New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
NAVAL REPAIR SHIPS.
FLOATING MACHINE-SHOPS FOR MEND
ING DAMAGED WAR VESSELS

Repair ships will play v"ry important par'
in connection with Uncle Sans naval operations
against Spain. Already one vessel for TINS pur-
pose has been purchased by the Government OF
recommendation by experts OF the bureau OIL
Construction and Steam Engineering. ana twc
more will DE bought The one secured IS the
Chalmette. a good sized and sanch steamer
particularly we'll adapted for the purpose con-
tcnplated For this kind Of work the style oil
craft most suitable is a ship OF 2.o0o to 3VN
tons. with plenty Of space between ueckS SO as
tn afford room for the apparatus OF a small rae
tory. She must also have large coal capacity IN
her bowels. that she NAV be able To keep the
for a long time Besides the fuel is needed
for distilling water. which Is an Incidental
duty Of the repair ship.
Each one ~ these vessels viii be a naVigable
repair shop If n most comprehensive description
II will BE- provided with heavy steam tools of the
latest patterns for executing every imaginable
kind Of work in metal. and its equipment VIII
include massive cranes for hosting Weighty
things aboard In its hold will be carried dupli-
Gates Of pretty nearly every sort OF artcl" tnat
goes To make up a modern warshp from a
coil Of boiler tubing to "A patch Of armor for
mcnding a hole made by a projectiie. inside
between decks the craft will be awhlrr win
machinery. belts flying. engines pumping steam
hammers pounding. wheels revolving ana all
he paraphcrnalia - 4, busy factory in active
employment. Grimy mechanics VIII rush To ana
fro W stand at FORCES heating big bars OF IRON
white hot or turning out objects Of steel or brass
which are designed to serve As parts 81 one
pirc. u delicate mechanism Or another me
trouble ~ 10 say what will not De don" on poarl
Of these factory steamers. which must De pre-
pared to mend Or To rcplac" any thing that may
bc wrong or missing above the "at'rllho ei
battlc-ship Or cruiser.
The Navy Department Intends mat 'bh one
~ our fleets shall be- provided with repair snip
II this kind whose business IT VIII De 10 dc-
company tn. war vessels and To serV" tn'ih on
all necessary occasions As a sort ~ ilrSt il'
10 tn. injured such floating machin'-Sii"p
however Will be-. srrVir"abl" for gppi i"al
y. hat is required ~ il chiefly. II goes without
laying that ~ an engagement on M S'hS' ~
matter hoW favorable IN" result ~ III" "h'"u'i,
ter 4, nur sid. the American ships are D"uhl
- suffer very serious damage They VIII J." cut
40 % 4 consi.rnhl" 'Xt"nt 10y N" "Nil"SN ,
shells - rapid-nr. guns ana more Or '7S -.
their Internal mechanism "ih -" III n''"
ru.n,!iug II is under such conditions 'hi' wv
reuair shin viii com" into use. plugging -h"'-
holes nx.rg w boicr-tubcs mending engines
etc.
oX THE SKIRTS or THE FIGHT
Duriug an action The repair ship viii avoid
IN. thick u the night hanging On inc @n'''S
~ D., so as TO b. nVdilab." III case h'i ~ '''''
49,, wanted a., my moment Supl's". Tor 'N-
annie. that lr,. ~ the Afu"ri An Shlpa '''''''
disabled hy an accident to her Steering gar
ard thus is rendered useless Tor hEh'hE Pu'
poses Tn. repair vessel. unless tn" "nt'S''n'r'
=. -n hot AS - render such 4 movement ''P'"
tl,ahle. VIII steam up AMI take thr h'lp''SS S".,
IN tow. pulling h"r away I" 4 'lS',"'T ',''
= reach u th.. enemy IS ire Though n", h''S',
,..h,tr- craft fh.. floating machine sh'P VIA
be. provided with half i"z"n s''' 7'"'l ''p'r
nr. guns 50 AS - b" lhl" - put ny SUM- 80
4, .,.,... ~ case. sh. is attacked II NllSht "'
80, "a, .,.,,iid be-. assail.d 10y a iprprd'-p"at
ihnurh vessel. Il this kind beng sfnAn an" u''
protected by drmor. would not ID" ''N' ~ '''
mart IN general n'"i engagements 'h W. '', -
'.,s -h.. rnul! keep fl such 4 WaSplsh zoe ~
means = her rapid mr. guns ana h'r SP''l
only fast going steamers VIII ne 'hP! 80,
TINS purp,s. VIII 'nahl" her I" keep OUT 81 '''
Nay - me big waiship5 ,,,i.,
An enhancement on IN" ocean b"t"r." 9Pi'''r
nd American ships viii not De likely - r'su''
I'm IA, total destruction or surrender "' .nv 9,t
Both fleets wiil suffer very i"tl"ua '"-", ,. ''
,,r.. nr both AlU draw IN FOR A VIM. 'I"'' IT
tempting another action. DURING T." '"V, q" 49,
a. /, matter # course. they VIII be- as pussy ~
psssi,l- IN repairing DAMAGES ana gcuInE ,uH"'
for another encounter. ')"Ni'u9'y, ]. -
AN vessels An put themselves INTO nap '
,,,r,h., 0phtius in quicker TIM" than IN" HIah
i,rds they viii have great AhNhh'~T' me
+, decd may be-. considered As an hhP'' ''lI'
pnlni in favor : ia" Americans ih'S are p'''
mechanics whereas IN" Spaniards ar" SIhEu
,,l, deficient In that way. II Is ans wv 10 So
hnw tho latter viii b. able 10 mend fh'r Snip'
,.hrr thy have. been damaged in action. Ih'
Cr,ni,rds may y" said TO know comparatively
at,u, IN. mechanical construction II ih"i'
avn vessels nearly all II which w"rr hu't III
other countries All II their torpedo p''i'S anu
torpedo boat dr-troy"rs. for rXailp''' N''' ~,
.,rrc,.d hv English firms When On" think,
.,,h,t an ..Iingly delicate and cDmpt'dtrd
,i'.,, II machinery . ncw-stylc war'hip u.s. II Is
hard 10 So, how such nest Of engines = 10 n'
nnnuipulatcd by spanish officers 80 rs to he en-
Glen, IN war once put out or o'h'i' no" ar
they going to repair IT.
, CREW or SKILLED MECHANICS.
The crew u Zach one Of our repair :hips VIII
,,..,., ,,hnllv If mechanics not ordinary mo
,,,,i,s INT In-n of the highest ski III th'
di0rrent kinds # work which VIII b" required "'
,h,m They ,lll be- men specially trained IN th'
construction Of marine engines ere ".''! az
-, nrhtiug vessel Will" merely NoyaElhs
49,, rnt nthrr,.,, occupied they will know how
-, ac, as ..oll -hcaverS ana cnGin'-drlN"rs