Evening star., 1898-04-02
NAVY YARD CLOSED
No One to Be Admitted There To-
morrow.
VISITORS BARRETT FROM THE SHOPS
A Talk With Admiral Norton on the
Subject.
vESUvIUs GOING TO NORFOLK

Admiral Norton commandant Of the navy
yard. stated today to Star reporter that
he had decided to close the yard to the
general public on Sundays, and that after
today the shops will be closed to all visit
ors. The commander of the vesuvius. he
said, had asked him not to allow visitors
on board the vessel, as 1t interfered with
the work which is being carried on there
sign posted conspicCously at the en-
trance to the navy yard states that visit
ors will not be admitted on board
For the past few weeks persons have
been allowed to take photographs only on
express permission given by the command
ant. This order will be revoked today, and
no one will be permitted to use cameras In
the yard.
Admiral Norton's Talk.
The commardant said today:
This thing of persons coming into the
yard on Sunday must be stopped. Two
weeks ago there were 1900 people down
here, and this interfered with the work
In the yard. The crowd was an orderly
one considering everything but it is best
under the circumstances 20 keep the gen.
era! public out. There were some pick
pockets and some drunken persons but
there was not near as much trouble as
might have occurred, in New York, for in
stance. This is not a beer garden.
The OFFICERS in the yard just now are
doing double duty and have not q second
to devote to anything else but their en-
forced duties
1T was found necessary to exclude WIS.,
ltcrs from the Vesuvius for many reasons
One of them was that such a crowd inter-
fered with the work of repair which was
pelng carried en-, and another that injuries
might have resulted from their presence.
1t was found that they threw things down
the mouths of the guns.
The pneumatic apparatus is too delicate
TO be 1nterfered with in that regard One
OF the marines was caught in the act of
Going this, and he will be made an example
of, which was not possible in the case of
the general public. 1 have heard two or
three stories of foreign-lookng men having
been seen making sketches about the ward
l have put no stock in these.
Rushing Work in the Shops.
The work in the shops is being pushed
as rapidly as possible, and any interfer-
cree whatever cannot be had, SO 1 think
1t best to keep the shops closed to out
siders after today. They retard the move
nts of the men, who are working shifts
new of twelve hours each. They ask per-
tnent questions, and take UP time in this
way.
During the late war the order refus-
yard was most strictly enforced I was
attached to a ship at the yard, and one
Gay attempted to pass the gates in uni
form. l was refused admittance, and the
only way by which 1 could gain entrance
vas by seeing the icomrnandant"
ADMIRAL Norton stated that he thought
me Vcsuvius would leave Washington for
Noriolk tomorrow as everything which
could be cone to her here would be finished
then. She will go an the deck at Norfolk
to have her propeller adjusted and her bot
tom fixed. It was armed that her crew
will remain as it is now!
Naval Tnctics May Change.
Admiral Norton remarked significantly
to the reporter: Next week by this time
there may be a change in naval tactics"
This he thought would be brought about
by the war evolutions of the battle ships.
Nothing, comparatively speaking, he said.
is known Of the tactics of fighting modern
warships, as the Chinese-Japanese war
was too one-sided. He acknowledged the
efficiency Of the rapid-fire guns In con-
cluson he said unreservedly that the pres
ence of the Spanish torpedo flotilla was
greatly to re dreaded and regretted that
the United States navy was not better
equipped in this respect.
AS If being aware that points of interest
about the yard could no longer be inspected
after today there was throng of persons
at the navy yard this morning. They filled
the gun shops and crowded around the
gangway of the Vesuvius. The latter has
had her appearance changed completely, as
she has been painted a dark green, with a
red streak above the water line. Some
tests of the guns were being made on
board today. 1t was said these were satis-
factory in every respect. Some interest
was aroused among the visitors when the
navy yard locomotive puffed up to the gang
plank and left two rapid-fire guns and some
ammunition on flat-bottomed car. This
was duly inspected and examined.
Enlistment of Marines.
Enlistment of marines is continuing at
the navy yard and detachments of recruits
are arriving from other points
1t was stated that enlistment at the
Marine Barracks has stopped, though no
order has been issued to this effect The
reason for the stoppage, it is said, is that
the quarters are at present occupied by as
many men as they can accommodate. OF
25O men in the barracks. more than a third
have enlisted in the past three weeks The
raptd-fre gun, which was feature of the
yard of the Marine Barracks, has been
moved.