Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-06
BOILERS TOCOME out.
Work on La Grande Dutch
esse Begins.
NEW STEAM PRODUCERS
Five Boilers Will Replace the Nine Now in
the Vessel. Double Launching
will Take Place Next
Month.

WORK preparatory to removing The
! Ba bcock boilers NOW in the steamer Ia
Grande DuGhes.se and replacing Them
with steam generators OF THE Scotch
pattern has beer commenced
| la Ora nde Duchesse has been placed
under the crane or the Shears ais tha
lifting machine is known at the Ship
yard, and in a few days the plates VIII
be taken out. Thr vessels huge
sno ke'stack has been removed and ev-
lerythins made ready for re,r,oy;ne. fine
Iheavy material. Nine boilers of the
l'1iafcock make. Including THE donkey,
|'wN-Gh is used for port purposes Will
De taken out, and these will be re-
placed by -four main boilers nd a dom
Key Inc new boilers. which are now
being buhat at the shipyard, will gener-
ate THE steam necessary, and win NM
lower the contract speed of the YES
sci: IN fact. 1T is thou gh't that the ship
will make faster time.
La Grande Dlrc4hesse. not witll:ssa md ng
tAv fact that the boilers have been
troublesome, now holds the record fer
fast running between Savannah and
New York. She having exceeded her
contract speed of seventeen knots on
numerous trips. The Babcock boilers.
1t WEI be remem bered, were placed in
the magnificent steamer as an expert
'ment, an% it would seem that iher de-
S!sners contemplated some day they
! night have to be altered or removed
for 1t wi!f not be necessary TO take out
any OF the JOINER work in making the
change. Not even a state-room Will be
torn out. The new boilers, while they
VIII be heavier than those of the Bah
Icock pattern. are not as bulky, and if
necessary more space can be devoted
to l.j1e >>5.ei .bunkers. OF course the ,sys-
tenn WIFI be entirely changed. as the Ell
Tyson & Eaves Induced Draugilt svstem
wifi be substituted 1t will require about
three months TO oniplete the work.
and it is thought The vessel will be
ready 70 make her trial trip about the
first of May.
The battieships Kentucky and Kear-
sarge VIII not de launched this month
AIS yet dhe exact date has not been
fixed. but II wdll take place sometime
between March 20 and 81.
l'nere is no foundation for the report
,has all three of the warsh'ps Win be
launched cn the same day. as the
builders will not be ready TO let the
lllino!s slip from her cradle in March.
AIS has been stated heretofore both
the Kentucky and Kea rsar:se are. ready
~ be launched, bant it wfll require some
E.G!ls. to place the large crane in position.
In the meantime work on the ships
VIII be pushed. Already some of THE
machinery is being put in.
The American Line Steamer st. Paul,
T;hHt-tl is being overhaul led at the Ship
yard, went out of lile dry dock ye..ter-
day morning. The finishing touches win
be put on this week and r'he vessel Will
probably SAIL Thursday for New York
T'te St. Louis Will be the next trans
Atlantic steamer to come for an over
hauling This vessel is expected to ar
rive on Monday. the 2lst instant. The
ST. Louis has never been at this port
1t VIII be remembered that on Christ
mas Day. w1hile the St. Louis was
bound TO New York several of her crew
burned an American flag. and as a re-
suit three British subjects were dis
charged. The burning of the flag oc-
Cured at THE dinner of the stewards.
The celebration was i'm fun swing. One
OF the tstewa ils light ed a ma tcih and
hs.i it 10 the American flag.
'Hsurn it," Some of the stewards are
sad TO nave shouted. Then followed
a general tumuFt. The Stars amt,
Stripes We're burning from every corner
OF the bunting. 1t was S!lngply the ACT
Of a lot of drunken tlunkeys.