The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
CHANGES ON THE NEWARK.
Her battery and spool Improved and Her Old
SIasts Taken Out.

MA1ta Taken Out.
WASHINGTON, June 11.-As originally built,
the cruiser Newark was one Of the most grace
full and beautiful ships of the navy. Her limos
are identical with those of tho swanlike San
Francisco. admitted to be the most yachtlike
warship nfoat. Next to the Chicago she car
rled a wider spread OF canvas, more masts, and
a greater number OF spars and ropes than any
other ship of the new navy. and compared IA
vorably with several OF the numbering old
wooden vessels in the extent of her sail power.
With all this rigging and top-hamper she still
was capable Of nineteen knots without the use
OF her sails, and with them spread and her pro-
pel!ers dragging she never made more than four
with the wind abaft the beam. She was cut
down in her speed at least a knot by the resist
ance offered by her masts. All of those have
now been removed. her standing ~riggings have
been taken down. and the yards have been
stored In tho Norfolk yard. In their place are
two masts with military tops. Robbed of her
sails, the Newark will resemble the San Fran
cisco still more closely. and when she appears
with the squadrons off Havana some time next
week few officers will recognize the new Newark.
Improved in every way. this vessel Is better
than she was the day she irst went into commits
sion. Bark rugged originally. she had three
masts with courses, spanker. topsails and top
sails and no jibboom like the Chicago. With
gallant sails, the Newark spread II, o square
Feet OF canvas and when the wind was well aft
the beam and she was under full steam she
could clip along at almost twenty knots.
Orders to remove her sails were given by
from the south Atlantic station one year ago.
There she had served as The flagship under com.
m T.I, t hrst S OF Ibn Ions 2biribbp eg b "m1 StfteFThIi s u0 %.
fortunate exploit with the Lancaster of the
coast OF Africa. For twelve months the Newark
has boon undergoing changes at Norfolk In
volving an expenditure of more than 100000.
the main part OF which has been spent by the
Her engines, always fine, required little atten-
ton. and they are the same now as when they
sent her flying along on her trial trip. In taking
of her masts and spars It has been estimated
that the coal capacity of the vessel Is increased
Except when the wind is behind her. She was
capable Of eighteen knots under easy steam
with her rb maits' m oDa w y Enot b .hem '9 lo a efbp esyS
sea she will roll Hess, they say. and make a better
ship, the Newark has been improved since Bhe
arrived at Norfolk. Like all the first ships OF the
quick fire mechanism. By supplying this de-
Rciency her battery has been more than doubled
Increased equally. She can fire now seven or
eight shots a minute from her 6'inch rifles.
the old mechanism. Her secondary battery has
been improved to an equal extent. When first
pnt, into commission the IN Newark ,eT rEu was G GO I'D
navy. hut improvements IN, ordnance and
especially in the breech blocks soon rem
dered her battery comparatively obsoln
The Newark is now one of tho best cruisers OF
her class in the service. and when she joins
Commodore Watson as his flagship she will be
n different ship in many %resnects, and unques-
tionably much better as a fighter; Her old bat,
terry comprised twelve o-inch rifles mounted In
broadside, four G.pounders, four 3.pounders,
four machine guns and ono field piece. Her
skies, but all modernized; one 3-lnch field gun
eight 6-pounders,, four l-pounder automatics
caDablo of 100 shots a minute, and two Colt
machine guns.
Tho interior arrangement OF the ship has moi
been altered. Hor decks have been replaced. hel
collaborating ca pAcity increased, and her color
changed from snow white to the gray war TIM
OF all the ships now In tho service. She Is 4
smart vessel now, ana Is commanded by Capt
A.. s. Barker, one or the most capable officers o.
the navy. Her crew came chiefly from the groaI
lakes region, andlNas enlisted by Commando
Hawley's special board. Her senior watch Off
Ger is Lieut., John y; Gibbons and her Junior
watch Royal Phelps Carroll. the only officer ap
pointed from civil life who has been assigned Il
one OF the larger warshlps.