The San Francisco call., 1897-10-02
But the Expected Order to Go
Into Commission Fails
to Arrive. %:.::.
MEN TO MAN THE VESSEL
4. s. VERY SCARCE. s.,
Attention Will Next Be Directed In
Getting the Charleston
- Rsady for Sea.

%. ? -
= VALLEJO. CAL, Oct. 1.---After weeks of
driving work day and night to get her in
readiness the flagship Baltimore, contrary
TO expectation, did not go into commits
sion Today,
Rear-Admiral Kirkland, the command
ant of the Mare Island Navy yard, has
baen most anxious to have the ship in
readiness by to-day and less than week
ago he notified the foremen of the various
departments that she must be ready for
her complement of officers and crew on
the date sp cited if the extra large force
on her had to be doubled.
At IL 80 o'clock day the commandant
notified the Navy Department by wire
that the Baltimore was ready TO go into
commission, but at that hour she looked
anything but the trim and tidy man-of-
war she should. A single coat of white
paint hastily daubed on over the dull
gray priming,. made her sides appear
rough and streaked. On her decks the
greatest confusion prevailed Several
hundred men were engaged in calking
and planning the decks. testing the gun
carriages, putting the finishing touches
on the officers quarters and fo castle,
painting, scraping ana thousand and
one other things that had 10 be done be-
fore she could be pronounced completed.
Every passage way was Uttered with
luln Der, shavings, tool chests and paint
pals until it seemed to a land man as
| though 1t would require at least month
TO clear everything away.
Not pound of stores had been placed
| on board, not carpet laid or curtain
| hung. and had he( officers and crew been
marched over the gangplank they would
have been IN a sorry plight. Fortunately
for all concerned no such orders were re-
ceived from Washington and nobody at
the navy-yard knows when they will be.
1t is quite probable that the heads of the
department. themselves are puzzled over
the matter, for it is no secret that there
are no men at the yard 10 send to the
Baltimore. Even her officers have not
been detailed yet. al least only 1our have
been ordered to duty, and who her captain
will be is merely conf cture. 1t is the
general beliei, though, that Captain N. NJ.
Dyer, now in command of the Philade,.
phla, will be assigned 10 the position.
1t is also thought that all the other
officers and the crew of the Philadelphia
will be transferred in a body to the Balti-
more, and that the former ship is now on
her way from Honolulu for that purpose.
Nobody will admit that word was received
by either of the steamers that arrived
from Honolulu this week 10 the effect
that ;he Philadelphia was about to sail
for home, but the confident assertion OF
some of the higher officers that she will
arrive within a week is good indication
that some such word has been received.
These officers declare that no orders
will be issued placing the Baltimore in
com mission until the arrival of the PhiIa.
delphia.
Admiral Kirkland said to-day that he
had no idea who would command the
Baltimore or where her crew was to come
from. He was of the opinion, though,
that the Philadelphia would arrive soon,
and that her officers and crew would be
transferred in body. Regarding the dis
patch that Lieutenant George NJ
Stoney had started frora the East for
Mare Island, in charge of 100 sailors, the
admiral said he did not know where the
men were, when they would arrive or
what dispos II would be made of them.
They might be ord cred to the Baltimore,
but that number would fall far short of
her full complement.
Had the Baltimore been ordered into
commission ay it would have bothered
the commandant greatly to find sutfi-
cient number of sailors and marines to
make credirable showing at the cere-
mony.
The coast defense v,ssei Mon terey i'll
stead OF going out OF commission will
dock Monday for a cleaning. But this
will only require three or four days, aud
her crew will remain on board. There
are no available men on board the receiv-
lng-ship Independence, so that unas-
signed blue-jackets are exceedingly scarce.
The mandant would undoubtedly
have taken detail from each of the
sew eral ships at the yard. while the
ma rines on the Marion would have been
ressed into service. Taken altogether it
was most peculiar state OF affairs that
prcvalleo to-day.
Tie four officers who have been or
dered 10 the Baltimore are: Lieutenant
Viii liam Braunersreuther, navigating of
ficer; Lieutenant Goddfried Blocklinger.
executive officer; Paymaster Edw ard Bel
lows, nay inspector; First Lieutenant
Dion Williams, U. s. NJ. c., marine Of
ticer.
Although the heavy work on the Balti-
more has been com pleted, all the depart
ments are runnlng full force, and it in
known definitely tnat the cruiser Charles