Der
muda, Gibraltar, all the ports In Northern
Africa. up the Euphrates as far as Bagdad. and
many other places where the Stars and Stripes
have not been seen for many years .
Captain Merrill Miller and the officers or tht
receiving-shp Vermont began their series series o. o,
officers and women OF the station, guests from
Grand Army posts in the district. and theii
civilian friends at dance on .me spar ue' mex
lance at the yard will be given in the court
martial room, in Building No. Z. next Friday
afternoon.
CHANGES IN ASSIGNMENTS
The following changes in assignments affect
ing officers and ships of this station, have beer
made in the last week:
Lieutenant A. ". Grant. detached from the
Helena and ordered at once to the MASSACHUSETTS
lieutenant j. w. Oman, detached from inc Massa
chusetts and ordered at once TO the Heiena ID,
Iisutenant T. D. Griffin. detached from lhe bu-
reau OF Equipment, December u, ana oraereo &c
lieutenant A. r. Long. detached from the BrooK-
lyn December 49, and ordered TO the minneapolis
iJeutenant J. A. Bell detached from the Mime.
spolis Cecember II, and ordered home win '"c
fJeutenant William Fl. G. Billiard; detached IRON
the Lancaster December l., and ordered 10 the 20
lumbia December 13. ,,s ,.or, 49,
Ensign j. r. p Pringle, detached from ms
Columbia December 10. and or1ered nome WITT
Assistant Engineer D. r. Merritt detached H on.
the, New-York Navy Yard and oroered 10 INK
Maine, December 10. ,,. do,oohs5
Assistant Engineer R. D: Hasbrouck. detae cree