New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
NAVY YARD NOTES.


There are IN the neighborhood OF four thousand
.,sr employed at the navy yard, and, with the ex
ssption OF che half OF a thousand employed on the
ssftleship Connecticut. they had cause to feel
.rxious for there were well grounded rumors on
sunday that there was to be a considerable re
auction in the force. OF course, while the five
Ne bsttleships and other vessels Of the North At
,,ntio feet were there under repairs, the number
y uork1nen employed at its maximum. ana
; was inevitable that reduction must take
Mace after the vessels had sone and only two
weeks ago several hundred men were laid off by
reason OF the demand falling of. Then when the
Minneapolis the Newport and the Chattanooga
isft the yard a week ago. II was expected that
srom Washington was than owing to the unex-
& wear due 10 accidents like that of the DIIision
sefween the Missouri and the Illinois. the drain
TTaerts had been greater than anticipated hence
there was shortage which would neeessitate
.-,speuslOn OF men that was not looked forward To-
- Instance. the drain on the steam engineering
a5Sp1ropTiaton had been SO great that the monthiy
Ssif or S2S5o0 ana as there are little more than
80 hundred employed in this departuent
sslv one-third would need TO be laid OF Some OF
he other departments are In a corresponding
fnsncial condition
On Tuesday the outlook was made more encourag-
org by reason Of Official notice being received that
one Of the proposed new colliers was TO be built
hare and that the preparations for her construction
.-osIa begin at once. The mechanics were thus
rsused 10 feel elated with the prospect that they
we're not 10 be discharged IN midwinter, at a time
vhen living expenses are greater than at any other
time Of the year. Naturally some men will be laid
81 nv reason OF no work but there win not be so
many forced 20 tdleness as there would be If the
new orders had not come The Tribune has stated
several times that one Of these big collers. which
ars designed 70 be adiuncts 70 the big battleship
ousdrons would be built here. and now il has been
oneiaIly confirmed. There are two of these boats
"a Be out of which Is 10 be awarded 10 private
equipped FOR new construction the work can begin
almost Gt once The vessel viii be constructed
launched fron- and as the steam engineering de-
-g-nent constructed the engines for the Connect
eIt i5s- Il even TO The foreines in the same de-
tnrtraent. There VIII be two triple expansion re-
I--ocsfng engines for twin screws. Of 1890 horse
power aga % In ~ he fv,jsed byl f ~ t6'l s6STen
bojeTs Among the items Of machinery viii be the
man g ssS-riIialry 111lI1rs shafring blowers pTo-
neiers rafriaerating machinery, valves etc The
Essssj VIII be complete IN everything except guns
and tunnels when She is launched She is to be Of
~ "a feet and with capacity for 5t9 tons of coal
Her battery viii consist Of four S-lnch guns. The
sT~vings Tor her machinery came on Friday, and
th;s work VIII al De done IN the navy yard.
49,, s,broarlBe torpedo boats. the Shark and the
ro-,o,ss. still occupy DTydock No. . and they are
Iksy 10 remain there another six weeks while
rensrs are being made TO the rudders the pro-
r4uers The sea valves and other machinery They
ara {
until one arrives at the edge Of the docks. They
ar. ANAL but oh, myi they Interesting. be-
cause &c much is expected Of them. An officer or
one OF them was telling of his experiences a few
dsvs aro when he said that at time when sub
merged when il was supposed that the vessel was
rising she struck bottom and investigation of the
pressure gauges showed thai she was Is feet below
The surface An examination Of the valves showed
& slight leak IN some. but this was remedied quickly
and the boat came TO the surface again. Speaking
q their motion under way, he said that in August
last IN heavy blow with long and heavy sea,
there was little motion OF the boat and little water
cane over the deck. bat in a choppy sea
Eferwagd the boat rolled heavily. The sub
marine does not roll Ike ordinary ship.
but she has a quick roll The boat has no
Fsgul1sity about rolling. but she will go along as
steady as G house for a while ana then viii give
roll from 10 10 IS degrees the next roll being
a9olt ~ oeeIse ana lLs4 PACK @ 70 Sssa1s POsI iII
give heavier roll fifteen 70 twenty feet below
feet beIow they VIII roll little. The present sub
marines are declared TO be far ahead Of anything
lousH ~ 80 q te1 ne cover - drawn ever and fast
ened making the boat watertght A horizontal
TUoaeE abaft the propeller gives the boat an up
ward or downward direction with facility and
case. The boat descends with porpoise motion,
instead Of even keel When approaching
underneath '' the surface after the manner of a
porpose ana Ike which they are shaped rising
tie enemy, ana then Giving down again almost
instantly. II Is claimed by navy men Llat II IS
practically lUpCsslbla 10 wage effective warfare
with guns against boats that disappear so
quickly beneath the surface when they in
dangerous position, and that ii is useless TO shoot
EI them, their direction under water cannot be
followed The accident that happened the POr-
poise al the navy yard on Thursday was
posion Of q hydrogen gas generator, which was
cue 10 unexpected cause. There was only
man on board IL the time, and fortunately for
hin. he pa deck astern The principal dam
Ne done 10 the battery deck, which was shat
tsee n places, but this can readily bs repaired.
Preparations for the construction OF the new
concrete drydocz no. (. are going on. the removal
OF old buildings being the principal work under way
Al present. The old building No. II, known as the
Hp2r shop. IS being demolished rapidly. and two
OF three others are mere skeletons at present. In
one Of these. the carpenter shop were four water
tubs boilers, two of which have been removed, and
the two others viii soon be transferred 20 the
new building Of the construction department. An
other building, NO 1Se used by the steam en-
gneeTlrg department as q storehouse Tor new ma
chineTy, held ia for ships, also for testing
ccs, IS 10 bs removed, and there are none that can
taEe Its place yet. 1t IS proposed 10 put up
new building which viii in every way be adapted TO
he purposes needed SO that new machinery can be
stored IN larger quantity for use on any OF the
fAips when needed. and thus save the tlme now
ueslenLy required IN the purchase OF materials.
one q the English service magazines a rev Gays
ago said that the British naval authorities were
H vet