New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-12
NAVY YARD AFFAIRS.
EXHAUSTIVE TEST OF THE MILLER
COALING DEVICE TO BE MADE.
METAL FURNITURE FOR THE ATLANTA
THE ALBANY COMING TO THE YARD
REAR ADMIRAL SCHLEY'S FLAG TO
RE. HOISTED NEXT SATURDAY,


BE- HoIsTED NEXT SATURDAY.
The principal incident OF Importance scheduled
for this week at the Navy Yard Is the hosting OF
Rear Admiral w. S. Sch,eys flag on the Chicago as
commander in chief OF the South Atlantic Squad
ron. This will take place Saturday next, but
the exact date OF the sailing Of the cruiser has
not been fixed Rear Admiral Howell will take his
place president of the Naval Retiring Board In
Washington. Rear Admiral Schey has chosen
Lieutenant Commander J. II. Sears his flag lieu
tenant. and Lieutenant b. w. Wells. jr. his flag
secretary. The Chicago is practically ready for sea-
Much interest centres in the trials OF the Miller
coaling device. which will be made within a few
days by the collier Marcellus under command OF
OF Commander A. r. H. Lille with detachment
of men from the Indiana on board. and the battle
ship Massachusetts,. Captain Charles ]. Train. In
command The apparatus will be put to n severe
test. In its operation the warship takes the collier
In tow leaving a distance OF three hundred feet
between the ships. On the collier is engine pro-
vided with two drums reels. wire rope Is
led from one drum or reel to sheave on the mast.
thence across TO sheave mounted on the quarter
deck OF the warship thence back to another sheave
the mast. and thence to the other drum or reel.
carriage gripped to the upper branch of this ee-
waited rope is provided with wheels TO roll on the
lower branch. BY Keeling In the rope on one end
and paying II out at the other the carriage Is
transported the intervening space. The car
rage takes two coal bags. weighing from four num-
dred TO five hundred pounds each. at load. and
dumps them into a chute the quarterback OF
tho warship.
On account of the motion of the boats the dis
lance between the points of support may vary
greatly hence must be provided TO
maintain constant tension or pull on these two
branches OF the elevated rope at all times. One
reel has pulling power one end Of the rope
Of about four thousand pounds. and the other
reel drum. while 1t is run by the engine in the
when pulled beyond 5000 pounds. The speed at
which these drums pull in rope is from one thou
sand to fifteen hundred feet minute. II while
the rope is in transit the boats lurch together.
thus throwing slack into the elevated ropes. this
slack will be reeled in by the heavy drum faster
than II could be given by the relative motion of
the ships and the tension will thereby not be de-
creased. r. the other hand, the boats part,
the drum, which is already slipping at the rate OF
1000 feet minute. will simply slip at increased
speed. paying out the additional rope required.
This is a mode OF operation whereby not only the
load is transported across but the variation in
distance between points OF support is compensated
for at the time
The many friends Of Lieutenant +. s. Kellogg
will be pleased to learn that he has far re-
covered his health as TO be able to return TO his
duties on the flagship New-York He has been a
sufferer from the Cuban fever since his arduous
duties on board the Hist during the Spanish war.
and has been under medical treatment for several
months.
The first vessel to he equipped in line with the
departmental policy OF having little wood as pos
sble on board ship will be the Atlanta, which is
due to go into commission within few days. She
will receive the first consignment Of the new metal
furniture which has just been received by the
Department. and there Is considerable interest In
the outcome of the innovation. The Atlantas new
boilers and engines which have been completed
and tested. expected to increase her speed by
al least two knots, and the dock trials have re-
suited favOrably.
Word has been received at the yard that the
new torpedo boat Bailey Is TO be launched at the
Morris Heights shops. where she has been built, on
December s. Miss Florence Beekman Bailey,
daughter OF Edward S Bailey, OF this city and
granddaughter OF the late Rear Admiral Theodorus
Bailey u s. n. after whom the boat is named will
ofciate At the formal naming OF the new hyer.
The question to whether or not the cruiser Al
bany should proceed from the yard of the Arm
strongs. her English builders. direct 10 the Phil,
ippnes has been settled. and the new craft will
come to the Brooklyn yard for overhaulng and
fitting She is not expected here before some
time In January.
Work in the shops still continues slack owing 10
a lack Of funds with which 10 pay hands. There
is plenty 10 be done. but fortunately there Is no
pressing demand for services OF any OF the
war vessels which are temporarily tied up.