New-York tribune., 1898-01-02
AFFAIRS AT THENAVY YARD
THE CLOSE OF THE OLD YEAR OBJ.
SERVED WITH A BALL.
PAIR OF TEXAS STEER HORNS FOR THE
BATTLE NAMED AFTER THAT STATE
CHANGES IN DOMINANT

oAA SHIP NAMED Ar lEh SlAlc
CHANGES IN COMMANDS.
With the close OF the old year comes the relief
from the annual period OF depression in the la
Dor market which marks the using up OF the ap
proprations for the last month of the year, and
with the January allotment available for use
much work which has been kept barely moving
will take fresh start. This means considerable
at the yard for. although the repairs on the
ships are slated for immediate execution there
is no work done when there is no money in sight
with which to pay for the labor. and the re-
suit Is n laying off or furloughing Of men in
the shops which is not conducive to hilarity es-
pccially when It comes in the holiday season.
There has been no change in the fleet at the
yard in the week Just ended and there IS none
likely In the first wesl, Of the year, and officers
and men have devoted themselves. as far as
their duties would allow to the social side OF
life and the making and receiving of calls
The New Years ball. which had been looked
forward to With much interest and some anxiety
was held OIL Friday night in Building No. I, and
was ono Of the finest affairs OF the sort ever
given in the yard. Three rooms OF the big build
ing were used for dancing purposes. dressing
room for the women had been provided on the
second floor and the draughtsmen's-room on the
same floor was used as the dining room, supper
being served by a Brooklyn caterer. There was
some disappointment over the fact that the dance
could not be held in the large loft OF the new
building, occupied by the Construction Depart
ment but In spite of that there was merry
crowd which danced the oid year out and the
new year in. eight bells" being the signal for
the exchange Of greetings. Greens, bunting ana
a special installation of electric lamps made
the supper room an extremely attractive place
and the dancing-ro were also prettily deco
f1lpc had hppn
invited. and those who attended-Rnd there were
few abscntees-were received by committee
consisting Of Mrs Bunce. wife Of Commodore
Bunce, the commandant; Mrs. Hgbce wife Of
Lieutenant Colonel j. II. Higbee, Of the Marine
Corps: Mrs. Swift. wife Of Commander William
Swift IN charge Of the Ordnance Department,
and Mrs. Spcrry, wife Of Commander c. 5.
Speiry Of the Equipment Department. The
committee in charge of the affair was composed
Of Commander a. b. Speyer, Passed Assistant
Engineers c. II. Matthews and Albert Moritz,
and Lieutenant William N. McKilvy. Every
vessel and every department in the yard was
represented NJ the dance and those who at
tended decided at It's close that those who had
not been present had missed good thing"
Work on the ships has not been rushed in the
last week. owing TO the reason mentioned, and
the Texas still remains in the timber dock.
When the Texas goes TO sea she will carry
token OF regard from the State after which
she named a pair OF unusually long horns.
which formerly graced the head Of a Texas
steer. They were received by Secretary Long
day or two before Christmas from James o.
Luby. a lawyer of San Diego. Tex, who sent
a note with them. saying: i forward 10 you
pair OF Texas steer horns FOR the battle-ship
Texas. which l hope you will accept as trib-
ute 70 the ship bearing The name of our State.
fr-I Ma
ranch Of Edward Corkhill. in starr County. and
are the largest I could find of an animal that Is
rapidly. disappearing from our tprairies." Secre-
tary Long has forwarded theA 50 Captain John
w Philip Of the Texas, and Dbere is some talk
OF putting them on the bow Of fle ship, just over
the gilt scrollwork Of the escutcheon. Another
place which has been suggested for the horns is
on the port turret, over the muzzle Of the big
gun. similar place to that occupied by the
"Winged Victory of the ssachusetts
the League Island Navy YsrG who is to sail
on January II from New-York 10 take COM
and Of the bs Tl j.
Knapp and Ensign Lloyd H. Chandler son Of
Senator Chandler. Lieutenant Knapp VIII be
retary. Commodore Howell will be succeeded
at the League Island yard by Captain Silas
Casey, recently in command OF the hagshp
New York, whose place has been taken Dy Cap
tain +, +. Chadwick.
Lieutenant Commander W. w. kimbal. VINO
Is in charge OF the torpedo boat ilotilia now IN
Southern waters. result Of the recent test
OF the little ships has recommended the re-
rnoval Of the bow torpedo tube Of the Cushing
and other changes OF more or less importance
The performance Of the Ericsson and Porter
comes IN for share Of high praise IN the report.
The Winsow was placed In commission at Nor
folk on Wednesday. with Lieutenant j. n.
Bernadou in command She will join the no
tila off the Florida coast. Lieutenant Bernaoou
was IN charge OF the inspection OF the boat
while she was being built, and has recently con
{rtbuted TO the quarterly publication or inc
Naval institute some vaiuape papers On w w
evolution OF smokeless pOwde". based on his
own transiations from the writings OF Profess or
d. Mendeleef. the Russian expert