New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-12
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
THE MARRLEHEAD ARRIVES AT THE
YARD FOR REPAIRS.
CIVIL ENGINEER MENocAL ASKS FOR AN
INVESTIGATION OF THE pRyDoCK BrsI
NEss--woRK on THE SHIPS

While the force Of men In the Department
Of Construction and Repair has been consid-
erably reduced recently. on account OF lack
Of funds, az much as can be done with the
force available is under way. The Cincinnat'
which is the flagship OF the South Atlantic STA
ton. Is ready for sea, with the exception OF
some electrical work which has been delayed
by the Equipment Department. 1t Is now an
nounced that she will sail on Wednesday. She
Is not expected to remain long In Southern
waters, as her interior arrangements are not
conducive TO the health or comfort OF her off,
GERS and crew. tu, there is no other ship avail
able at this time. and she will do duty there
until one OF the new gunboats can he made
ready for the service,
The monitor Terror. which expected to go
TO sea last week. has been placed I'm the TIM
Der dock. and the Engineering Department has
her in hand One Of the blades OF her star
board propeller has had big slice taken off.
possibly by one Of the "barnicle shark" which
bit q hole in the Texas and piece will be
fastened onto the stump of the blade. The
propellers, which those originally placed on
the monito-, are OF the old cast-iron. four
bladed type, the hub and the blades being In
one piece This makes II rather difficult to
make proper repairs in Of an accident.
and there Is a hope that by and by the new
cupboard shafts will be put IN. fitted to receive
the modern style Of propeller blade. In which
each piece is detachable. regardless OF the
others. She will not come out Of the dock for
a few days. and Just when she will sail from
the yard cannot be said When she does go
to sea her cruise is not likely to be long
one, and she will not be far away from New
York at any time.
Some work is being done the bulkheads and
doors Of the Detroit. and the cruiser will be
ready for within short time.
The cruiser Marbehead, in charge Of Com
mander Horace Elmer, came to the yard yes
terday forenoon, after two days run from
Boston AS she came into the channel her
secondary battery fred a salute of eleven guns.
which was answered by the Cob Dock Battery
with seven guns She will be placed in the dry
dock after the Terror is floated and will not
get away from the yard under fortnight. Then
she will join Admiral Sicard's fleet and take
part in the evolutons. Commander Elmer is
well known at the yard having been, short
time ago. at the head of the Ordnance Depart
ment.
The finishing touches being given to the
Chicagos thrust shafts and they will be put
in place on the cruiser on Monday. Her star
board condensers have been put in, her cupboard
valves and connections have been made, and
the engineers are now waiting the word that
the bed-plates are ready before sending the en-
gines to the ship. 1t will be relief to the De-
partment to get the Chicago's machinery out
Of the way, as the room the engines and boilers
take I'D in the shops will soon be called for by
the new machinery of the Atlanta Inc SMOKE
pipes of the latter boat have been deposited in
the rear of the boiler-shops. and as they Welgh
upward of twelve thousand POUNDS each' 'ne"
handling was small job.
The success of the trial trips OF the Annapo"S
has caused much qualification at the yard, as
considerable time was put in there fitting her
: for sea- She is the first of the new composite
gunboats to go into commission. and as her san
power is sufficient to make her economical oi
coal and her sheathed bottom VIII enaoie hei
to keep out of drydocks for long time she Is
regarded as being admirably adapted 10 outv
on foreign stations. Commodore George De"ey'
the president Of the Board of Inspection ana sur
vev in an unofficial report made on Ihursoay'
said that she had given entire satisfaction. She
s,or,ad on Thursday for Pensacola, where she
will relieve the Helena, which is to come 10 the
Norfolk yard and be thoroughly overhauled pre-
raratory TO her assignment for duty on the
Asia:.c Station.
IMPROVEMENTS AT THE YARD
1rnrrovement is the order Of the day. and Cap
TAI Sumner, the captain u lIc soiu' ii'A" u
npmber of plans which will go long way tow
ard making the yard place of beauty, as well
as business. 4 place behind the boiler shops
hoe bee, set anart for the uses of the steam-en-
cheering department and the boundaries have
heen marked by guns. painted red and surInount-
cd with big shells of the old style. The anchor
mark near the foundry. is to be moved down to
a place near the line of the travelling crane.
where anchors can be taken from and delivered
TO the ships without the necessity OF a lot or
handling The vacant space where the scrap
iron dump was for SO long is graded up 1.-THE
ward level. and other places which are now be-
low the level are TO be filed in. The interior Of
the construction smithery is receiving a coat
OF whitewash
DRYDoCK AFFAIRS NOT SETTLED
The trouble over the repairs to drydock No
& as foreshadowed in this column week ago,
was by no means settled when the order was is
sued directing Naval Constructor Bowles to take
charge Of the work and granting to him ex-
traordinary powers in connection with the pros,
ecution of the Job The letter of Assistant Sec
ratarv Roosevelt to Commodore Bunce, infoym-
,no him Of the transfer of the responsibility for
tho work TO Mr. Bowles. and directing the Naval
Constructor to use all the men and maetrials
~ the Department Of Yards and Docks as well
az snv other portion of the yard facilities which
he MIGHT deem necessary, resulted earl! In the
week in the transfer of the accounts for work
bten under way from the Yards and Docks to
the Construction Department competition was
ti' ,,har necessary TO save time, and
,boritv was given to purchase any materials or
employ any labor needed in advance OF approval
90 he ronusitIons Under the law any work IN
vi thS ar.r,ent may In case % emergency pc
transferred 20 another department. and me AZ
sjstant secretary declared that state OF emer-
gency existed and took advanaast 81 a ."e Mr.
RowIes is reported as saying that he VIII MAKE
the now useless dock as efficient as any N me ne,
world, and will nave the work compieteu d!
ON the other side Civil Engineer Menoca1 mas as
asked that A court of inquiry be appo,l'cu