The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-03-13
Cor l1nII,aIla 49,.

patciles, was the subject of consider
able comment among naval officers.
One and all are of the opinion
TINT if the German cruiser Olga
came in contact with any vessel ut
the island it must have been with
the little Nipsic, or possibly with
the Trenton.
although the yandalia and Trcn-
ton are due in Somoa by this time,
it is not yet known whether either
of the vessels have completed the
passage. Naval officers have been
laying wager.s on the result of the
Face between the ships. The Trcn-
ton aud Xandalia left for
Samoa about the same time, the
Trenton starting from Panama, with
Admiral Kembcrly on board, and
the Vandalia from San. francisco.
with Captain g. NJ. ScIioonmaker
in command. Both vessels have
good speed records, and it has been
conceded that the race would be. a
tight one, with perhaps the slight
est advantage in favor of the Van
.dilia. The Nipsic has been al Samoa
undef.tlle command of Commander
Mullen. ever since the officer re-
leived the Adams from the island
work
1t is very easy for naval officers to
understand how an American Var
yessol could be so insitlted bYE the
Germans, laboring as they are I'M
der the excitement of the time. to
warrant the placing of shot un-
pleasantly near ! them. If the
Germans resented the shot OF
warming by firing one of their ship
batteries in return, nothing would
be likely to restrain the Americans
from discharging broadside, in
return. 1t is we'll known before the
Adams relieved by the Nipsic that
the former vessel WAS compelled TO
to keep her dock Cleared for qnar-
tiers, and her position so selected
as to enable her to keep 81 gun CON
stantly trained ON the Germans. If
fight has occurred it is more than
likely that the little Nipsic has had
a hand in it, The German cruiser
Olga is much her superior in size.
Ii the Trenton was on the scene,
and there had been an occasion, for
using powder, Capt. n. Ill. FarqIliar,
her commander, would have thrown
the big ships rifles into action in "a
twinkling. If the Trenton took Il
u hand Americans need have little
fear about the result, for, with Cap
taid Farquhas in command, she
would prove more than match for
any vessel in the German navy short
of the KONG Wilhelm, the Dutch
land, and u half IL dozen OF the IRON
clad fleet. Captain Farqtlnar has one
of the most cnviablc regulations in
the navy. Hegraduated from Anna
polls high in his class, in the latter
part of the titties, and was shortly
afterward sent out OH the African
coast as one the detail of midship-
men when the United States was
one of the powers engaged in sup
pressing the slave trade.
While on the station many slaves
were captured, and many of the
vessels were among the finest of
American built craft-nccessarily
so since the business in whicirs they
were engaged demanded swift and
able ships. The prizes when taken
were as usually sent to America in
charge of some officer and small
prize crew. Midsllipman Earquhar,
being the senior nidshipman aboard,
suddenly found himself ordered to
take to America prize. and with Il
crew of only IL dozen men he started
on his long voyage Shortly after
leaving the coast yellow fever broke
out, aud so terrible was the work
that when midshipman Farquhar
passed the Virginia capes, bound
up for Norfolll, he had only two
men left capable of doing duty.
During the war Lieutenant Far
quhar received distinguished hon
ors, and was conspicuous in all the
heavy naval fights. AT Fort Fisher
the visor of his cap was torn off by
a round of grapesIiot as he was
leading an assault, and as souvenir
of the occasion he still retains the
tattcred remnants. AS seaman
there is no better in the navy, and
as an officer and a gentleman he is
universally respected. His last
shore duty was as commandment of
cadets at Annapolis, but since that
time he has received his full cap
taincy.
Naval officers are certain that if
the Trenton was ut at Samoa during
any fighting, and Farquhar was not
hampered by the Admiral, tic big
eight-incll rifles of the Trenton
would have been brought into play.
The battery of the Trenton consists
of ten eight-inch rifles. They were
all formerly elevcn-inch smooth
bore Dahlgrens. Eight of these
guns are mounted on the gun deck
and two on the spar deck The gun
deck has four guns of the battery on
each side. The Trenton formerly
carried three eight-inch rifles on the
spar deck, two of which were
mounted on the forecastle; but the
heavy pitching caused bya5,this
weight forward neccssitated the talk
ing off of one of the forecastlc guns.
The Wyoming now carries this
gun. All the carriages were made
by the DeIamatcr Cannon Works,
of New York, and were of most