New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-23
AFFAIRS AT THE NAVY YARD.
HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL RESULTS OF THE
TEST OF THE CHICAGO'S ENGINES.
rSrIsrMENTs STILL GOING oN-cAPrAIN CHAD
WICK MAKES A PROTEST AGAINST THE
REPORT OF THE WAINWRIGHT
BOARD A PJZZIING
PREDICAMENT.

PREDIcAMENT.
All question as to the damage to the Brook
En occasoned by her touching a coral reef
while on duty in Cuban waters set at rest
Yesterday afternoon when. after the ship had
been in !rydock and thoroughly cleaned and
examined she was fOated out and tied up al
the Cob Dock wall. There is still lot OF work
10 Re done on the cruiser. but 1t is Of a minor
nature and is not sufficiently important TO keep
her at the yard If occasion called her elsewhere.
The sailing Of the Annapolis and the Topeka on
Friday relieved the pressure on the berthing
space at the yard, and although there is a
swarm Of vessels tucked away in the Whitney
basin. there is a little room at the sea walls
The two vessels named have gone 10 Phila-
dephia 70 help the Texas in her duties
nected with the peace celebration
Few II any Of the visitors at the yard in the
last week and In fact few OF the officers at the
station. knew that the old Vermont. which has
for many years been prominent object on
the rverfrOnt. had Just entered the second half
Of a century of service The ship is eighty years
od-that IS. her keel was laid in 1S1S-but she
was not placed in commission until about the
middle Of October 1S4S. In spite Of her long
service she is still stanch and strong and fully
equal 10 the demands made on her as receiv-
ing ship. She Is sister ship TO the New Hamp-
shire the home of the New-York Naval Militia
the Vermont being built at Boston and the New
Hampshire at the Portsmouth Navy Yard
Work on the Buffalo has been rushed ahead in
the last week. the force of men on the cruiser
having been largely increased She will be
ready TO begin her voyage within few days.
The Wampatuck formerly the Standard OIL
Company's tug Atlas. which has come back from
service with the Cuban fleet and been over
be added TO the fleet of yard tugs one of which
the Narkeeta. is now in the stone drydock
PLEASED WITH THE CHICAGO's ENGINES
The Department Of Steam Engineering is
highly elated over the success OF tie Chicagos
engines. formal test was made on Friday.
two boilers being used, with a steam pressure
Of 1S5 pounds to the square inch All the
auxiliary engines tested at the same time.
and for the first time in the history Of the
yard there was not the slightest escape OF steam
from any Of the joints any hitch whatever
IN the working Of the ponderous machinery.
The big masses OF steel moved as steadily and
easily as IL they had been in service for long
time and far as her motive power is CON
cerned the rejuvenated Chicago is completely
successful. The engines were built end set up
IN the shops under the direct SUI ervison Of
James P Howatt. the master mechanic Of the
shops. from Department designs. Chief En-
eineer r. T. Hall. nov in charge OF the engines
OF the Petrol. on the Asiatic station was al one
time in general charge Of the work The new
engines placed on board the ship under
the direction Of Chiaf Engineer Dixon. Of the
yard staff. 1t is not regarded probable that
either the Chicago the Atlanta will be placed
in commission before early next month. al
though all that is needed on the former is the
guns. The ordnance equipment has been de-
layed by the pressure the Washington gun
foundry but there about nine hun
dred men on board the Vermont, and enlist
ments going ahead at the rate of one hun
dred week, there is at present no scarcity OF
men The Yorktown, on the Pacific Coast
which Is to be commanded by Commander
Charles 5. Sperry. now OF the Yard Equipment
Department. will be in commission before the
end Of November. and II is expected that she
will be sent to Honolulu
CAPTAIN CHADWICK MAKES A PROTEST.
Already there is feeling over the report Of the
Wainwright Board to the positions and
movements OF the feet in the Santiago fight
Captain Chadwick. Of the New-York. has pro-
tested against the charted position of the New
York and other ships. The chart shows that
the New-YOrk nine and one-half miles away
from the Colon. and the Texas was placed seven
and One-half miles away. Captain Chadwick
asserts that he close TO the Oregon and
the Brooklyn that he could distinguish the faces
of officers board. condition which it is
evident could not prevail if the flagship was In
the place fixed by the Board. lie claims
further. that he had no hearing before the
Board The protest has been filed and may be
considered. II ia regretted by friends Of the
service that there should be any controversy
over the question as to who did or who did not
OH a certain place at a certain time, and &C
,Omplish results which had been calculated on
lnder givea conditions. As Rear Admral
Schey put it, there glory enough for all
hands result Of the fight. and, while for his
OIcal purposes. il may be advisable to have
everything recorded, down to the smallest move
nents Of the ships the general public look Al
The main point that the Navy won the fight. and
not any one or any two ships.
JUNIOR OFFICERS IN A QUANDARY.
The protest by Captain Chadwick opens the
1oor for other commanders who may feel that
hey have been misplaced. and this brings UP an
interesting question. All the members Of the
board are junior officers the senior being only q
commander. the grade from which
executive officers on the big ships chosen.
s rear-adm!ral a commodore and captains ga
ore involved In the report made by the
Juniors Lieutenant. Capehart one of the mem
-ers. is on the Ncw-York. Captain ChadWick's
vessel the other members being from the Brook
yn the Iowa the Oregon and the Texas Of the
Feet, Wainwright himself being In command OF !
he Gloucester The position of these lieuten- !
ants is one az which the average civilian would I
COX twice before accepting. II their report is
altered or rather thrown out in consequence of J
protests. IL Is blow to their professional Skill |
md II CAPTAIN Chadwck's protest is not needed ,
n declared to be unfounded II places him in an !
awkward fix There is considerable interest In
he matter. and the outcome is watched for by
many besides those directly Interested