The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-25

are generally in an efficient condition
The heads of the departments have
made in their annual reports recon
mendatton for improvements of plant
ana necessary alterations and inn
provements in buildings
The properly belonging to the govern
ment a the western end Of the ward
is cut off by q public street of Brook
lNn, which cannot be closed except by
an act of the Legislature. This de
tached portion should be Joined as soon
as possible to the rest Of the yard, as at
present it is not easily polioed, and is
a resor, for river thieves and other OBJ
jectionable characters.
New LOndon-This small station is
we'll located, and is fairly well adapted
for use as a cCaling station and as a
base for torpedo boats and small yes
sells. II should not. therefore, be aban-
doned. There has been no work at this
station for years, and the department.
recently, very wisely, dissolved the
skeleton organization which had pre-
viously existed, and simply left the
yard in care of Watchmen.
Training station-The authorities here
recommend that the accommodations
for apprentices be increased so as to
provide for 1000 boys. Estimates have
been submitted for the new building.
Jul lluI LII d BulIAlllS VI SullclellL size
to accommodate this number Before
any building is completed the plans
should be arranged so as to permit of
expansion when the need arises.
The commanding officer recommends
the building Of two 300-ton briggs, sim
liar to those used i'm the British navy,
for training apprentices. If the train
ing of the apprentices is TO be chiefly
in marline-spike sealnanship, this rec
concentration seems entirely approprf-
ate, and to carry it out would not be
expensive.
Boston yard-This yard has been
practically closed as a general repair
yard for many years, and in conse-
quence the equipment OF the shops has
become in some respects disorganized
Worse yet some Of the shops them
selves are in very poor repair The
buildings generally are the best at any
OF our navy yards, and if the re-
organization of the working force is
taken in hand by energetic officers. this
yard can be speedily brought up to a
foremost position. One Of the most i'm
portant items for the efficiency of any
plant employing numbers of skilled me-
chanics is the proximity to a region
where skilled Labor in large quantity
can be readily obtained The Boston
navy yard has this advantage 10 n
greater extent perhaps than any other.
he department has already arranged
Ter Improvements i'm this yard. consist
ing of new dry dock and trayeline,
crane running along the water front
This viii add materially to the re-
sources of the yard
Portsmouth. n. H.-The nearness Of
TINS yard to Boston and the fact tbat
ii has not the same facilities vim rel
spect TO the labor market, make
doubtful VIC Their it is advisable To a.
tempt TO put this yard on a footing for
doing large repair work. Some of tba
buildings in this yard are Of verv snhl
stantial construction. while others ba,,o
failen into very bad repair
A modern plant has been installed NV.
the construction department FOR etsII
snip building, and the constructor beI
heVes that # some work we're aivan
to this yard the Organization ,2l,,II
soon become more efficient.
There are advantages connected ,,.tt,,
me location that make it desirabIe 49,
the yard should be put in efficient c en9'
ultlon as repair station of the seco,,d
CLASS Tor use in time Of war.