The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-24
READY FOR TROUBLE
UNCLE SAM OVERLAPPING AND RE-
PAIRING HIS SHIPS.
Busy Times at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard - lettering the Batteries,
which Were Already th@ Best I'm
the World.
Especial Correspondence.I


the World.
Especial Correspondence
BROOKLYN, Oct. 24.-The navy yard
here is a very busy place. One by one
the vessels both large and small that
have been south or in Cuban waters are
returning here to have repairs made
and be overhauled. All of the larger
vessels have been at the yard, and now
the armored cruisers New York and
Brooklyn and the battleships Indiana.
Texas and Massachusetts, hold the more
prominent places. For the first time in
the history of the navy all the bat
tfeships in active service have been at
the navy yard at this station at one
time. The battleships Iowa and Oregon
left the yard some time ago and are now
on their long journey to Hawaii, and
Manila, in 4he Philippine islands. Many
alterations have been made to the bat
tleships while they have been at the
navy yard. The tunnels have been
heightened ten feet on all but the Iowa,
which was the first vessel of her class
to have long tunnels placed on her when
she was constructed. This was done to
give the ships a greater natural draft
nels heightened q part of the old bat
teries was removed and replaced with
modern guns capable of greaAer destruc-
ton. The guns removed were the old 6
inch patterns Their places were taken
by the new long barreIed 6 inch rapid
fire guns With this new armament the
vessels will be much stronger in bat
terry power than before, as the new guns
can be loaded and discharged much
more rapidly than the ones removed.
a number Of the smaller vessels Of
the auxiliary class have come to the
yard and been placed out of commits
sion. There are also a number Of col
liers and transports at the yard, and it
has been reported that many of these
vessels will be returned to their former
owners or sold at auction, as Uncle Sam
will have no further use for them.
One Of the vessels that arrived at the
navy yard recently and that have at
traoted considerable attention is the lit
tie composite gunboat Annapolis. She
was the first Of her class to be built for
the navy and has proved a success in
every way. The vessel is now used as a
training ship for the engineer class at
the Naval academy. She arrived at the
navy yard a few days ago with a num-
Der of the embryo engineers on board.
It is their annual visit to the naval sta
tions along the Atlantic coast and to
the plants of the larger shipbuilding
concerns to inspect the ships building
in them and to have the intricate ma
chinery explained. Their trip this year
was somewhat delayed on account of
the war. The boys are not given much
liberty, but are kept close to the ship
when they are not working about the
yards. 1t is not an uncommon sight to
see a number Of the youngsters, as
the cadets are called by the officers, go
ing from one shop to another with note
books and pencils ready to make notes
TO be used in their studies when they
return to the academy. When the An
napolis leaves the yard at this station,
she will 60 to Boston, and from there
to the Bath Iron works at Bath, Ne.
A large number of torpedo boats are
now in the yard waiting to be repaired
and placed out of commission. 1t will
be necessary to find some fresh water
basin in which to keep the vessels. as
the salt water has a bad effect on the
hulls, which are of very thin plates, and
the pipes leading from the engine rooms
to the outside of the vessels.
Some time ago it was suggested that
a building be erected in the yard where
these little vessels could be housed and