The evening times., 1898-05-21

vessel had succeeded in crossing the mine
fields sincs he had been on the station.
The Resolute.
New York. May H-The American
steamer Resolute. which was formerly the
passenger steamer Yorktown of the Old
Dominion line, left the Brooklyn navy
yard yesterday with a crew Of a hundred
men,. composed Of regular bluejackets and
some volunteers from the New Jersey Ma
val Militia. While her destination was
not officially given, 1t is understood she
will be used for the purpose Of carrying
troops from Tampa or Key West to Cuba
and other places in Southern waters. The
vessel has been thoroughly renovated and
fitted as a transport.
1t Is in charge of Commander Eaton.
and is one of the largest and best VEN
tilated vessels on which the United States
troops will be carried. While she was
being fitted out. at the Morgan Iron
Works, in this city. expense was not
spared. A first-cIass refrigerating plant
and also an improved system Of ventila-
tion were constructed on board of her.
The ice-making machine has capacity
of making five tons per day. but by run
BILE of turning out twice that amount. so
that ice can be furnished to any Ameri-
can ships happening in her vicinity.
big icebox has been erected on her
main deck, In which ten tons OF meat
can be stored. and at present there Is lit
tie more than half that quantity In the
icehoX.
With the aid of the new ventilating
machine the air throughout the vessel
can be brought to within two degrees OF
the Temperature of the water taken over
the ships side. The crews quarters IN
the forecastie are roomy and bright. as
is also their messroom. The sick bay.
which is also on the main deck, forward.
is fitted up with cots and is roomy. Ac-
commodations for loo soldiers have been
arranged between decks.
On the main deck, aft of the engines,
is the soldiers mess room, and further
aft the army officers quarters and ward
room have been placed. The ward Room
and quarters for naval officers are on the
upper deck. and they are excellentiy ar
ranged and fitted.
Seventy-one men of the New Jersey
Naval Reserves arrived at the yard this
morning and went on board the Resolute.
A good many of them volunteered for
service in the regular Navy. and from
these about thirty-five were selected to
make up the ships complement of blue
jackets. The only guns mounted on
board are two 6-pounders. which are
placed on the upper deck, near the bow.
The little steam yacht Aileen was taken
out of the stone dry dock today and the
United States cruiser Atlanta was placed
there. The work of getting the cruiser in
shape for active service has been pushed
along vigorously for some weeks past.
and it is hoped she will be ready for sea
Gspy By the middle of June.
Work on BattIeships.
Newport News. Va. May 2l.-while the
officials of the Newport News Ship Build
ing ard Dry Dock Company deny that the
Government has issued rush orders for
the battleships Kearsarge and Kentucky,
1t is significant that five of the Kear-
sarges boilers have already been placed
in the ship. 1t was intended that none
of them should be lifted aboard until the
new 1i0-ton crane, erected specially for
handling them. was ready. The sixth and
last boiler of the kearsarge is being put
in today. The boilers weigh about ninety
tons each, and We're hoisted aboard by
a crane whose capac city was said to be
even less than their weight. The work of
putting the Kentucky's boilers in position
Will begin next week.
The report that one of the 5-inch guns
on the cruiser Yosemite exploded while
the auxiliary cruiser was at sea Wednes-
day, while incorrect. seems to have been
based on an accident which caused some
damage. One of the after guns on the
Yosemite recoiled with such force that
some of the plates We're badly strained.
Workmen from the Norfolk navy yard
are now repairing the damage.
s.iokeIcss Powder.
Capt. Charles o'Neil. chief of the Bu-
~, S,,f
to equip as many vessels as possible with
snokeless powder.
II was learned today that the cruiser
Newark, which will be formally placed
in commission tomorrow at the Norfolk
navy yard. has been fitted out with
smokeless powder. not only for the guns
comprising her secondary battery. DUt
for the twelve 6-inch rapid firing guns
composing her main battery.
Under the contracts given by the Ord
nance Bureau several thousand pounds of
smokeless powder of all caliber are being
manufactured daily. so that large sup
ply will shortly be on hand. Besides the
Newark, the only other ships in the SER
vice supplied with smokeless powder are
the cruiser Marblehead and the auxiliary
cruiser Prairie. the latter attached to
the squadron of Commodore Howell.
Ordnance experts appreciate the neces-
sity of supplying the Navy with smoke
less powder The lessons of Manila, of
Cardenas, of Cionfuegos and of San Juan
have shown the disadvantages of brown
powder. but on account of the rapidity
with which this. kind of powder can be
turned out it was absolutely necessary
for Capt. ONeil to make contracts for its
manufacture.
The wisdom of this has been shown by
the fact that, Notwithstanding the amount
of ammunition expended by the ships of
Admiral SIMPSONS squadron at San Juan.
ii has been possible to refill their maga-
zines at Key West without making any
appreciable drain upon the supply at the
disposal of the department.
Capt. ONeil proposes to place contracts
for S250. 900 worth of smokeless powder of
all caiibers in the near future, in order
that it may be possible to supply az
many ships as need be with this kind of
ammunition.
In addition to placing orders for its
manufacture Capt. O'Neil is proposing to
push the work of establishing a smoke
less powder mandatory. Plans have
been practically perfected for the con-
struction of such a plant and Congress
having appropriated the money necessary
for building ii, it is proposed to select the
site as soon as possible and place the con-
tracts for the erection of the building.
Unfortunately. the plant will not be
ready for operation under a year, but
should the war still be in progress at that
time it will be possible to supply the ships
with an unlimited supply smokeless pow
der.
Capt. A. S. Barker. a member of the
War Board. left Washington last night for
Norfolk. where he will assume command
of the cruiser Newark. Capt. Barker's
t. s-I