The San Francisco call., 1897-09-25

VALLEJO, CAL, Sept. 24-Twelve hum
dred men, divided into two shifts. are
working day and night on the warships
lying at the Mare Island Navy-yard
Rear-Admiral Kirkham says there is
nothing unusual ng on there.
Not since the trouble with Chile in 1891
81, over the Baltimore affair, has such
haste been shown 10 get ships UNDERGOING
repairs ready for sea, as at present, yet
nobody in authority at the yard will ad-
NIT that the least significance is attached
TO the great activity.
The rushing off TO Honolulu of the new
gunboat Wheeling, before she had been
given her official trial, or accepted oy the
Govern m ent, is given a simple explana-
ton by CommandaDl Kirkham.
Just prior TO the sailing of the LAST mail
steamer for the islands, he saws. he re-
ceived some cipher dispatches TO ne trans
mitted TO Rear-AdmiraI Miller, at. Homo
lulu.
An error was made in transmission,
which hmdered the translation until after
the steamer had sailed, and as the w heel
Y1g was lying. at the navy-yard in readi-
5ess ior her offieial trial, and it would be
4onae time before another steamer would
NGfsAEl 4Df iHS AStENuN, HS bStS0 20 ttiS
department that it would not be a bad
idea to lie the unboat act as dispatch
boat and extend her cruise to Honolulu.
The suggestion was acted upon and the
Wheeling was ordered out at days no.
tice. The admiraI did not explain why it
was advisable TO send the ship on a ten
days' voyage for her official trial which
ordinarily would not exceed forty-eght
hours, nor did he state why the dispatches
to Admiral Miller could not wait until
the next regular steamer.
Neither did he consider it necessary to
say Why cipher dispatcheS intended for
Rear Admiral Miller first had 10 be trans
lated. by him, even though their transla-
ton meant the missing OF the mail boat
and the dispatching OF a warship 2000
miles to bear them to the officer they we're
intended for.
Thursday afternoon another cipher dis
patch from Washington was received by
the commandant, and he with several
assistants were engaged until after s
o'clock that night in translating it. No
body seemed TO know whether a CODY of
this dispatch was sent down on the
Wheeling.
a subord mate at the navv-yard ad-
vanced the ingenious theory yesterday
that the Wheeling was sent down to re-
Iieve the Philadelphia, which is in sore
need of a cleaning, and hat Admiral Mil
Ter would transfer his flag to her until The
Baltimore could take ber place.
The case OF a guntoat as d flagship did
not i'm press the officer as out OF the way,
but whrn he was asked If the PhiIa-
until the baltimore could reach Homo
lulu. in view OF the fact hat she is to sail
October 1, he ad omitted that she could
probably get along without cleaning.
But while the higher officers a Mare
SIsIand make light of the unusual activity
the foremen and workmen, the depart
ment officials ana the petty officers and
seamen regard the matter in different
light. and make no secret of the Iact that
the heads OF The Navy Department at
Washington are exceedingly anxious
about the condition of the ships on the
Pacific station. They do not hesitate to
saw that the prosecution of work day and
night can mean but one thing, and that
is that affairs in the Hawaiian Islands
have reached crisis
orders TO have electric lights placed in the
steam engineering, construction, supplies,
iron plating and blacksmithing depart
ments in order to facilitate work at night
He was particularly anxious about the
.team engineering department, and by
noon the big building was strung with
wires. incandescent globes were attached,
and everything was ready 20 turn on the
current at dark. The other buildings will
he in readine to- morrow. The admiral :
haste to have the steam engineering de-
nartrnent ready for night force gave rise
IN considerable speculation, for the Balti-
more is the only ship at the yard that is
receiving special attention just at present,
and the steam engineering work on her is
completed.
Taking that fact into consideration al
tention was directed to the Charleston.
This ship has been at the yard FOR some
time and a small force of men has been at
work giving her a general overhaullng.
Considerable work must be done to her
pgines. but this has not been onimenced
vet. After the issuance of Admiral Kirk
hams order however. the belief became
prevalent that attention was about 10 De
turned to the Charleston, and that she
would be made ready for sea as speedily
as possible, although the admiral denied
having received any orders to rush work
on her.