New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
AFFAIRS ATTHE NAVY YARD
THE coNpE-sroNE CASE AND ITS Eff
FEcTs.

OFFICERS DIRECTING TO SENSATIONAL REPORTS
DISCHARGES OF woRKMEN-oTHER
NOTES OF INTEREST.
There ,s indignation in plenty in the Brooklyn
NAVY Yard and expressions not at all compl-
mentary 10 certain newspaper men are common.
The feeling has grown out Of the grossly exag-
rerated accounts which have found their way
into print regarding the now celebrated Cohoe-
Stone case which was closed on Friday a1ter-
noon Interviews have been published whch
the officers OF the yard and on the ships assert
were manufactured by the writers. statements
have been credited to the men interested which
they never made, manufactured testimony mas
been printed, and the etiquette or naval courts
Of inquiry. we'll as the rules or common ue
eency has been set aside. All these Complaints
are made by men who feel themselves aggrieveo'
and apparently with good reason. Al the same
time u Is a satisfaction to note that the course
pursued by the papers which 90 not rush 'i'o
shr,eking headlines has won approval. IL Is as
certain a.. ANYTHING can be which has not re-
ceived the seal of official approval that Ensign
Stone OF the Puritan and Ensign Osporne' Oh
tho Alliance have seen the end OF the proceed
,nps begun by the Secretary Of the Navy at the
instance Of S. Condo. Of Oswego and as lar as
the Navy Departments interference IN the love
affairs OF the Puritan's Junior officer Is
the incident is regarded as closed.
The case has important bearings. however, on
the personnel Of the Navy. as 1t Involves or'ns-
ing I'D OF the old point Of the disadvantage uhoer
which the officer rests In consequence OF the
rules OF the Department regarding discussion OF
affairs In which the conduct OF the Officers Is
involved. This case is the first in which, at this
ward at least q naval court has been caleo u
investigate charges made by CIVILIAN against
an officer The point has been brought up 'ha'
II Ensign Stone and his companion had oeen
guilty Of a violation Of the laws or the o'a'e VI
the ordinances OF the city OF Oswego the co'i'-
n,a,nant had the courts to back him up IN OBJ
tanning redress.
Another point brought UP is that IT, following
the nrecedent made in this case. any officer can
be brought before naval tribunal on charge
affecting his honor or his conduct made by
civilian In a letter to the Secretary. there IS q
chance that business will boom in the court OF
inquiry line Even II the charges are utterly
without foundation or are easily disproVed the
officer involved has no redress. and when SEN
sational newspapers lend their aid to spreading
all sorts Of stories about the affair the trouble
is not lightly dismissed or overcome. Inc
honor OF q naval officer Is one Of his most valued
possessions and Il Is an axiom at Annapolis that
q liar and a sneak cannot pass through the
school The cordial good-fellowship between
Ensign Stone and his shpmates and associates.
and the manly way in which they have stooo
by the young man whose only defence was de-
sire to accede TO the request OF the young
woman whom he was engaged TO marry that ne
como 70 her home and see her, is regarded by
those who have watched the case as an EVIL
dence that the attempt to make a family aHair
the medium of bringing disgrace TO him will fall
through, and will not rebound to the credit OF
the people who started 1t.
The torpedo-boat Porter has been hoated, and
this time 1t Is hoped that her anti-fouling ana
protective paint will be allowed to stay on her
hull little longer than the last coat. She made
the run from Newport on Sunday last in six
hours beating her own record and IT Is heid pv
the officials that the speed developed was too
much for the adhesive quality Of the paint. as
she was found to be almost bare of paint under
water when she was placed in the drydock
MORE COMPLAINTS OF FAvORITISM
Work on the ships will probably come to an
end this month Nearly all the appropriations
have been exhausted. and already the curtailing
of the forces at the yard has begun In the Con-
struction and Repair Department on Wednesday
last ninety men were laid Off indefinitely, and
sixty were discharged. AS Is usual under such
circumstances there has gone up the cry of IA
yoritism and the master ship-ftter, who has the
handling Of the axe Is the subject OF much strong
language. The men see no reason why they
should be laid off and others kept at work, and
saw that the selection determined by per-
sonal feeling. This may be so to a small degree.
but Naval Constructor Bowles who has the final
say in the matter Of suspension or discharge. is.
unfortunately for the contention Of the men. one
Of those officers who holds that ability to do the
greatest amount of good work In the least time
Is the best claim a workman can have on his
Mace. and governs himself accordingly 1t is
the same in the engineering department, under
Chief Engineer Farmer. and the officers whose
forces have been reduced are not alarmed at the
cry which has been raised.
NOTES ABOUT THE YARD
Among the coming improvements at the yard
Is the establishment Of a system OF regular
messenger service comprising visits at short
stated intervals by messengers from the Com
mandant's office. and the various departments
will be spared lot Of useless waiting. This
idea originated with Mr.. Bowles. and is favora-
bly, regarded by Commodore Bunce, the Com
mandant.
Nothing has been done with the big drydock
and nothing will be done until Congress gets to-
gether and passes an appropriation covering
the work. The delay Is Of no benefit TO the
dock. as the tidal flow is steadily at work on the
cavity behind the injured spiling. and the yard
authorities are not at all easy over the delay
In the work Of repair.
The Alliance is practically ready for sea, and
is expected to sail for Newport on Tuesday
to begin her summer cruise The Indiana and
the Maine are getting into shape for service
one at the main wall and the other at the
Cob Dock wall. and on the Chicago work Is
being carried ahead as fast as the money avail
able will permit.
MORE MONEY WILL BE NEEDED.
About $2.5OOOOO has been spent in the last
fiscal year making repairs to ships. and large
portion OF this sum was appropriated for the
purpose Of making good deficiencies which had