Evening star., 1898-03-21
THE WSUviUS
Thousands Of Washingtonians In
spect the Cruiser.
ALL ROADS LEAD 10 TEE NAVY YARD.
Force Busy Getting the Vessel
Ready for Service.
COURTESY OF THE OFFICERS

All streets in Washington lead to the
navy yard just now. Since the possibility
of war witheSpain was developed the yard,
with the gun shops and other attractions.
has been a center of the greatest interest
to visitors. This has been increased a hum
dredfoid since the cruiser Vesuvius reach
ed here Saturday. As told in The Star of
that date, she was received by a large
number of persons who had gone down to
the Lands End of Capitol Hill to see the
nondescript vessel of Uncle Sans navy
arrive. Since then there has been no dimi-
mutton Of interest.
AS early as 0 o'clock this morning there
vas a large number of persons lined up
on the banks at the navy yard to take a
look at the craft with the three black
mouths in front which can vomit forth
that which is more deadly than the venom
Of any serpent that ever existed, but not
venom in reality. These long pink-colored
serpents are over 80 feet in length, and
might be termed "copperheads," for their
muzzies are brass-mounted. Each is capa-
bic of throwing charge of 300 pounds of
dynamite a mile and a half, or 500 pounds
three miles, Only a small portion of the
80 feet is above deck. The rest is down
in the bowels of the vessel, where the
deadly charges can be placed in the breech
and SO fired from the 15-inch maws.
Early as it was this morning when The
Star reporter arrived, there were signs OF
activity aboard the Vesuvius The jap
alese steward and cook had been busy
some time getting breakfast ready. The
crew. including officers and men. numbers
of whom thirty are engineers.
They were given breakfast. and then or
ners were given for a number of different
]CcS. The smOkestack was given a clean
Ing, and the ships painter added some red
to the sides of the vessel above the water
Ire; other cleaners used the Potomac for
a Washtub and removed dirt marks left by
the visitors Of yesterday. Some of these
had been possessed, of SO little sentiment
as to poke peanuts down the threats Of the
guns. These were promptly forked up by
one or the gunneIs, who remarked that q
visitor who would do anything like that
raust have Spanish blood in him. 1t is
needless to state that the peanuts were in
tact. The guns are rot fitted with diges
tive apparatus. This is not in their line.
The Omcers Busy.
All the officers with but one exception
were abroad this morning and appeared to
dress uniform. and Lieut.. Com. Pillsbury
of the navy yard paid a visit to the We
warmly greeted by Com. Pillsbury The
call was more of social one than any
thing else, and after a stay of few min
utes the inspector departed, the commander
eseortfng him to the gang plank
1t was not the intention of the officers
to have an lat home this morning, anl
the crowd stood waiting on shore, while
the sentinel paced Up and down the deck.
aboard, but only on the upper deck Com
mander Pillsbury stated that it would be
impossible to allow any one to go below.
The 'laddies," he explained, were exceed
lngly busy with the fixings Of the pneu-
matte guns and other matters, so no one
could go down there. He said this was
seldom allowed, as there was nothing much
to see below besides gun cotton, the VEN
tilation was bad, and the lights poor
There were sounds from the bowels of the
which should render the vessel most for
midable. few other visitors were ad-
mitted to the upper deck and were shown
the guns by Lieut.. Sewell, who does the
honors for the Vesuvius.
OF course, all sorts of questions were
asked him by the feminine contingent, all
Of which he answered good naturedly. and
explained everything as we'll as he could
without going too much into technicalities.
Commander Relents.
Finally the commander relented and the
general public was admitted on board after
IL o'clock. There was not so much to in
terest above, but the smell of the viands
cooking for lunch was appetizing. The tur-
ret door was open, and a peep could be had
into this little metal-inclosed cage with its
speaking tubes and other ARRANGEMENTS
a little opening in front a view
could be had Of the three guns. 1t is from
this that the captain of the vessel directs
Its movements and orders the firing of the
guns.
Lieut.. Commander Pillsbury said this
morning that the repairs must be compIet-
ed within fifteen days. The ship. he said,
would be fitted with four additional rapid
fire guns. two forward and two aft Two
of these will be of the Colt pattern. He
stated that he was glad to have the public
visit the vessel and inspect as much as
could b, seen above. 1t would not do for
visitors to go below, he said, as perhaps
itor yesterday who was robbed of ten or
twelve dollars by ptckpocket.
Thousands of Visitors.
If the celebrated mount from which the
United States dynamite cruiser now lying
at the navy yard received its name could
have been transported to Washington 1t
would not have attracted more attention
Yesterday than did the vessel. 1t was vis-
tied from o'clock in the morning until
nearly dark by thousands of people. Many
Of the residents OF Washington went down
10 tne navy yard on their wheels. The
however, tested the Washington
and Georgetown Railway Company to its
fullest capacity. Cars were crowded con-
tirually- Tfose who wished to transfer to
the Baltimore and Ohio depot had great
difficulty in securing transfers. as they
gave ous long before. the passengers were
accommodated. Conductors called upon
one another to supply deficiencies, but 1t
v as found thal all hands were in need of
them.
The crowds lined the wall near which
the Vesuvius lies. Visitors were permitted
to visit the vessel at different times. So
great was the crush in the afternoon it
was found necessary to fasten a rope
across the entrance TO the gang plank A
bluejacket was stationed there to guard
the entrance. Seldom, II ever, have such
crowds visited the navy yard, 1t is said
by men who are familiar with the place.
II it was patriotism which took the per-
sons down there to see one of Uncle Sans
defenders, there is plenty OF it and to
spare.
Some View the Gums.
Most of the visitors were not permitted to
go down the hatchways Of the vessel. A
few officials, friends of the officers and
some newspaper men were permitted to do
so. They were shown the manner Of
operating the three dynamite guns which
occupy prominent positions on the forward