New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-14
THE United STATES NAVY IN JAPAN.
THE AsIATIC SQUADRON WITHOUT MopIhN
SHIP OR MODERN GUN-ILLNEsS AND
0EE1GERS.


SHIP OR MODERN GUN-1LLNEss AND
DEATHS AMONG THE OFFICERS.
yotohama. japan, oct. 5.-Orders have peen ie
ceivcd here for the sloopof.war e"atar", o"e ~
few wooden vessels remaining. lin the on,eu go
Navy TO proceed to San Francisco She VIII p'oo"o'
arrive there about December !. Ihs c'sos y" wv
station only the flagship Omaha, the hi''ah'e, ".y
palos and the Monocacy. The United sa'es navy
has not a modern ship or a modern gun In the whoic
NJ Tho Asotic SQUADRON. 1t is interesting u Ahcri
ors including those outside Of the Navy, 10 rcad vi
their country being represented in other parts Oh e
world by modern vessels; but' VIII" 'i0 p
ton Of the dispatch boat Dolphin, "h'ch ""' NJ
theso waters for few weeks two years ago. the
people OF China and Japan have not mad tie oppor-
unity of seeing an American vessel which can In
any way compare favorably with some Oh te 'essoi'
in the Chinese and japanese navies. Only fe~
months AGO in the harbor of Kobe the most Important
MORT IN the Inland Sea- there seventeen japanese
war vessels in harbor at one time, ana every one OF
those vessels was Of modern type and armcd WIFI
breecl loading rifles.
II is reported however, that the new cruiser san
Francisco now being fitted out at the Maresland navy
Yard is coming out here as hagship' anu IL sio
the Japanese and Chinese Governments VIII nave ho
further cause TO feel the United states Is ndier
ent to them in the way OF an oiicai representation
In their waters.
The Monocacy and Palos iron vessels. but they
are Of small displacement and are armed WIN guns
OF an obsolete type, the former with SIX small soo'
bores and the latter with seven howizers They are
unouestionaby great utility for river service but arc
laughing stocks In the eyes OF the foreign com
munit,es The Monocacy Is the last of the old
iron sdewhee doublcenders, which did good service
in the latter part of the Civil war She was buiit In
1863 and has several times been recommended 70 oe
DISPOSED Of as she Is not only obsolete In type ou'
not in condition for sca-servlcc sne was INei o"'
81 tho water at Yobasika in June, 1880, and her
bottom Mating was repaired, at cost OF ABOUT $SVoV
in gold 1t was found that her bottom was paoi,
corroded in several places, condition In great Par'
duo IN calyanic action Then she was sent 10 th's
mort and a contract was made for htuhg he"
decks and for general repairing OF her pop"o'h'
AZ cost Of about $4,000 in gold. She Is always useo
by the Admiral when he wishes to 80 up inc ia"s''e VI
the Peiho. a
The Palos is an iron vessel of the fourth rate, and
was built inst after the Civil War. She carries bat
| terry of seven howtzers. The Omaha Is WOODEN
vessel and must soon be ordered home to be repaired
She left here yesterday for Chemupo to d nays
target practice ana mac On the coast where ships
rews can be landed. The Alliance, another Oh tht
wooden vessels left here ten days ago Tor me UaroS
| Islands to investigate some reporeu uis'uio""0'
just before the Alliance sailed Leutenan'Gom
mandcr John C. Rich and Lieutenant G. Biocnnhsc ,
were transferred to the hospital as ,ht i9r u'
VOYAGE. Both are now improved III heaiti; rassT'
,esistant Engineer w. A. Mintzer has also been sen
"a the hospital from the Monocacy So much ilies
and 80 MANY deaths in the squadron have cast gloon
ADMIRAL Ralph Chandler in February 1882 has beer
| followed by others. some OF them unusually s'u
Thief Engineer Edwin Wells died suddenly at shang,
not long after the Admiral. The sudden death o
! Ii"utenant of Marines W. c. Turner followed, tnel
! Gnn,nander John MCGOWAN had to DO sent home a.
Invalid. and since that time several deaths nav
! occurred. some Of them sucides. 49,, , - A.,
| rho latest OF the sudden deaths. ana one ma
has Intensified the sorrow Of officers who have los
their comrades one after another was that OF Ensig
| Harry r. Rumscy, of the Swatara, September 20
lie went 10 the beach in company will. with friend
| bathing lie was suddenly missed. and an alarm
being given thorough search r was made t hnttS
| In six feet of water. Efforts were made To resise
tate him. but in vain The eoroners inquest retnrmG
pointing to an attack Of cramps. Tho funeral wa
held on the following day Ensign Rumsey was ;ni
| poInted a cadet at the Naval Academy from Wyomin
In september. 1882, and Joined the s"atara In Fea
ruary, 1859.