New-York tribune., 1905-01-01
NAVY YARD NOTES.

There have been such marked changes at the
navy yard in the last week that it would confuse
a haaitue. to nothing of tho infFequent visitor,
until he had studied the situation and conditions.
And yet the changes ought not to surprise any
one even IL they had not been anticipated for they
are constant and continuous in this branch of the
military defence Of the government and it's people.
The shops yet there. and the machinery runs in
them an 1t has run on working days for weeks and
months and longer. and. although hundreds OF
worknen away leaves of absence Of fifteen
days allowed by law of Congress. there is still
large forcs there at work, and the buzzing of the
tools and the changing of hammers continue the
din. Looking about tho waterfront the big battle
ships that have been such attractions the last
two months. while repairs employing thousand or
more men and costing hundreds OF thousands Of
dollars. have been going on. have disappeared The
Alabama and Illinois went away a week ago. and
the others wero 10 follow out Tuesday, but
they became members Of the shut-in society by
reason OF the fog. When the fog was blown away
by the shift of wind about o'clock on Wednesday
morning the Kentucky had disappeared. and Ad-
Gniral Barker lost time in breaking the fasten-
ings to his flagship, the Kearsarge. and off she
went down 20 Tompkinsville. This left only these
vessels commission for service: The second class
battleshp Texas. in the drydock with her stern
post repaired If 1t had not been broken of by
coIlisionI the armored cruiser Minneapolis, taking
In coal as fast possible. with some Of the crew
aloft taking down the Christmas trees from the
tops of her naasts; the protected cruiser Tacoma
hurrying up her repairs. which were completed
Friday night; the dispatch boat Hist, which started
off for Newport promptly, and the seagoing tug
Peoria, which had been designated as the dispatch
boat of the North Atlantic fleet. But the Mime
apolis and the Tacoma were ready TO get away
from the navy yard yesterday. and the Peoria Will
be detained another week to have one OF her
auxiliary boilers retubed and have other work
done.
The battleship Massachusetts arrived at the yard
from League Island on Thursday. and her coming
gave rise 10 that she had been sent here
10 have extensive repairs made to her boilers On
the contrary, she here to be put into drydock
to have her underwater hull cleaned and painted
and TO have her valves examined only. The
rumor about her boilers nothing than
Imagination following the two recent accidents.
When the vessel went into dock Friday she was
drawing 25 feet inches. and the depth of water
only % feet inches. The Texas hoated
out OF drydock No. at the same tide.
When the Massachusetts has gone the Peoria
will be the only seagoing vessel lett at the yard
in commission. But the Chattanooga VIII como
here this week TO have such repairs as may be
suggested after the report Of the 4Shour full power
trial which begins to-day off Cape Cod. has been
handed in. The submarine torpedo boats Shark
and Porpose which are in drydOck No. l. are
being overhaued and repaired, to put them in
nrst class service condition. They also in
mission, but the crews of these number only one
officer and three or four men to each. On the bat
tIcship Connecticut the work is progressing
expedtousy possible, and large force OF men
is employed installing the machinery and boilers
and doing other interior work, the vessel being
kept warm with steam heat The work tho out
side goes slower than it would If the delivery
of the armor plate not delayed. 1t is stated
that the plate for the Louisiana, her sister
ship. and which is being built IN competition, both
as to cost and length of time. is being delivered
by the makers fast 1t is needed.
The batteship Indiana, which is having about a
quarter OF a million dollars spent upon her for
new boilers. improvements In her turrets and
pairs to her machinery, etc, will not be ready for
commission for several months. But she will prac-
tically be a vessel then and good for many
years OF service for peace
The Mayhower, which was formerly a private
steam yacht, and as large and as fast many of
the oceangoing passenger steamships, and which
was OF such effective service wit nthe Cuban fleet
at Santiago, recently was put out OF commission
to be repaired. A board OF survey has reported
upon the repairs needed. which will cost in the
nelghborhood Of $i00O09. one-half Of which will be
the cost for labor, and will take about four months
10 do.
Other vessels in the hands OF the mechanics
the torpedo boat destroyers OBrien, Nicholson and
WinsloW, the torpedo boats Craven and Dahlgren
ard the tugs Nina and Chiekasaw.