New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD
THE VESSELS OF THE FLEET BEING
PLACED IN FIRST-CLASS ORDER


Under orders just issued by the Department
the work Of making the minor repairs neeoeu ~
put the feet of ships composing the
Atlantic Squadrol in first-class cohol'ion 80
n. rushed ahead as fast as possible and although
there are no large Jobs hand except III co'
nection with the Purtan's engines ana 'ne
orooL,vn,s new hawse pipes there will be some
lively times in the shops Of the yard IN 'he -
,roel, mr. two The gunboat Helena has oeen
eoa.ed into the stone drydock for her maj 'ou'"-
,ng-un nrtor 10 her sailing for the Asiauc s'a-
,,o, and Naval Constructor Bowles mas SUI
oasefullv accomplished the task OF get'ihs inc
rio Rrooklvn with her "tumblehome Sues aii"
huee-kaels into the timber dock NO - WIZ"
ou, shifting the caisson into the outei si0o''
NJ the dock There is not much rooih ~ op
az either the ends or the sides. ana the "oi N''i
have to do some lively STOPPING 10 get aiouu
under the sharp edges Of the roller-choch' "''
are almost perfect fit for the alter az ',0
sides of the dock When the snip Is @e@''
f,oated she will have new coa'he VI "''
ing paint and, the work on her Will 30
,uithout interruption while she 10 IN the oooN'
.hsra will he little left to do on her Wheh s"e
rsaches tide-water again. AS QUICKLY as pos
.,h,s the other ships will be taken out OF the
uatsr with the exception OF the Massachose''s'
which "a too wide for the small DOCK ana 'he
efBc,ency of the fleet. as far as II dePehus OH
the condition of the vessels, Will be at tne Top
,otob NJ excellence when the start is made TOT
Hampton Roads
WORK ON THE COFFERDAM
The nll,ng-in of the coferdam OF DTyoook
No 2 has so far advanced that the contractors
fee, sure they will be through with the'r "orh
nv the last Of this week. and 1t Is possible 'ha'
the pumps will be started on the water IN 'ne
big dock by Saturday next There mas oeen a
little delay in the work. owing 10 the o'0
n, getting stone around to the coieio
fIling-in the inner section put 'ha' hao
overcome. and as the work goes OH ioi Ven
four hours every day there Is soou
that the actual damage TO the dock VIII De
-. r>os,,,ye,v within a few days. large
..,,o,,rt q, sheet piling has arrived at the yaro
g. rss IN the line which Is to be driven at tr'e
10. ~ the apron In front OF the caisson' ana
=. ,,,s line is TO extend for twenty feet on each
- ~ tho entrance TO the dock. reaching wen
,,,to the earth beyond the wing walls. II Is eN
,,sc,ea that the line will have an important ell
o.. IN preventing the passage OF water AROUND
a. .raa NJ the structure and into the pasih'
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE YARD
,,,u,.ors % the ward are not slow to note the
-,e.h,e change In the appearance Of the
lee caused by the many improvements oeins
80 Tho erection Of six houses. scattered
ohout the ard. for sanitary purposes Is one OF
81 no,nts which causes much favorable COM
,,ont Another is the grading and filling ara
soddine Of the spots left vacant by the removal
:, tho wreckage from ships and the accumula-
ITO, ~ miscellaneous refuse. A third Is the
start made toward the removal OF the ahchor
marry" 10 a site near the edge OF the oryoocA'
whore the heavy weights Will be convenient OIL
access when they are wanted For some reasoii
unexplained, this work has langulshed Ior d
week or two but the start has been mace anu
that is considerable. Paving operations "hicn
have been extensive, have pracucaiv oih'
started for II Is understood that all the space
between the big timber dock and the boundary
wall on the Washington-ave. side OF the yard Is
to be levelled and paved, after the sewer now
being put through II is finished and the sea-
wall completed. The causeway from the main
land Of the yard to the Cob Dock has been mn
ished by the contractors This is the work IN
which lot of short or dummy" bolts were
found being used by the contractors about
year ago. The trouble was patched UP by the
contractors, and they we're allowed TO finish the
work after the faulty part had been remade
and brought up to the standard OF honest work
manship Not the least Of the changes In the
yard, however is the tearing down Of the fence
which inclosed the garden patch where the
luxuriant growth Of vegetables had furnished a
supply OF fresh garden truck TO the officers
of the station, who occupied the houses In "Offi-
GERS Row." in Flushing-ave, and also TO the
commandant. This patch. which occupied ground
Just TO the right of the Sands-st. gate. the main
entrance to the yard, has been abolished, and
next summer will show a stretch Of greensward
where last summer was a profusion OF green
things good to eat. This is regarded by many
a change the necessity for which Is in doubt.
The big garden not at all unsghtly, and
many visitors on their way to the ships were
in the habit Of stopping at the fence and com
menting Oh the excellence OF the growths. While
It shut off from the northen side Of the yard the
view Of the bandstand behind the quarters Of the
office the music Of the band was not interfered
with by the garden. and. in addition to consdera-
lions of attractiveness, there the weighty one
OF the saving made TO the officers in the matter
OF expense for fresh vegetables together with
the satisfaction Of knowing that the supply was
far ahead of purchases made In the market in
point Of quality. But the march Of improvement
was fairly started. and the garden was in the
path. The usual result followed.
THE NEWPORT DELAYED.
1t is not expected now that the Newport will
start on her trip South with the members of
the Nicaragua Canal Commission for at least a
week. and the delay may be longer. The ship
is nearly ready, and sailing orders were ex-
pected yesterday, but II was learned that the
engineer from civil life who had been selected
10 have charge OF that portion Of the work had,
at the last moment. declined TO go. for the rea-
son that advancing age made the duties too
onerous to be undertaken by him. and he sug-
gested that younger man be chosen. The COM
mission originally constituted was made UP
Of Rear-Admiral John G. Walker. chairman;
Colonel Peter Haines. U. s. A. Corps OF En-
gineers, and Professor Lewis Haupt civil en-
gineer Of the University Of Pennsylvania, with
Lieutenant Frank Winslow secretary and treas
urer To this list was added Civil Engineer
A. g. Menocal. who was detached from the Blu
reau Of Yards and Docks at the yard and or
dered TO Join the commission. Just who will be
selected to NIL the vacant place Is not known
but II is feared that the delay will be vexa-
tiously long. as II is not regarded likely that
a man Of the attachments necessary to do the
work will be able to leave the country at such