The times., 1898-04-03
CLOSED TO VISITORS.
Outsiders Will Not BE Admitted tn
the Navy Yard Today

Notice was given at the Navy Depart
ment yesterday morning that the Wash
| ington navy yard, until further orders.
will be closed to visitors This is the
first time since the civil war that such
an order has been issued, and the reason
given is that the crowds of visitors who
have thronged the grounds and shops
during the past two weeks have seri-
! ously lnterfered with the important work
| on hand.
visitors have not been allowed aboard
| the Nesuvius for some time. and notice
| mas been posted in the yard to this effect
| Absolutely no one not connected with the
| operations will be allowed near the boat
| while she is taking on ammunition. The
| many tons of dynamite will be slowed
| away in her magazines with the greatest
| care.
When the men are handling explosives
every day it is necessary to take the
greatest precautions, and Commandant
Norton requested the department that the
yard be closed to relieve him of the re-
sponsibility of an accident.
Last Sunday there We're more than 23,-
600 visitors al the yard and in expecta-
ton OF similar rush today, the order
was issued yesterday. Another order
which has been in effect lately, prohibits
81
the visitors to the city are armed with
cameras and have attempted to use them
IN the yard, but in the future the snap
shot instruments will not be allowed
within the gates.
The repairs on the Vesuvius and other
work, is being rushed night and day. The
work on the Vesuvius will be completed
today and she will start at once for Nor
folk. The delicate mechanism of her
pneumatic guns has been adjusted and
put in perfect working order 1t is
thought now that the time fuses for the
charges of high explosives and the pneu-
matte charge of the guns have been so
adjusted that the charge will explode
instantly upon the completion of
It's Journey. The damage that would be
wrought by one of these charges explod-
ing upon the deck or sides of battleship
can only be family guessed, but the prob
abilities are that not enough will be left
OF such ship to preserve as a souvenir
of her existence.
The VesuVius has donned her war
paint of dark green with a strip of red
Just above the water line. She has al
ways had dangerous appearance with
the wide mouths of her three dynamite
guns yawning on the bow and now that
her peaceful white has given away to a
somDer coat of sea-color, the effect has
been heightened AT Norfolk she will go
IN dry dock to have her propeller ad-
1usted, and her bottom scraped. and will
then be ready for sailing orders
1t is expected that she may join the
flying squadron should it not leave
Hampton Roads before her repairs are
completed, as she has sufficient speed
TO hold her own with the fast ships COM
posing the squadron and her auxiliary
battery is sufficiently strong to play
havoc with a torpedo flotilla or a mer-
tain that the Spanish torpedo boat flo
tllla viii be conveyed by the powerful |
Spanish cruisers ViZcaya and Oquendo. |
1t is necessary TO strengthen the flying |
squadron, and the Vesuvius, on account |
OF her great speed, would be more yalu- |
able, perhaps, than a first-class battle |
snip, and If necessary, can proceed to
sea without further repairs
The torpedo boats intended to be car
RED upon the deck of the Inflated Maine
are still at the navy yard and will be put
IN frst-class condition within the next
few days. The boats are small but quite
effective for river and harbor protection
and will probably be allowed to remain
at the Capital for use in case of emer-
gency.
Another reason for the order prohibit
Ing visitors from entering the navy yard,
is that the submarine torpedo boat Hol-
land is expected here to be given an Off
cial test, and the Government would pre-
fer that her powers should not be known.
She is pronounced a complete success by
all who have seen her.