New-York tribune., 1897-01-31
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
rur NEW DRYDocK TO BE READY FOR
USE BY FEBRUARY Is.
FINISHING UP THE WORK ON THE REMAINING
VESSELS OF THE Fr.EEr-END OF THE
MONTGOMERY AND TEXAs

VESSELS OF THE FI.EET-END OF THE
MONTGOMERY AND TEXAs
AFFAIRS
By night and by day. and on Sundays as well
q. the work Of fitting the vessels at the yart
Sor sea being carried on. There are only six there
the battle ships Massachusetts, and Texas. th'
cr,,,ser Marblehead. the monitors Puritan ant
rsrror. and the torpedo-boat Ericsson. OF these
,he Massachusetts, and Marblehead are practi
.a,Iy ready for duty, and the Texas is slated tc
,anort on February s. The principal portion OF
che work on the ship which has provoked sc
much criticism is in the hands Of the Bureau OF
Steam Engineering. and it will take few days
NJ hard work to get the accumulators for the
hydraulic system which operates her turret
mechanism in place. These accumulators are
cumbrous pieces Of metal work. weighing almost
a ton and a half each. and have been made OF a
compound which hydraulic pressure Of more
than a ton TO the square inch has had no effect
an Their working pressure will be about 1000
mounds to the square inch trial Of one set OF
,,s engines Of the Texas has shown that they
are IN good order and the probabilities are that
The ship will be ready to start for the South on
,he day appointed, Captain Glass having sent
word to the Department at Washington that
such would be the case.
The engines Of the Puritan had another turn
ing over a day or two ago. and worked salts
factorily, with the exception Of one or two hard
nlaces in the brasses which can easily be reme-
died She will be ready for sea in about three
weeks The Terror is undergoing little "tink-
er,ng" but could go to sea at short notice. and
orders have been issued for the two monitors to
ioin Admiral Bunces feet at Hampton Roads.
THE NEW DRYDOCK.
One Of the chief topics Of discussion at the
ward has been the attacks which have been made
on the new Drydock No. 8. which is rapidly ap
proaching completion. For the benefit Of those
who have been worried by sensational reports
which have found their way into print, 1t may be
said that the last OF the stone of the old quay
wall was taken up yesterday. leaving the path
10 the caisson clear for the big dredger. The
dredging is a matter of only few days time,
snd the dock will be ready TO receive a ship by
the 18th Of this month. The actual lessenng in
the length of the dock is only 22 inches. which
nm length of GO feet is not enough to affect its
usefulness in any way. Instead of being =
inches shallower than was at first intended. the
dock is almost 12 inches deeper, and the bulging
Of the side walls, about which so much fuss was
made, is rapidly remedying itself. This bulsing
Is explained by the fact that the site OF the dock
Is made ground and that the dock itself Is at the
lowest point Of the Government territory. east
OF the machine shops. This naturally SENDS all
the drainage Of the territory toward the struct-
ure and as the surface water cannot get over
the coping Of the dock it sinks into the soil and
naturally has an effect on the wooden piles and
strngpieces This can be remedied by the grad
ing Of the surrounding land and the construction
Of sewer leading from the district along the
boundary wall to the Wallabout channel, near
the entrance to the city's new harbor for the
market boats Recommendations covering this
work have been sent TO Washington by Civil
Engineer Menocal. who has charge Of the work
TEST OF THE PUMP CONNECTIONS.
The pump connections Of the cock have been
tested and found to work to the entire satisfac-
ton Of the officials. the new pipes carrying
larger volume Of water than was at first ex-
pected. so that the question Of emptying the
dock is considered settled. 1t Is expected that |
the Puritan will be foated into the dock on |
February 10, and after a test OF the structure |
she will be taken out and the Massachusetts |
take her place at the formal opening 1t is un-
derstood that there will be considerable cere-
mony attending the transfer of the big work to
the Government, but no definite programme has |
been arranged. as that part Of the affair is en-
having provision for functions of that sort
On Monday night the Of the Massachu
setts gave minstrel show in the library build
Ing on the Cob Dock, which largely at
tended and brought out plenty of applause.
This, with the usual weekly dance, the af-
fair Of social nature at the yard, but there is
talk that the success of the Massachusetts ball
IN New-YOrk City week ago has stirred up
some Of the other sailor boys. and there may be
other affairs Of the sort before the ships finally
get away.
THE MONTGOMERY AND TEXAS AFFAIRS
AS was foreshadowed last week by the sailing
ol the Montgomery with Commander Bradford
IN command, coat Of whitewash has been ap-
pled in the case Of the accident to the cruiser,
ana he has been exonerated from all RESPONSE
ohity for the trouble. This leaves an interesting
question open as TO who is responsible. and the
answer Is awaited with interest by of the
people In the yard 1t Is also noted that the af
lair OF the Texas sinking at the Cob Dock wall
aas been dropped, the only results of the acct
ien' oeing the expenditure Of considerable money
wy. sna lime, and strong efforts by the present Ad-
nnihstration ~ TO get the ship in such a condition
,lat M me next Administration will not be able TO
.nu any fault with her This latter is looked on |
= INA nard task by those who know the vessel
Lieutenant Commander Allibone splits even
~ "a me cases against him which have been in
ne ne nands Of the Secretary for some time AS to
M ms Sharge that the Columbia was trimmed by
reuter- mas Deen sent feprlmanOinS
,aptain sands. Lieutenant Commander Alibone
'u Sniei Engineer Harris for filling Of the
80 oieis s., win water for the purpose of trimming
ne snip: In the case Of the charges that he had f
. ~ suiity or tyrannical and overbearing con- =
49, ~. ana the use OF profane language the Secre-
= mas uecided that the affair does not rise TO
as ~, oisnlty OF court-martal and that he will
oS. no iurther action in the matter This last +,
LII, LII, however. applies only to the Lieutenant
and reprimand has been admin I
,'e[so ~ 20 captain Lyttleton w. T. Waller u S. I
q ~. ~. OF me Indiana, who was Judge advocate y
a., (. .ne court before which the Columbias execu-
vsuer ,s olhcer was tried 1t appears that Captain
: y srer took occasion to make some criticism OF
he he apartment while the trial was going on and
sr arvs secretary has ordered that he shall not r
on As Judge advocate. recorder or counsel be-
vs any naval court for the period OF six months
M mas also declared that the court was remiss =
ID not calling CAPTAIN Wallor T., o,,,.n ~