, 1869-07-14
MR. BORE on NAVAL NOMENCLATURE

Secretary Borie's brief connection with the
Navy Department WAS 6gnnlized by the per-
fo11nance Of IN official a.t. The degree Of
Judgment with which this act was performed
has already been made the subject Of c1iti-
cis1n, insouueh TINT Borie, though retired
from Office, is not permitted to rest in that
peaceful oblivion to which it was supposed
lis merits entitled him. As the 6tate OF
New Hampshire has, through both its Legis-
latuse and Historical Society, invited Mr..
Rol'cson to reverse the single act wherein
Mr.. Bone nlade bis mark, We cannot ayoid
discussing it.
Mr.. Dories oflcial net wa6 to chnngc the
nnmcs Il, lfty-nlnc vessels Of tho navy,
takiDg fory-two Of his new names from the
British navl register, md making up the
others "out Of his own head, or, what was
much the SANG, ont Of Admiral Porter's
Tint forty-t~o Of the names of our veascls
should he the same Us forty-two Of those Of
Great Dritaiu is happy stroke OF humor,
for which NC giro alr. Borie our apprecia-
tive smile. Should the United States 80 to
war with Great britain, We will hayo the
American ship Atlas receiving the fire Of
the British ship Atlas, Her Britannia
alnjcssys Goliath hulIing Tue American wnr
ship Goliath, and tho Admirnlis flagship
McdrBn attacking the Admirals flagship
McduAa,-nll Of which renders history
short md emy for beginners, rs
there n1e fewer names to TO-
member. It is t1uo there will
lie those WHO will think lint these ycssols,
which wun imperishable honor under the
nuncs OF the Salant, Catsliu and Nan
tucEet, and under tho command Of Admi-
zuls Dupont, Dallgren and Rodgers, ought
not so be compelled to exchange these
names, which are now part Of the history Of
their country, Of the siege # churleston,
The siege of Richmond and the capture of
New Orleans, by, substituting for them the
tapid nnd empty names Of English vessels
whicL Envc never been in action.
Three little monitors which aided in the
capture Of Wilmington-the S1ugas, Ca
nonicus ind MAhopac-are shoru OF their
history bS being renamed the Centaur,
Scylla md Castor. The Saaganon, named
by President Lincoln, in pride, after his
own county, now receives the scuseless
mime of jason. The euphonious nane Of
Omaha is dropped for Beolc;a- Eppeca-
noe, redolent Of Indian, military and po-
litical associations, is changed to Vesuvius-
Warsaw, from the birthplace of Andrew
Jackson, gives place to Siobe. Fash-ma-
t.-ha. from IN old Indian Chief and friend
of jackson, is changed to Cambridge.
In Ill these changes, cherished and patri-
otic associations, dear to many Of the oth-
GERS and sailors Of our navy are sacrificed
for some uninte!liGible motive. The new
names are not naval, rs names Like Tfnfal-
gar, Nile, Chesapeake, or Plattsburgh would
be; they are MT euphouious, rs many OF
Our Indian Ea1nes nre; nor have they any
inspiring or patriotic associations. Their
effect to obliterate history is very Ike
what would follow IN n1my order changing
the name Of tie battle Of Fort Donelson to
floyds retreat, or 1f Yicksb1rg tc Peuber-
tons compromise.
But many Of these na1nes are conferred in
violation oi the spirit Of the s.atute. The
Law provides That all vessels Of more than
70 grns shall be mined nfter States those
DEkNEcu III EllA ~ 4AFE4Si kAloG 0o-
tween 20 md 10 after cities, and those
under 20 as the Secretary mny direct. The
cleer intent is that the American navy shall
cA1y our american names wherever they
60. The Late secretary has given the
names Of States TO seven Of these vessels
which have not third Of 20 guns,
thus monopo!iziog names which be-
long to larger craft True, the revolu-
tons in raval warfare lessen the number
Of guns carried by the more effective E,ar
vessels. Bet this does not warrant the
Secretary to issue an order, in whirh he
cla;ns, 'sin pursuance Of law to do pre-
cisely what the law forbids- While we can-
not claiss. tl4at tie best tasta has previously
been c1crcised in naming vessels, it is cer-
tuin TIM, Mr. Bone made botch of his at
tcuptci REFORM We unite with New
Hun,pshirc in asking that Secretary Robe
sou interfere in the matter, trusting that
there may be 10 doubt Is to the result OF
his interference.