New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-21

pureau I'm nreparing the fleet for war, involving the
placing OF new boilers in tho old monitors, 'he
fitting out Of ships in ordinary for sea. ana 'he
equipment Of the auxiliary navy nearly one nun
drei and ten vessels being added 10 the regular
force Stress Is laid on the importance OF having
the least access be station In the Navy that al
Kew West, amply stocked with stores and tools TOT
emergency work and estimates for complete equip
ment o. the station are submitted
The record made By the repair ship Vulcan, 1t s
sail will convince the most sceptical that '"s
floating shop was Of inestimable value on santiago
and that there IS no more important feature To-
dav than the maintenance Of such A snip. well
stocked with every large fleet Therefore an APP
nropriation Is asked sor the purchase o. another
such ship and also for the equipment OF another
dstllliug ship such as the Iris.
Tine FnCncer-in-C thief says that there was re-
rorkable absence Of casualties in the machinery
dnortreuts o. the vessels Of the fighting squadron
~ the war Even in action. when forced draught
conditions were In operation and the exci'aoie
natures ~ the men most wrought on by their sur
roundings the report shows that the machinery
not only worked well generally. but that in no case
was +, greatly distressed. This IS a fine COM
rnentary on the personnel as on the machinery
But the torpedo-boats could not show the same
excellent record. The report says:
It IS sad affair that nearly every one has had
some accidents and the machinery OF some at me
close OF the war was in a condition that can U,,i
be described horrible. where boilers were ournei,
cvlinder-coVers broken. plstons and valves stuch
and everything in bad shape. This CONDITION. Oh
affairs seemed attributable 10 two causes, tne
absence Of trained engineering supervision ana the
use Of boats for duty 70 which they were not
adapted.
The report explains IT, last comment by saying
that II did not require much experience 10 prove
that torpedo-boat cannot be used safely "a as
patch boats and as tenders 10 blockadng SHIPS Tar
from bases OF supplies facilities for efficient re-
pairs Primarily they are intended for high-speed
epurts where success or failure in the use OF theT
s,o,ial weapon should he quickly demonstrhteu.
For this obey are especially built and for THIS 'he'
Great stress is lid on the importance OF water
tube boilers. and it is said that II would no" Dc
hard T. find any designs for the machinery 3i neN
vessels which do not include water-tuoe 1oltrs
owing 10 tn demand for small weight ard nIshi
sneeT II is said that the Bureau had prepared
ri,ne for srh boilers for the batte-shps last con
r,cted FOR but was prevented from Installing mem
Ieeauso ~ the Departments decision that IN" snlPs
sboIll be id,nti,aly " the Alabama class, ne
indfvi1ual plans. however. which were many IL
centel viii result In the use OF water-tuoe p"i'''S
for these ships. ,.,. ..-.or,,o,co
Pefrrence t. made 20 the remarkable perlornaitc
~ The little Tur6lna In Eng and hut II IS sall ina
no results obtained do not yet warrant an eNpectI
,i a., me substitution of the turbine FOR me steam
,,giro i'm the near future. though the experiments
! uork will hc carefully watched . - .
! ,rbe Eng neer-fn-Chipf includes IN his repor a
! s,rone Instrumentation looking 20 the cary az
! ,.ancerncn, ~ the Personnel bill now pending IN
| Congress