New-York tribune., 1904-10-04
TC WRECK CONNECTICUT.
Bolt Driuen in H7ays and Hole
Drilled IN Hull.

washington Oct 3.-After delaying lAliiO' AL
the hope that by working in secret detectives
might be able to discover the persons who at
tempted TO damage the battleshp Connecticut at
the New-York Navy Yard the Navy Department
to-day decided publish the latest report IN the
case from William ]. Baxter. the constructor IN
charge at New-York. feeling that publicity VIII
help to insure the protection of the vessel in the
future from a repetition of such attempts. The
report follows:
A AS reported IN the naval CONSTRUCTORS letter Of
compartment B-s7, two rivets in frame 5Sis. CON
Meeting the forward frame angle 10 the keel plate.
whose heads had been Clipped of. holes drilled
completely through Them and the rvets forced
down into the keel block beneath by heavy pres
sure, one being on the port side and driven about
half an inch into tho block. and one on the star
block. Attention is invited in the naval con con
sructor report above referred u, to the fact that
excellent workmanship was dlspIayea, IN IN or dtliIns @
through these rVets and excellent Judgment was
cutting these rivets over the keel block where
there would have been no leakage from tne outsIue
OF the ship while the compartment was uhoeF test
on September a. while the diver sweeping
the underwater portion of the ways on the Con,
necticut there found a bolt about one ana
three-eighths inches in diameter. which was To-
water way and about half way between tHS tS III d
This bolt was driven into the ways and projected
up about six inches making an Obstruction @ ,snnCb
would have caused serious injury during the iauHCh
and might have entirely prevented it, .., -. ,bo
These ways had previously been Inspected hy sIe
diver at WHICH time no such bolt was iOanui iHi ron
lowing the discovery of this bolt the 3, navai con tn
"uNO.i@eu ~ nv dot- md
toned additional shipkeepers during the day. G aJ
at night stationed four armed shipkeeperS H STouu @
the ways, and made provision for having uBh' 5 uI,
der and around the Connecticut at all times iiiu
in this connection dav and night, and made periodi.
cal inspections between the hours OF sulseI @4 tt
sunrise and never less than three times eaen ra ns1
tI on Wednesday. September % the r,er
man rYeter and the leading man riVeter IA c a. oc -
testing gang made thorough and conpiete lsl"I
and after these conpartments were inspected the
mtnhoe cover was closed down and iaStenSu: rn ne
thlng was at that time secure and In gooo C"nT Fd
non After the launch the 18th. II was i@ouIu @
that compartment BIS uhe port after boiler room
reserve reed tank was making water = ne p!5I puutIS
1t was finally decided 10 permit the artment TO
be S'tFel[ tull close all air pipes and dram ~
night OF the 9th. This was accordingI{ done' an an
the compartment was inspected after II Was iult;
and the inner bottom and sounding frames ana
longitudinals were seen to be absolutely tight ana
ON The morning Of september 90 the pump was was
fb vas D1o tbe c0mpart
ment when the water was about five inches Of the
hole had been drilled through the outside shell
rlate between frames 81 and g., ontboard OF me me
inches from the edge OF the shell lap The loSs,
pSene 9 oR the sdinE xays as Were Si ii Would have
been Impossible 70 detect it's presence from the
purposes being absolutely useless indicates that
II was done rnaliciouslv An examination OF the
5hat the hole was drilled from the inside. This
cover fastened down and safely remain in this
condition until such time as the vessei Is put IN
Thc oaicial records Of this department show that
compartment S was tested on March - a. a
water pressure Of g feet Az inches and was aoso
an ofncer Of this department. The outside plat
ing IN wake Of The entire cradle Was ,,jt 1'f0 80 race
and was then IN perfect condition. .n,,t ,,.o,,-ot
danger to the ship ana possible loss OF life Of
the men employed thereon II IS resPrctiuy IeG%oni %
neuded that the ship be brightly illuminated 6oth
day and night that special watchmen or rnerhaIl-
The ship be Informed 81 these nainpS s3 tbt I, IL
%rer ho each ose 2 - men iSar y rsGrTenee rem
In forwarding this report TO the department
Admiral Rodgers commandant Of the yard, says;
The recommendations OF the naval constructor IN
the matter have been approved and ere being
10 guard the ship at night she Is cleared OF
all workmcu during the noon hour A liberal mum mum
w.tb t6ls ship constantly.
Admiral Caprs chief OF the Bureau OF Construc-
tIou. in iudorsing tho report. SAYS:
The accomparyips statement details briefly the
TO- damage tho United states steamship Connecti-
cut, and the precautions taken by jne coUAtaldAnt
proved hy tho department. upon verbal recon-
The facts m this matter are undisputed The
perpetrators Of these criminal acts are A. Yet un-
known. The rlreau has no DOUBT, however that
Them to give their best endevor 10 the prevention
Of such acts I'm the futur, and the discovery. II
possible, of those responsible for What has already
The bureau regards an attempt TO wreck vessel
Of war whether built or huiing. as most serious
a. tTe .,,Irrit sfn,,Id bs discovered
In order that the gravity Of such offence and
the punishment therefor may Re fully known and
appreciated among an classes. IL is recommended
that special legislation the subject no enacted
which will provide adequate punishment for those
il pubic propcrfv eithe, G5mpleted or I'm course
Of preparation intended for national defence
Acting Secretary Darling ndorsed the report as