The San Francisco call., 1908-12-24
U.S.S Wyoming Will Be Rechristened
Cheyenne on New Years Eve
Navy Monitor Will Be Used for a Series of
Tests With Liquid Fuel

For the first time in years a navy
monitor IS anchored in man-of-war
row The Wyoming, which has been
sleeping among the discards at Mare
island for many months, came down
from the navy yard yesterday and
dropped its mudhook of Folsom street
wharf. In new coat Of paint and
groomed as only Uncle Sam knows how
TO groom his shipsathe Wyoming looks
smart IS in the days Of its youth. when
the monitor type was new and in more
favor than II is now. Although OF an
obsolete type the Wyoming has been
resurrected for the purpose Of making
tests which are expected to improve
the efficiency OF the modern ships.
The Wyoming will be the Wyoming
only until the end of the year. At
midnight December 81 the warship will
be rechristened Cheyenne The new
name already appears on the monitors
stern, but the boats are all marked
w and until New Years eve the
ships Official name will be Wyoming.
The monitor is an oil burner and is
the first Of the larger vessels of the
navy to be equipped for the use of
liquid fuel. It is TO make tests with
oil as fuel that the Wyoming has been
placed in commission. The tests will
begin early in January and will be con-
tinued until the money appropriated
by congress for this work has been
expended. Then the navy will prob
ably learn what the chief engineer of
any steam schooner on the coast could
tell them. namely. that oil as fuel is
more economical. more effective and
much cleaner than the best of coal.
An attempt was made yesterday to
adjust the Wyoming's compasses, but
the sun refused to show itself and the
effort was postponed until the weather
conditions were more favorable.
Commander John J. Knapp is in COM
mand OF the Wyoming. The other Off
GERS are: Lieutenant Commander
Henry T. Baker. executive and navi-
gator; Lieutenant Z. T. Osborne. chief
engineer: Lieutenants +. E. Spofford.
J. J. Hannigan, b. Y. Rhodes, Pay
master ]. T. KutZ, Passed Assistant
Surgeon e. s. Hathaway. Midshipmen
Kirk y. Donavin and c. c. Clark
Boatswain J. Davis and Warrant Ma
chinists F. z. Ingram, 7. J. Hayes and
W. J. Burk.
Oil tanks have been installed in the
space formerly occupied by the coal
bunkers. but much of the Wyomings S
liquid fuel viii be carried in the double
bottom.
Is Transferred to China
Passed Assistant Surgeon A. d. Fos-
ter of the United States public health
and marine hospital service who was
assigned for duty here recently un-
Ger chief Quarantine of.cer hobby,
mas received orders to proceed to
Annoy. China, and To IeaVe here on
the transport Thomas. sailing January
,. About the time he received his
orders for China he learned of the
serious illness of his mother in De-
troit. DR.. Hobby at ONCE relieved him
from duty and he left yesterday for
Detroit. If the trains run true to
schedule he viii be able TO spend one
n : wit fi,.o,- I.
by January 5. If the trains do not
run true he will see his mother
anyway.
VIII Spend Christmas at Sea
The pilot schooner America went to
sea Tuesday and today the America
Both boats viii be out over Christmas
and the pilots who are not lucky
enough 10 get a ship TO bring in before
the 10Th are prepared TO make the
most of their Christmas at sea. Pilots
Johnson, Jordan and Christiansen went
out on the America and Silovich, Hayes
and Anderson will be on the Oracle.
Stevedore Injured
Thomas Fallon, a stevedore who lives
at 90 Clara street, fell into the hold
yesterday at Spear street wharf and
sustained a fracture of the right leg.
He was cared for at the harbor hospi-
tai and later removed to a private In
stitution.
French Line Is Sued
Suit was commenced in the United
States district court yesterday by c.
W. Craig & Co. against the Chargeurs
Reunis. a French corporation operating
steamers between Europe and this port
The suit is for damage to vermouth
shipped in vessels belonging to the
respondent from Genoa, Italy. It is
said that the wine was injured TO the
amount of SSS9.61
Water Front Notes
Receipts of lumber yesterday by sea
amounted TO 3,415,000 feet
The Pacific Mail liner Mongolia from
this port arrived yesterday at Yoko-
hama.
The Pacific Mail liner San Jose, which
called at San Pedro TO land the mem
bers of an opera company, should be
in port early this morning.
The Pacific Mail liner China left
Yokohama yesterday for this port
The bark Andrew Welch sailed yes
terday from Honolulu for this port.
The harbor commissioners viii hold
their regular meeting at the ferry
depot this morning. At this meeting
bids viii be opened for the lease of
the new lumber wharf to be constructed
at he