The evening times., 1898-04-05
The Golfers Are in Dry Dock and
Thcir Gums Are Being Mounted.
The Sailing of the MinntOnOmOh Is
Delayed Because of Slight Trouble
With Her Machinery.

ioned for a long voyage. Her silver ser
vice has been stored in The yard. and
yesterday several wagon loads of chairs.
tables, desks, wooden doors and other
portable fittings were removed. In the
mess rooms and ward rooms on all the
furniture brass tags marked over
board" have been placed. Before going
into action all articles marked will be
thrown into the sea.
There is no apprehension concerning
the injury the vessels hull received from
contact with a coral reef some weeks ago.
dent two inches deep and fifteen feet
long was made on the port side when the
Ship scraped against the reef. but new
plates will not be put in. II at all, until
the present crisis has passed.
1t was rumored yesterday that the
Texas was to sail 10 meet the cruisers
New Orleans and San Francisco, now on
their way here from England. An ofil-
Ger said, however, the battleship was to
go to Hampton Roads. Her orders when
she came here were to return as soon as
her alterations were completed.
The saturn and Irrawaddy.
New York, April 5.-The steamship Sat
urn arrived at the yard yesterday. and
will be put in dry dock today. Some
pairs and alterations and the mounting
Of a few guns will convert her into a
collier for the squadron at Key West.
She will not be armored Her capacity
is 5000 tons. The Ira awaddy. a steamer
also to be used as collier. VIII arrive
today. She is larger than the Saturn.
The Mayfower.
New York. April 5.-The Mayfiower left
dry dock No. l this morning, making way
for the Saturn. The Mayflower's last ar
NOR plate was riveted on during the night
and most of her small guns are in place.
The fve-inch guns and the torpedo tubes
will be mounted while she lies at the At
lanta'S former birth.
The SoTereicn and Wasp.
New York. April 5-Naval Constructor
Bowles has arranged matters so that it
Will not be necessary 10 send the Sow
ereign to a private shipyard. He found
that the Sovereign and Wasp could be ac-
commodated together in dry dock No. ,,
and they will be fioated in there early
next week, when the Eagle and Hornet
have been armored and removed.
The osceoIa.
New York April 5.-The osceola was put
in commission yesterday, Lieut.. Purcell
taking command. Twelve of his crew
were drafted from the Vermont. This
vessel. with the Uncas and Tecumseh,
will probably sail before the end of the
week.
The Nczinscot and Algonquin.
Two of the mosquito feet are al
ready speeding toward Key West. The
Nezinscot, commanded by Lieut. York
Noel. and the Algonquin. Ensign W. S.
Crosley. steamed quietly out of the
Wallabout Bay at ten minutes to hve
last evening There were no cheers or
blowing of whistles. but Capt. Philip
waved a salute from the deck of the
Texas.
The Hawk.
New York. April 5.-Lieut Hood, for
merly of the Maine, took charge of the
Hawk yesterday. He boarded his vessel
in business suit and reappeared two
minutes later clad in a suit Of canvas
overaIs. and Went to work with his men.
Recruits.
New York, April 5.-About the usual
number of recruits were taken aboard
the Vermont today. Six men were sent
to the Dolphin, seventeen to the Eagle,
and twelve to the Osceola The tug
Narkeeta will bring a draft from Nor
wich line steamer. They were recruited
in Boston.
The katahsIin.
Philadelphia, Pa, April 5.-The ram Ka-
tahdin. at League Island, has received
instructions to put to sea with all pOssi-
BILE dispatch. The ships destination will
not be known until she is out of sight of
land, when her sealed orders will be
opened. Commander Casey, in charge of
the navy yard. stated that the ram would
probably be able to get away Wednesday.
The Katahdn lacks only ten or fifteen
men of her full complement. She now
has ninety-four men aboard.
The MiantOnOmOh.
Philadelphia, April 5.-Commander Ca
sey was disappointed in the MiantonomOh
not getting away today. Her orders were
to sail, but her departure has been post
poned, and 1t was learned from
an indisputable source that the
monitor will not be ready to go before
tomorrow at least. Despite the denials
made by her officers, the MiantonomOhs
machinery is not working as well as it
should. This is causing the delay.
Advantage is being taken of the oppor-
tunity to clean the 10-inch guns, and all
day today force of men worked at swab-
bing them and at easing up the machinery
by which they are operated. Some of the
monitors coal was slowed away in her
bunkers. A few barrels of stores were al
SO taken on board.
The CanOnicus.
Philadelphia, April 5.-Overtime is be-
ing worked upon the old monitors in the
haste to have them ready for sea- The
Canonicus is under the shears at the foot
of Broad Street. A big force of maehin-
lists is pounding away within her.
The Vixen.
Philadelphia, April 5.-Work of trans
forming the Vixen into a gunboat has
been begun. The yacht will be fitted out
precisely as the Mayofiwer is being fit
ted at New York She will have a bat
terry of 6-pOunders and 1-pounders. Her
crew will be about eighty men, No Of
ficers have yet been assigned to her. 1t
is expected that the Vixen will not be
ready for active service for several
weeks. One of t&e Strengthening features
contemplated for her is strip of 1-inch
armor, intended to protect her yitals.
The Bancroft.
Boston, April 5-The American gum
boat Bancroft, Lieut.. Commander John
V. B. Bleecker commanding, steamed up
the harbor yesterday, and was warped
into the east side of the Shears wharf
at the navy yard. She came for repairs.
but 1t is understood that she will remain
at this port to protect the entrance to the
outer harbor in case of hostilities.
The Bancroft will be placed in dry dock
as soon as possible, where an examina-