Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-07
The CRUISER
MONTGOMERY
The Worlds Article Has No Be-
levers Here.
LEFT HERE IN FINE TRIM
Tho Nnvy Department Fails to Notify
This Yard OF tho Alleged Trouble
What Admiral Farquhar mud
tho woritinEmcn shy About tho
Attach Upon ihi. Yard, Its officers
nnd Men False On Its Fuce.
LEFT HERE IN FINE TRIM

The New York World in its issue of
Sunday contained an article i'll refer
ence to the L. $. cruiser Montgomery
recently repaired at this yard, and the
poor workmanship thereon, saying that
1.-The person sending the information re-
garding the Montgomery condition de-
clares that the Norfolk navy yard is
run in a sipshod manner and is chief
~ haven for old mechanics whom 1t
is desired to pension"
Now, every one who has the least
knowledge OF this yard knows full we'll
that this assertion is not true. as it is
an open secret that daily complaints
are made that old men, men who have
worked in the yard for many years.
are being displaced to make room for
other and younger men, and so far rs
the yard being run in Il slipshod man
ner' the compliments that have come
from the Navy Department time and
time again is the best evidence that
there Is not a particle OF truth in what
the World says in that direction.
CAPTAIN CONVERSES CHOICE.
The article In question goes on to say
how defective the repairs were, and
that the ship had scarcely gotten out
of this harbor before "her air pumps
became useless. her circuiators failed
and the port engine gave way. and
other break downs too numerous to
mention, and concludes by saying:
1T is said that not II pump in the
vessel worked until 1t had been over
hauled and that when the ship was put
TO speed test 1t was found that her
stay ut the Norfolk navy yard had re-
duced her power as she could not make
more than thirteen knots"
That the Montgomery received bet
ter attention at this yard. not only on
this. but OH former occasions, than she
received at any other navy yard is evil
denced by the action Of her command
err, captain Converse. who asked that
his ship be sent to this yard for repairs.
and not only once did he make this re-
quest of the Navy Department, but
several times, and each time the re-
quest was granted.
a VERY FINE OFFICER.
The above information was given the
Nirginian-Pilot by Admiral Faruuhar
yesterday, and in speaking of Captain
Converse he said he was looked upon
As being one of the very finest officers
IN the navy, and of being man who
was very careful, painstaking and OBJ
servant, and so thoroughly was he i'm
pued with the fine quality of the work
performed ut this yard. that he prefer
req that the men at this yard make
the repairs TO his ship when necessary.
saving that they We're more careful and
skliiiul and did their work quicker and
DETER than at the other yards. all Of
when Is borne out by his repeatedly
choosing this yard for repairs TO his
snip. the Montgomery.
HERE THE LAST TIME.
Captain Converse was in command
OIL the Montgomery when she was laid
up at this yard last, and personally SUI
Perlhtenoed. so to speak, all the work
uone on her. and he expressed himself
as being very highly pleased both with
the quantity and quality of the work.
Soihery just rs she was about to sail.
neice ne was present all the time when
inc repairs were being made
THEN THE TEST
chief Engineer J. A. Il. Smith was
IN charge of the work spoken of as be.
ing greatly defective. aud an officer in
the yard yesterday said that there WA
not a chief engineer in the Tinted
states Navy who understood more
thoroughly the duty required of him
than Chief Smith. Then. too. said this
officer, one of high rank, every chief
engineer who has bad charge of this
yard speaks in the same strong, EN-.
phatic Language of the skill and faith
iuIness OF the employees, saying that
they eNcelled in their different branches
and occupations.
ADMIRAL Farquahar vouchsafed the
information that the test given the
Montgomery was made in the presence
oil Chief Smith. the chief engineer of
the Montgomery, and her captain. and
mat everything was then proved to be
IN strictly fist-claSs condition. and
how such Il statement could anpear in
PRINT was beyond his conception.
HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED
Let's Sect said the Admiral "Phc
Nom gomery sailed from this yard April
the loth. and more than a. month and
= half mas elapsed since then, yet the
navy Department has not said one
word to us about all this alleged break
Ing down OF the machinery of the
electromagnetic one line
es: it strikes me as being more
than probable that If there was any
truth IN inst newspaper clipping you
nave SHOWN me. that we would have
heard something from the Navy De-
partment concerning H."
III Rec HUNDRED MILES DAILY.
DON'T you see how absurd the article
is? II says:
The Montgomery left Norfolk on
April 10Th las., under orders to intercept
Rear Admiral Sampson and his squad
ron or evolution ut St. Lucia. She ar
rived at Pernambuco. Brazil. May 18th.
and it is from this point that informa
ton regarding the disasters OF her trip
has come"
The truth is the vessel was scheduled
10 meet Admiral Sampson al ST. Pierre.
Martinique. April 22d, and as much
sooner as possible. and the ship reach
ed Admiral SIMPSONS squadron on the
2lst instant. making the run quicker
than she was expected to do, in which
she made daily rate OF speed of more
than 800 miles. So you see how absurd
and ridiculous the statement Is that her