New-York tribune., 1886-01-07
CRUISING FOR n STORM.

Captain Meade's official report OF the
Dolphin' recent cruise will be a thrilling recital
of maritime adventure. Apparently he was
given rowing commission to 20 to sea in search
Of a storm. At this season of the year ordinary
DavigatOrs are cautious and remain In port
when the storm signals are flying. The com
manders of United States vessels are excep-
tionally wary, the regulations of the service re-
ouiring them to avoid unnecessary risks and to
delay departure from port when the weather is
threatening. The usual precautions seem to
have been neglected in this Instance. Inc
Dolphin having made an eastern passage from
New-York without running into heavy sea,
was ordered to beat down to the Capes ana
thence to the BermndaS in search OF big gale.
1t is needless to add that the cruise was COM
pletely successful. The Dolphin speedily over
hauled storm and made creditable attempt
TO outsail and outmaneuvre it. For twenty
four hours the gallant struggle was maintained,
and then the gale gave in, beaten at every
point The ship is reported to have been sab
jected to extreme tests, being placed Z" IN sew
eral trying positions with regard to the sea,
but even with these striking disadvantages she
made twelve knots an hour throughout the
storm The details of this interesting cruise
will be speedily furnished by Captain Meade
who on arriving at Fortress Monroe fastened
to Washington to receive the congratulations OF
Secretary Whitney, the Attorney General and
the Examining Board.
We regret to observe on the part OF cer-
serious critics insidious attempts to nisrepre-
sent the motives of the Department in ordering
this remarkable cruise. The charge is made
Al hot
VOYAGE and the numerous trial trips last spring,
when the vessel was condemned rs deficient III
speed and structuraly weak. 1t is ipsinuated
that the Department would have been well
pleased TO have the unSeawOrthiness oi the snip
demonstrated. Of course there can be no
ground for these suspicious. Secretary whit
ney in his recent report revealed his anxiety to
have the vessel satisfactorily tested so that he
could settle the unpaid balances, get rid oi 1T
igation in the Court Cf Claims, and devote all
his energies to the reorganization of the service.
Undoubtedly il was one of the happlest
moments of his official career when Captain
Meade reported nj Washington that the Dolphin
had weathcred the storm at the rate OF twelve
knots by the identical patent taiitail log uSed
By the Examining Board. The cruise disposed
of that embarrassing lawsuit. and brought to
an end an Improbable controversy. The SIC
retary was To be congratulated upon the result
The point which we fear these ungenerous
critics have missed is that the Secretary has
turned over a new leaf. He is no longer making
war upon Mr. Roach and the building
industry. He il rc0rganizng the Naval Service
and promoting It's efficiency. The country has
been rcproached with having n far-wcather
Navy which never ventured out OF port In n
storm. Ii has even been asserted that officers
and crews have 80 little actual service on the
water that they cannot be depended upon to
make even short voyages without being seaslck.
Now obviously the first thing to do in REFORM
inga Navy is to accnstOm all members OF the
service TO the motion of ship. The Secretary
has accordingly taken the strongest ship on the
list-perhaps the only one that could be ex-
pectcd to weather n storm-and sent 1t to sea In
search of storm. The result has demonstrated
not only tho Secretary's shrewdness, but also
the pressing need of naval reform. We are IN
formed that while the Dolphin was successfully
weathering the gale of the Bermudas, the
shaking up which the officers and crew received
made them all seasck." The positions with
regard to the sea " in which the Dolphin was
placed proved more trying To those on board
than to the vessel itself. 1t was n most lament
able exhibition Of the structural weakness OF
the American Navy, and fully justified the Sec
retary's reflections in his annual report upon
the necessity of naval reorganization.