New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-07

-rsT To BE MADE OF Ifihs NE" piNfDo'h-
-, REASON THE INDIANA RETURNED
TO HAMPTON ROADS.
,rorr At the Navy Yard has so far slackened up
,,, ,he week that there is general looking
VIZ, via for something to do. The Massachusetts
s.noduled to start for sea tomorrow. or pos
e.. to-day. II the weather changes for the bet
s'''' The Texas IS all ready FOR another trial of
"' ,ncers Of the deep and will likely start out
'"O inc IN the week In this connection the
s hoe been raised that there is a risk in
F.-a,ns the battle-shp to Galveston. owing to
- feasibility Of her grounding on the bar at
-. entrance to the harbor. 1t is said that she
- mass the bar only on an extremely high tide
-, with a perfectly smooth sea, conditions
o., seldom come together in the Gulf. How
..- the order has been issued. and she VIII
ote the attempt. If ii is successful and she
H .av again she w:u go to New-Orleans
orresont the Navy at the M"-di Gras fes-
,.,.s in connection with the Maine ~" ships
A. yard are taking coal, preparatory 10
,s n sea but the announcement Whch mas
- made that the Puritan is going 10 TAKE part
- ADMIRAL ounces blockade OF charleston Is
v.,,o premature. as orders have oeen received u
nv - tho new drydock as a test on Feb
-, 16 II the dock is ready for the test Oh
,,. latter point the officers at the station us
W coma holding that the dock will not be
81. q, the time set, while others. especially
- ~ the Bureau of Yards and DOCKS. are
- that the work will be completed at the
go mentioned. Commodore Matthews. Chief OF
uH'N ,roo,, If Yards and Docks. is supervising
,,e nreparations of the instructions Tor the 'ria
w ~, poars appointed to examine the dock will
,.,ort on it's length and depth and determine
~, ronch truth there is in the sensational re-
a1p
rot come up to the specifications. and that
c,,.ernrrent has white elephant on its
hands.
WHY THE INDIANA PUT BACK.
Tho first Of the batte-ships to go into the
,ock will probably he the Massachusetts whlcn
-. ~, been out of the water since she was
launched more than year ago. There Is
feasibility that the Indiana will also take turn
=. tho dock and have her bilge keels put on. To
AZ. absence Of these necessary adjuncts to YES
.s buVt on the lines Of the battle-shps Is
.b.rrad the rolling and wallowing in the sea
u.vs which caused Captain Taylor, who re-
e.ntiv assumed command of the vessel. to make
hAr wake as straight as possible for Hampton
Poads when she struck the long swell when loi-
loVed the recent rough weather of the CaPes'
In view Of the fact that there has been no Official
report that her turrets had again broken ioose'
the return Of the ship is said. by ofhcers AT the
ara ~ he due 10 the excessive caution Of Cap
tain TAYLOR The affair is pointed out by people
inclined TO criticise present naval methods as
the logical result of taking captain whose last
sea service was put In six years ago ana theh
on a small wooden vessel and suddenly PLACING
rim, in command of one of the largest of the new
steel ships. and sending him TO sea after several
years spent in theoretical work connected with
md a
yesterday: NO wonder the man got scared
with a shin carving such heavy weight as has
been placed on the Indiana rolling and tumbllhg
around i'm a. sea which the New-York rode Ike
duck The deck of the college and the deck
Of the Indiana are two different things ana
long way apart, when man has not peeh vi
an even keel for six years.
Reconstruction officers are not at all alarmed
over the possibility of the battle ships turrets
causing any more trouble, and say that they
have been secured in so strong a manner that
Inc shin could turn over without causing theni
10 break loose
THE TEXAss TURRETs TRIED.
trial was made yesterday Of the turrets
of tho Texas and the ran ying mechanism was
found 70 work with smoothness and precision,
tho whole business being entirely satisfactory
The ranging apparatus is designed to stop the
motion Of the turret automatically, so tnat the
pun hreecheS Will always be dlrectiy oPPosi'e
The ammunition trays, and also to prevent the
.weep Of the gun muZzles being earned lar
enough to interfere with the suPerstructnre
OF the ship. ;, . . e. star+
An attempt will be made tomorrow 70 start
nm the starboard engine of the monitor furltan
The port engine having been put In good ordeI
The dance given by the crew OF the lexas on
Monday evening in a hall on the Last size OF
Network was an enjoyable affair, much on
the same lines as the dance given py tie
Nassachusetts's boys the week before inns
practically winds up the social features OF ,ile
ward in which the crews OF the SHIPS are III
;erested but the Friday afternoon dances anu
,eas and the Monday afternoon dances on poaIu
The Vermont are not yet ended for the season
MONTGOMERY PROCEEDINGS ENDED
Secretary Herbert has directed that no further
,roceedings be taken in the case OF Commander
ROYAL B. Bradford. who was navigating 'he
Montgomery when she was injured IN New
York Uarbor off Castle William, January L.
4 Court of Inquiry which considered the case
tho DAVIS later found that no Dlame coulu oe
a,tacbed 10 any one on board the SNIP WIicn
US rronerlv navigated at the time she struch
some unknown object. Admiral bunce, III ap
nroving the finding of the court suggesteSui
resurvev OF that portion of the harpor' "h'ch
will be made
cALVE TO SING ~ "FACSl'