Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-10
CRAMPS WORRIED.
pATrLEyHrP INDIANA pRAG SHIP
OF THE FIRM.
The NATTER OF BILGE-KEELS
Their Absence Being Considered In
Connection with Bonuses for Speed
Carolina Poftics-Patenss.

W AS1lNGiONs ~. - FtDtudi9 -
Especial )-Some naval officials. and their
special friends. the Cramps. are con-
siderably worried over the top-heavy and
apparently unmanageable battleship Indi-
ana. This is the "brag' ship OF the
Cramps. and widely advertised as the
finest battleship in the world. On her
first trip her turret-guns rolled across the
deck when the ship careened over in
rough sea, and Commander Robley Evans
had to have them lashed in order
to get the ship safely back into port.
A new locking device has now been ap-
piled to make the turrets secure, but
Captain Taylor, the new commander Of
the Indiana. was unwilling to trust the
ungainly ship and the lives Of himself
and crew In a gale Off Hatteras, and he
wisely, perhaps. put back into Hampton
Roads.
IL IS now understood that when the
Indiana and the Massachusetts were de-
signed they were TO have on them what
have been found absolutely necessary
In the British navy-bilge-keels, but as
none of the docks were of suflcient
capacity to dock them with bilge-keels
OH. Inc lAtltl WIZ ltAN tAAs CIV ~
sells were permitted TO make their trial
trips and were actually turned over TO
the government by the Cramps in an IN
finished condition The new dock in New
York is especially designed and con-
structed 10 allow the docking Of these
big ships, so that their bNSe-keels may
be put on.
These b!lge-keels are immensely
heavy wings, six or eight feet in width,
- -. ~ the shin. nOlteU
on. or fastened. at right-angles TO the
hull. where the side Of the ship joins the
bottom.
1t Is now in order TO ask. if such at
tachments are necessary, why were
they not made and put on before the
"speed-trials" for large bonuses? The
contractors received a big bonus for
speed in the case Of the Indiana, when
she was in an unfinished condition, and
her weight less by several tons than it
should have been.
1t is asserted by naval experts that
these bilge-keels Will impede the speed
OF the ship from one TO two knots, ac-
cording to the size OF the ship, and the
circumstances Of weather, &c. 1t would
be well for the information Of the public
for the Navy Department to rise and eX-
plain how this happened.
PERSONAL AND POSTAL.
Judge S. c. Graham, of Tazewell coun-
~. is in the city, and was a visitor at the
Capitol to-day. in company with the Hon.
Connally f. Trigg.
II. NJ. Balthis, Of Winchester; John II.
Sherman. Of Luray, Va: w. j. Brown,
of Roanoke, Va; Lee Ellis, Of Winston,
n. c.. and j. w. Cooper of North Caro-
lima. are at the Metropolitan.
Mrs. +. 3. Cox, OF North Carolina, is at
the Riggs.
T. sabrum. Of Radford. Va, is at the
Jefferson.
W. $. Learthers, of the Miller School.
Va, is at the Hotel Vendome.
T. L. Bolton, Charlottesville, Va, is at
tho National
IL. Harrison. Virginia; V. Dabney,
University Of Virginia; w. A. Glasgow,
of Roanoke. Va; J. l.. Johnson, Gull
pepper; E. W. Blair. University of Nir-
ginia; j. l.. Hubbard. Norfolk. Va; Ware
b. Cay, Richmond, Va; w q. Crenshaw,
Richmond, and j. c.. Walters, Virginia,
are at the Raleigh.
T. 3. Smith, d. II. Pitts, and r. ".
Moore. Virginia. are at the Howard
House.
r. f. UIey. Virginia, is at the Ebbitt.
j. Curitson, Jr, Virginia; G.. w.
Smith. North Carolina; +. Bryd. Berry
vile, Va; T.. J. Phelps, Roanoke, Va,
are at the ST. James
Alderman A. D. Landerkin. Of Rich
mond. is in the city on business, stopping
at the ST. James.
Among the fourth-class postmasters
appointed to-day were: J. w. Dulin vice
w. A. Bale resigned, at Oakshade. Gull
peper county, Va; S. c.. Angie vice l..
w. Chitwood, resigned at Villa. Franklin
county. Va.
Special service has been discontinued
from Ellinboro' TO Caroleen, Rutherford
county, n. c., from February e. 1897.
Star service changes have been made in
Virginia as follows:
Oakleyel 10 Edgewood. From Febru-
airy 6. 1897, change service so as 10 supply
Oaklevel at it's new site without change
in distance.
Railroad service has been established
I'm North Carolina as follows:
Fllenboro' to Caroleen. n. c. Carolina
Central railroad. 40 miles and back. six
times a week, or as much oftener as
trains may run. From March l, 1897.
Junction IN. o. to Henrietta, N c.
Carolina Central railroad, 1872 miles and
back. six times a week, or as much
oftener as trains may run. From March
l. 1897.
General James A. Walker to-day Sc
cured the pardon OF Robert Adams, a SOL
der who had been court-martialled for de-
sertion and sentenced to three years i'm
prisonment.
NORFOLK MAYNARD.
He also called on the Secretary Of the
Navy and requested that the battleship
Indiana be sent to the Norfolk navy-yard
for repairs During his conversation with
the Secretary, the latter said that he
would Ike 70 order more work for the
Norfolk yard, but was unable TO do so
on account of the lack Of depth of water
In the channel leading from the Roads
10 the yard "This" Mr.. Herbert said,
lis true not only of the Norfolk navy
yard. but of other navy-yards in the
country. and for that reason l have or
dered several of the modern ships recently
constructed TO be Of lighter draft"
IL is now extremely doubtful If the
River and Harbor Committee will be able
10 accept the invitation of the Norfolk
and Portsmouth boards of trade and bust
ness-mens associations TO visit those
cities and inspect the navy-yard and its
approaches. General Walker is urging
them to 90, but many of the members say
that il will be almost impossible for them
20 20 owing to a lack Of time
THE ATLANTA SPECIAL"
A change OF schedule in the leaving
time OF the ATLANTA Special" enables me
70 mail this letter an hour later than
usual This is the train which heretofore
lett at $40 p. NJ. and arrived in Richmond
al 1895 A. NJ. 1T now leaves here at 4:4O
J.. NJ. and should arrive in Richmond at
$50 p. NJ. IL will be great convenience
fn sending news letters in future.
Colonel Otway Allen left for Richmond
this evening, and Mr.. Junius Mosby, OF
that city, arrived by the evening train.
Hon. John Lamb, of Richmond. arrived
by the evening train, and registered at
the Metropolitan.