New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-26
THE NAVAL REVIEW.
:, =, ,,v.r ,upROvEs WITH PRACTICE.


TON or ORDERS - .,,v ,p,nrNrl
y, H. .osu,p WABASH Bay of Florida FeD' IL
M. a.. oap,e IN anchor on the afternoon OF rIio'S'
,ho eth IN allow the men two resting DAYS ."o
Admiral intending to get mder way OH 4nonu"S
,oorp;nc but a strong breeze from the northwest
accompanied with rough sea, rendered " u.i"'
v;sablc to attempt any exercises so we fehiain.u
AZ anchor AT 9 a. m. signal was MADE from .'o
flagship to send down top galiant-mas' anu ya''o
IN order 10 lessen the resistance against te VI
the wind. and make the ships ride easily az 'noA
chains. The ricOnderoga, having arrived 'no u"0
heforc from Kew West, took her position as NO
IN the First Division. The wyoming Whion n"'
heen paced there awaiting her ARRIVAL fesunou "0'
station in the Second Division, NO, 6; INC steam
Yacht Despatch taking station near the Iassnip @,
sondo, and dispatch boat. The wind had increased
.s,u~no c,,le With dirty sea" running, so that
the smaller ships were tossed about ID merciless
,',n, railing and pitching to every sea. causing
svo,v one on the Illustrates Tor ships OF the wabash
ronLE, and Colorado class to congratulate them
.o,yes One could hardly imagine more uncon-
tor,oh,e a bonrs than was passed on the Kansas
,vvo,r;nc and the little tugs the latter III fact
aL;no better weather of it than some that claim
oro notice One old Jack standing ON the lore
.,stle looking at the Kansas which. with roll one
,ay yould almost show her keel, the next giving
view Of her spar deck fore and aft SAID with soleIn
nitv "Tbey that 20 down to the sea on shlps ana
steamers see the wonders Of the deep. but they that
90 down in fourthIates and tugs see -" well
sometbinp different The fleet being anchored in
ecbelon rode clear Of each others cables and safely
through the night, notwithstanding the anchorage
was entirely unprotected from northwesterly gales
Tuesday 10th opened with "nOrtheT still blow
ing and sea running high; but it abated during the
afternoon the feet still remaining at anchor ana
tho Piuta was sent TO Key West with the mall
During this rest officers amused themselves playing
shuttle board while enterprsing artist from one
Of our illustrated papers took sketch of the scene
Every man who could beg borrow, or steal fishing
line was over the side hard at work, but with in
different luck. Not even the presence of the Ad-
niral on the poop. who wished to see the sport
would induce the fish TO bite at Government pork.
Feb. l1.-Early in the morning the Despatch was
ordered TO take position miles S. L. of anchor
age to serge as a mark for the fleet this afternoon
when the Admiral concludes to anchor. The Beef
boat this time with schooner III tow, hove III sight,
AMI remained through the day near the Despatch
while the feet at drill At 9l0 all ordered
to get under way by signal which was followed by a
great deal of cOnfusion-the ships getting huddled
together in a Here the necessity of having a
fleet Of instruction steam tactics very appar-
ent. As Commodore Parker remarked in speaking
of the utility of systematic code of signals and the
drilling of vessels of war; Suppose now we he had
no method by which those ships cOuld be made
available, no tactical laws laid down to follow to
throw them in an offensive defensive position as the
exigency of battle required, why a well-organized
enemy could sink every ship in the feet" There is
doubt but that Navy is sOrely in need of the
practical work it is doing in the Bay of Florida.
of instruCtiDg officers in handling their ships,
maneuveTing number of vessels in action, which
he done by the tactics lBarker's) now in use
readily as with an army on shore. Here the regi-
ments brgades. and divisions represented ycer
tain ship OF ships; the whole feet being an army
which can be thrown into different formations at
the discretion Of the commanding officer.
The effectiveness of our vessels of war as steamers
compared with other nationaities is very apparent
when they are unable to execute with accuracy any
evolution unless their speed is reduced to the low
rate of four knots an hour and even then some fall
behind. The Wyoming's boilers giving out she was
Obliged to haul fires and lay up for repairs The
assertion that not oDe-hrd of the number of ships
here sound in all parts, may be regarded as
tremely modest. Although these maneuvers are not
always particularly interesting to the looker-on it
beautiful sight to see large ships moving by
signal as though at a game Of chess Still there is a
mOnOtOny about it. But with those who actively
engaged strict observance of the orders and signals
is required in order TO keep the vessels in proper
position.
GROWING PROFICIENCY OF THE FIRET-ADMIRABIE
EXECUTION OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE
DESPATCH FOR HAVANA.
tTROh SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT oP TnR rRIBuNRl
u. s. 5. COLORADO, BAY or FLORIDA Feb 1S-
Com. Parker has fairly brought the fleet into toll
L. a..
heretofore dull and unnteresting from the wretched
manner of their execution are now subject Of con-
siderable pleasure from the able manner in which
the vessels handled by their commanding and
subordinate officers The officers now know the rel
alive merits of their vessels, and are able TO move
more III unison than heretofore, and the result is
that when the eet is in motion the effect is very
fne. The arrival of the Brooklyn has enabled the
Commodore TO detach the little Fortune, which was
nothing more than marker, and the Colorado rs
now enabled to move without endangering the tug
which was always getting under the bows to the
constant apprehension of the frigates officers.
Sunday, as is usual in the Navy, was day of rest
on the vessels forming the feet. At o'clock on
Monday morning the feet was again under way.
the first order being ON the van diyision-form
column OF vessels abreast by divisions in natural
ordern The next order was 4" Form in close order"
which simply lessened the distance between the
vessels and the divisions. This maneuver having
been satisfactorily executed, the flagship sgnaled
Forward into line-left.p This maneuver was very
iss executed, and when the vessels were ranged at
'neir regular distances they presented an imposing
Hprs"0e' Inc nag-ship next signaled, Form
uo"oie eo"e'on py DIVISIONS on second division
Then Form echelon of vessels from rigbt Of divi
sion" Then Ecbelon of vessels from the left Of
division This practically ended these nanenvers
for the day, the flagship signaling to take dovrn
t0u- gallant, mast shortly after vrb;o, a., a "'