The New York herald., 1868-03-08


graduated from the school Of master tactician.
The battle OF Lake Erie established the fact that the
science OF lighting vessels in eets was not
TO the navtes OF Europe alone. And the disposition
Of Perrys ships, the daring mode OF ms attack ne
sudden change In the line of battle, and the man
ties Of the dull sailers in his eet by towing them
into action has furnished OF the most interesting
chapters in all the modern works on naval tactics
while the glory OF the victory itself mas caused the
name OF Perry to be written In letters Of living light
among the stars.
Champlain were necessarily different from those en-
ployed on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie being iatter
less heavily spared and constructed more afer the
manner OF foating batteries than for rapid move
ments under sail. Compared with the other lakes
Champlain is q much smaller body Of water, and
there were many circumstances connected with its
defence which occasioned different order Of things
But the labor and difficulty of equipping the vessels
were very great. The absence OF prize money, the
sailors to fresh water brought few recruits to Com
modore McDon0ugh's squadron, and IL s reported OF
him that he worked whole winter in the rigging oft
eyes, Finally both squadr0ns were ready very nearly
at the same time and on the 11th Of September 1914
the British neet rounded Cumberland Head and
came down in two columns upon the vessels Of
McD0nough, who was anchored In ectelon, with
double springs on his cables, and in such manner
that he could only be approached by the enemy bows
on, while the extremities OF his line could not be
turned by reason Of the shore and the shoals at
defence made this in some respects miniature Of
the battle of the Ne but with very different results
Instead Of breaking through McDonough's lines the
enemy found himself In csM de sac In which he
was obliged to anchor, and before he could spring
his broadsides to exchange the fire he was cut to
pieces The consequences Of this signal victory over
q superior force apart from the mastery manner In
which 1t was achieved, were most important, be-
cause 1t compelled precptate retreat Of the British
army and ended the war on the northern fron-
tier Not long after this event peace was declared.
Thus for the United States the Of 1912 settled
Tripoli had disposed OF the arrogant demands
Of the Mohammedan pirates for tribute. But
1t did than this. 1t demonstrated to the nations
OF the Old World that there resided on this continent
the elements Of great and 0vershadOwing naval
power 1t inspired the American people with an
their defence and it gave ave to historians and poets
and painters absorbing theme In the record OF its
triumphs and the deeds OF its heroic men.
dispassonate review Of the contest disclOses the
fact that most OF the engagements took place upon
nearly equal terms so far as the distribution OF force
and armament was concerned; nor was there any
great superiority In the speed Of our ships over those
OF the English navy But 1t cannot be denied that In
professional skill and practical knowledge our
officers had vastly the advantage.
The state of war which prevailed almost uni
versaly throughout ChristendOm from the beginning
OF the nineteenth century to 1915 had given sur
prising impetus to naval equipments IN every mari
time natiOn and the people OF the United states
were not slow to adopt the improvements which sci
ence developed experience had purchased. At the
close Of the war, therefore, our navy stood 0asa-vs
In fair comparison In all its appointments with the
naval establishments OF Europe. Under the teachings
OF EckfOrd and Humphreys the cumbersome, old
fashioned hulks Of the Revolutionary period had given
place to substantial fgates and sloops Of beautiful
lines and harmonious proportions. The principle Of
cabre Of the battery not only augmented the weight
OF metal thrown but 1t impaired greater strength to
the top frames and provided better quarters Tor the
crew In battle. Attention was likewise paid to the
considerations Of capacity and speed; made spars
Is So IN
were coppered and lightning conductors were pro-
vided. Such in fact, was the condition Of the navy
at the end OF the last war with England.
The total naval expenditure from 1872 to 1915 was
$50 0O0 which includes the construction and out
At OF the squadrons on the lakes.
NAVAL ASYLUM AT PHILADELPHIA.
This institution was authorized by Congress as
early as 1871 and was originally included among the
naval hospitals Its object Is to provide comforta-
BILE home FOR disabled and decrepit naval officers,
seamen and marlnes,n who may be entitled to the
the hospital and pension funds, Of which the secre-
tary Of the Navy is made the trustee and he Is re-
quired to invest them In registered securities OF the
United States. It Is presided over by naval cnicer
who Is styled "GOvernOr,' and whose rank Is not
below that Of captain. All applicants for admission
are required to produce evidence Of twenty years.
that the applicant Is not able to support himself by
manual labor. II the applicant is pensoner the
with the Of the Secretary Of the Navy Each
beneficiary is entitled to SO per month for clothing
pocket money. The punishments consist OF confine-
ment In cells, diminished ratons stoppage OF pocket
money tobacco, DC. and, for serious offences, dis
missal from the asylum The benefits OF this nstitu-
tiOn to the worn-out veteran OF the navy ncacu
liable. Here, under mild and wholesome system Of
discipline, with every attention and comfort, are ag-
gregated the few surviving companions OF the naval
heroes OF 1872 and now the sole custodians OF the
glorious traditions OF that eyentful period.
THE BOARD OF NAVY COMMISSIONERS.
In 1915 Board OF Commissioners somewhat SINH
lar in its organization and duties to the British Board
Officers Of the grade Of captain In the long inter.
val OF peace which occurred from their organization
to 1S42 (when they were finally ousted these ilne
old gentlemen all OF the 0lden time" became seri-
GUS impediment to the SERVICE and were likened to
so many huge barnacles on the bottom Of the navy.
An examination OF the history of Congressional leg
islation during that interregnum OF more than
quarter Of century exhibits how little done In
the way of moral advancement. In 1917 an act was
passed authorizing the protection OF the live oak and
red cedar timber lands In Florida and In 1919 the
names Of the vessels Of the navy regulated by
States, Of the second class after the rivers, and
those Of the third class after cities and towns This
was done to prevent the use Of such classic names
ing Molly" Bachelor John," &C., which are COM
mon to an earlier and more exciting epoch. During
Mr.: Lncol1's U.s. administration mil he suggested as an
to all naval vessels. Under the commits
sioners thirty-one vessels, or about one an.
the steam frigate Fulton No. 2 which was built in
1887, in New York, at cost Of s3os, lse. She was
designed by Samuel Humphries, and her engines
were constructed by @. w. Copeland.
FIRST EXAMINATIONS OF MIDsHIPMEN
In 1922 all midshipmen were required to pass an
examination in seamanship and navigation before Q
promotion ieutenants, and this gave rise to the
purgatorial grade OF passed midshipman." A pro-
baton OF SIX years service was also required besides
Q sea journal, certificate OF moral character and
fitness general release from boarding house land.
ladies, talOrs and bootmakers and the ability 10
work out dead horse" and lunar. married mid
shipman stood no chance whatever. At first these
examinations were very irreguarly conductcd-the
boards meeting sometimes In one place and some
times In another, until finally the Naval Asylum In
Philadelphia was made the focal point and so 1t con-
unued until the establishment OF the Naval Academy
Anuan0iQ
footing with West Point, and under the superntend
ence OF Vice Admiral Porter ranks among the best
naval colleges In the world.
NAVAL DRY DOCKS.
The subject OF dry docks was early one OF absorb.
Ing interest to the navy The first two were built at
the Boston and Norfolk Navy Yards. These were
commenced In 1927, and completed simultaneously
In March, 1884 They constructed OF granite and
were designed by the celebrated civil engineer, Loam
Baldwin. The following are their principal dimen.
slons:-lnterior OF chamber at top SO feet wide and
1858 feet long, to the face OF the arch above water sill
total length OF dock, 3O6 feet; width Of chamber
floor, 30 feet length, 22s feet; dept 80 feet, and
deuth of n ord Oh tide feet. The