The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-20


The Secretary Of the Navy has issued all tn
orders necessary toSthe commencement OF the ma
val drill at Key West ,The instructions natura.
OF general character, The waters selected for tn
drill constitute that portion OF the Gulf OF Mexico
lying north OF the Dry-Tortugas The object il
this choice is to avoid tine Gulf Stream, that por
ton Of the Gulf being less adapted to man9uyres
OF an experimental character. The.folowing de
spatch Of the Secretary OF the Navy
DEsIGNATEs THE VESSELS
which will participate in the drill
NAVY DEPARTMENT. Jan. Is, 1874.
Rear Admiral CASE. Key West, Fla. =
Squadron will be Colorado, Wabash, Franklin,
Lancaster, Brooklyn, COngre IS, Worcester Alaska
ossIpee, Wschnse %yomng Kansas saaaas
Mahopac. Manhattan, Ajax, COnOnicus, Wyardotte
Dictator besides Despatch, three tugs. shawmut
GEORGE N. robson, Secretary of the Navy.
The iron-clad Ajax. two guns, now at Philaael-
phia, is ready TO join the Meet. The officers as
signed are:-Csmmander J. NJ Miller commahd-
ing; Lieutenant Commander W. G. Wise, Execu-
tive Ofncer; Lieutenant W. r. Moore, Masters G.
T. Norton and w. A. MADDEN. The iron-clad Die
tator, two guns, Is at New York ready for sea- and
will be tOwed to Key West by the PowhataD..
The officers assigned Captain w. F. Spicer,
commanding; Lieutenant Commander II. h. Robe
son; Executive Onacer b. P. Lamberton; heuten-
Eaton and Master Monahan The Shawmut, three
guns. steam slOOp now ut the Washington Navy
Yard, will be ready to sail in few days She
Will be commanded BY Commander H. l.. HowisOn.
Inc rest OF the officers will be assigned at once.
The Ossfpee Is at Norfolk and will sail immedi-
ately. The officers of the vessels composing the
fleet as constituted several weeks since were
given In these dispatches. The drill will not CON-
mence till after the arrival OF Commodore Foxhau
Parker. temporarily assigned
CHIEF OF STAFF,
and as soon as the entire Meet Is concentrated and
other necessary preparations completed the drill
will contiue at intervals till spring it being the
purpose of the Secretary OF the Navy co give the
Officers the full benefit OF such rare opportunity
for practice IN feet tactics, a chance which
may not occur again during the present
generation. There is q large stock OF Goals and
stores OF all kinds at Key West, which will be drawn
upon. The vessels will take in full supply OF
coal, so that they can remain out for at least
fifteen days. II it should then be the wish of the
commanding officers they will put into port for
any needed repairs, and after brief respite re-
sumo their tactical cruise.
The first orders will be the rendezvous of the
entire fleet at the Dry Tortugas, as already stated
Rear Admiral Case will command the general
movements of the fleet, and Commodore Parker
Iuc LaCtlCdl OpcIdLlOuS anu manHuVrcS. The
naval warfare OF Sir Howard Douglas.
7uctiQue Nnuale OF the French, and the
Noupelles Bases de Tacttn,e Narale by Rear
Admiral Boutakov, of the Russian Navy, are the
best authorities now in use in the navies OF Eu-
rope, and apply to the old naval regime. The sys-
TEN OF Commodore Parker, now about to be tested
is extremely simple, embOdying principally
AN ADAPTATION OF MILITARY TO NAVAL TACTICS
as far as possible. The entire drill practically
tried, In a small way, by the Commodore during
the two years that he commanded the Potomac
fOtilla. The system is entirely new as applied to
feet tactics, but would be recognized by
any military officer familiar with the evo-
lutlOns OF regiments and divisions. The basis OF
organization for fleet maneuvres is the assem-.
bling OF twelve or more vessels, which takes the
name OF neet and is separated into three divisions
OF one, two or three squadrons, each squadron
comprising not less than tour vessels. The present
fleet will be manGuvred on the basis Of twenty
four vessels
Speaking on the subject Of his tactics, Commo-
dore Parker says in the days when ships were at
the mercy OF the winds an admiral could not do
better than lead his fleet into close action but now
that, through the agency OF steam, war has become
not less science at sea than on land, when the
ocean is a great chess board upon which the skill
full looker-on sees many move not apparent to
the contestants, whose brains have become heated
with the STRIFE.
ROLF OF THE ADMIRAL
approximates to that OF the General and ne should
like the latter, take post, whence, without being
an active participant in 1t, he may overlook the
whole sea and battle and signal to the fleet such
formations as he shall find necessary. He should,
n other words, be the mind of the fleet and his
officers and men should feel that he is watching
over them. ever ready to take advantage OF false
move on the part Of the enemy
The Secretary OF the Navy does not expect to be
able to witness any part OF the drill, in conse.
quence OF the necessity Of his presence in
the department to attend to any business which
may devove upon MIN through resolutions OF Con-
gress. Commodore Rodgers will visit Key West and