New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-03

Yard was from March II, when we began work
on the Maynower. to June 30, 1878, one hundred
ard four days In that time converted
eighteen yachts into gunboats; eleven colhefs
were prepared for naval service, with quarters
for officers and crews, and small batteries ana
accessories: six merchant vessels of large size
were converted into armored cruisers; one sup
ply vessel was fitted out, and seven tugs were
converted into 4sunboats, making in all thirty
three vessels.
AT private works outside the yard | had
entire charge Of fitting out one cruiser. two
TRANSPORTS one hospital ship and two yachts
This is by no means a complete summary of all
the work done During this period the working
hours in the yard including Sundays, were
from a. m to . D. m, and we often worked
parties through the night in the office and the
ward To get work started and completed.
THE John Inglis was torn to pieces rebuilt
and converted into the hospital ship Relief under
the direction Of thls Department and my per-
soraI supervision III five weeks. and when she
went into commission she was pronounced one
cf the finest vessels of the kind that had ever
been built All this and hundreds Of other in
stances Of a similar nature were accomplished
almost ir!cpendcnty of the Navy Department.
and thes-9 matters demonstrated that 10 a great
extent preparedness means having the proper
people in the proper positions.
"a step forward would be the consolidation
Of all the bureaus having charge of building
and eguippiHg vessels. so that the technical
work could be brought under a single head.
That would consolidate the shops, reduce the
clerical force do away with superfuous supe'-
iutendents and the duplication Of stocks and
machinery. and the delay and obstruction which
always arise from the necessity Of requiring a
number of people to cooperate. 1t would max"
the Navy Yard resemble a great manufacturing
establishment which could be rim on strictly
business principles.
In speaking Of the preparedness Of the Navy
it is well To remember thai One-haf Of the
American Navy is now in the Philippines, with
no repair shops nearer than Hong Kong. six
hundred miles away. Il we are to maintain Il
fleet in that part of the world it seems to mo
that a dryd0ck at Manila or some point in the
vicinity would be a. es entail as the ones in
the United States or course, improvements
must DE- made in keeping with the amount Of
money appropriated for that purpose and il
$, ems that all naval stations in this country
ere cayscd alike by the approprating power
and while the Brooklyn Navy Yard is by great
odds the most important. it received only the
same amount the stations Of the least con
sequence The last years appropriation for i'm
provement of construction plants was $4,000
each for Port ROYAL. Pensacola League Island.
Portsmouth. y. H.. Boston. Mar Island and
Brooklyn These appropriations might have
been better placed. Drydocks are being built
AT Portsmouth. y. H.. Boston and League Isl
and. but the interests of the country might have
been served better if this work had been con
centrated at the more important yards Navy
yards here and at Norfolk. Va and Mare ISL
and should be made as efficient as possible pro-
vided with everything in the way OF machinery
and appliances and the civil administration
and brought down to business princ-
pies, and Port Royal. Key West Portsmouth,
y. H.. and Puget Sound should be made first
class repair stations"