The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-04
 CO NECTICU1 Report on Injuries to
 Battleship. CRIMINALS YET UNKNOWN The Work Evidently Done
 by Experts. Reeommended That Special Leslsiasios se Easctea to Puni.h the Perpe- tr.tor. of suck Act. Ia the
 Future.
CRIMINALS YET UNKNOWN

a some time in the hope that by working tn secret. detectives might be able to discover. the persons who have beeD making various attempts to damage the battleship Connecticut in the New York navy yard. the Navy Department today concluded to publish the sltest report from William J. Baxter. the sconstructor In charge at New York. feeling that publicity now will make toward the protection of the vessel In the future from repetition of such att tempts. The report is as follows:
 "As reported in; the naval eonstrur-. tors letter of April i. 1sot. there were discovered on March 3I. in compart- rnent S:s7 two rivets in frame 5y t-2. connecting the forward frame angle to the keel plate. whose heads hnd been clipped of, holes drilled completely through them and tho ,rivets forced down into the keel block beneath by heavy pressure. one being on tha port the block and one on the starhoaFd block. 48e
 "Attention is invited in the naval constructors report above referred to. to the fact that excellent workmanship was displayed in drilling through these rivets and excellent Judgment was shown in determining the place to de- stroy them by cutting out these riyets over the keel block where there would have been no leakage from the outside of the ship while the compartment was under test pressure.
 wonld Have Been sexsoun.
 September 14, while the diver was sweeping the underwater portion of the ways on the Connecticut, there was found a bolt about 3-s inches In di- ameter which was located about nid- way of the starboard under water way and about half way between the inter- section of the ways with low water and the end. This bolt was driven into the ways and projected up about six frnhes. making on cbrtructionl which would have A1ussd serious 1njGry aus ring the launch and might have entirss ly prevented 1t
 .tThe ese ways had previously been in- aneeted by the diver at which time no siich holt was found. Following tho diseovery of this bolt the naval c1i- gtructor, as authorized by the com
 nandant, stationed additional ship Keepers during the day and at night stationed four armed ship-keepers around the ways and made provision for having light under and around the Connecticut at all times, and officers of this department were constantly on duty in this connection. day and night. and made periodical inspections during the hours of sundown and sunrise, not less than three times each night.
 ''wednesday, September 2s, the quar- terman ship filters. in charge of the Connecticut, the auarterman riveter and
 the leading man riviter in charge of the testing gang made a thorough and complete inspection of each water-tight commandment on each vessel and after each compartments were inspected the
 manhole cover was closed down and fastened. The result of these inspec- tions was reported and everything was at that time secure and in good condi- tion. After the launch on the 2Sth it
 was found that compartment R. SS (tho port aft boiler room reserved feed tank) was making water. The pumps were started and the water was kept under control It was finally decided | to permit the compartment to be entire | ly full, close all air pipes and drain
 valves and let the compartment remain full during the night of the 29th. This
 was accordingly done. and the com partment was inspected after 1t was | full and the inner bottom and sound" | ing frams and longitudinal were seen to
 he absolutely tight and no damage re" | suited to the ship.
 Commandment Pumped Out. The morning of September 30, the
 numn was started. the compartment was 1 pumped down and the quarterman l riyeter went into the compartment | when the water was about five inches | of the bottom and discovered that a
 one-inch hole had been drilled through | the outside shell plate between frames | sl and 62, outboard of the third water l tight longitudinal and about three in- ches from the edge of the shell lap. | The location chosen for drilling this | hole was over the packing on the
 sItdln0 ways where 1t would have been | irnnonsibIe to detect It's presence from inc one side. This location of the hole | for the working purpose being abso- lutely useless indicates that 1t was 1 dona maIlciously An examination of | fine nompartment and hole by Assis- | tant Naval contractor Robinson. Of this 1 has been safely plugged and the man. | hole cover fastened down and can safe Iv rennatn in this condition until such | time as the vessel is put In dock. The 1 oeRcial records of this department show
 that commandments BS5 was tested on | departnent, indicated that the hole | was drilled from the inside. The hole l. the 24th of March at water pressure | head of 27 feet l-2 Inches and was l ahaoi,,te1y tight This was done in l tbs nresence of an officer of this depart
 rnent. The outside pluting in the wake of
 inc entire cradle was ccarefully built i'm l snscted before the cradle was built fin | niace and was then in perfect condi- | tion. ,,
 | wbicb involved danger to the ship and vossIhle loss of life Of the men em-
 pioved thereon. 1t Is respectfully re-
 commended that the ship be brishtley l illuminated both day and night; that
 snscIaI watchmsn of mechanical abil- Jtv be employed and that all employees
 on the ship by informed of these mali
 cio,,s acts in order that each one of l them may feey that it is his duty to guard against their recurrance."
 Tn forwarding this reoprt to the De- J nartment. Admiral Rogers, commandant | of the yard, says: l Endorsement of ROGers.
 ..The recommendations of the naval ] .onstructor in the matter have been snproved and are being carried out. Further precautions are being taken to | anard the ship at night, and she is l Slaarfd of all wol kmen during the noon