The sun., 1890-07-13
nov 70 NAME THE VAR SH1ps
Proposals to Mako n Better Classification
for Ihe New Navy.

Proposals TO Mako n Better Classification
for Ihe New Navy.
| WAsH1NaToN, July 1.-THE changes suggest
ed by the House Naval Committee in the bill
passed by the Senate for rerating and re-
naming the navy are, upon the whole Judic-
ious. So far as the raiings are concerned, tho
new rule In the Senate bill has been accep epted
by the House Committee. This is to class all
vessels OF not less than 5000 tons displace-
ment as FIRST rates; all OF 5000, but less than
1000, as second rates; all OF 1000, but less
than 5000, ms third rates; all OF less than 900
as fourth rates. The principal difference To-
tween this rule and the present one Is hat the
new plan puts all vessels on the comm n foot
ing OF to- mage displacement, whereas tho
existing regulation rates armorclads accord
Ing to tonnage measurement which Is always
very much less. Tho existing statute also
makes the standard for first rates 1000 tons
displacement; that OF second rates 1000 TINT
OF third rates 900, while fourth rates fall below
the latter figure. The selection OF 900 instead
OF l,OOO tons as class standard Is itself sinRu-
lar, while the modern increase in displace-
ments makes 1t desirable 10 raise the stand
ards throughout
lronclads, under the existing rule. must
have 5000 tons measurement to go into the
first rate, 1000 or more to go into the second
and l,2OO or moro to go into the third. This
difference in the mode OF reckoning makes the
huge Puritan, Of 5000 tons displacement. only
third rate, because her tonnage measure
ment Is but 1870. whereas the Alert and the
Bangor. oi only 1.020 tons displacement each,
being unarmored. are also third rate as is the
iantic. OF 300 tons displacement. or only about
one-seventh that OF the Puritan. This double
standard, Furthermore, makes tho Omaha, Of
2,4O0 tons displacement, second rate while the
armorclad Maine. Of 6.64S tons is also n Sec
ond rate, and the unarmored Newark and san
Francisco OF 4,0S3 tons each are first rates.
Nobody can question the simplicity and good
sense OF the proposed new rules OF rating.
The Senate, however, next sought to name
the vessels hereafter in such way as to ind-
cate their general type and the service re-
quired OF them. This was a change from the
present rule, which assigns names according
to rates The Senate bill declared that battle
chips should be named after the States, cruis-
ers after the cities. coast defence vessels, II
unarmorcd. after rivers, and II armored. after
Important events or names connected with
the history OF the country: finally special
classes appropriate to the service for which
they may be designed. While the general pur-
pose OF this change was good, It was found TO
be subject to the difficulty Of classifying war
ships with adequate detiniteness. as the re-
port OF the House Committee points out:
eo.IS The defGnaon Of vessel as battle ship might
Of GUfs we SoSS vliG lave "S
corlng to tho latest oca CLASSIFICATION vessels rang
10 the Ts Nos [Ga ana nd Of oHg
l,OJl tons displacement
The House, Naval Committee might have
pointed out the further curious fact that the
very latest bill Tor the increase Of the navy au-
thorlzss three sea-RoinG. coast-lne battle
snlrS. whlch is nomenclature sufficiently
puzzling. This committee advises returning to
the old and simple rule OF naming according to
rates ;If a with fey changes; 80 that first rates
after the citios, third rates after Important
events or names corrected with our naval his
tory, fourth rates after The lakes and rivers.
Taken Us whole. this proposa! Is q good
one. and would require comparatively little
Tbe e 1ns ,bs bPses 5o OF the yessss
nst OF states. The Chicago. tho baltimore. the
philadelphia. the Newark, the San Francisco,
ately named; although the first f,e would DO
reduced to the second rate. The name OF the
Puritan could be altered t. hat OF State. un-
less IN her Gus g, rs in some otho!S, existing
names should be allowed to stand. The four
douols-tT ret mon tors, AmphttIte; ,Miagto-
receive the names OF cites. II change at all, rs
they have ,3sl5 tons Displacement ench.
The Cone3rd J,fg T. and Benningtnn which as third
events or names connected with the history Of
me tnited States do not como within the re-
names in our naval history only he fetrel
would require the name OF a lake or n river In
f,sed Rst Of the Sery peaslnG one Il now beas s.
mako Discretionary changes Of existing names.
It would hardly be worth while for NumpIe. TO
New Hampshire and Vermont, simply because
the revised rating will no longer entite them
to be called after States
The new rules will bring order out OF con-
fusion, and we shall no longer see at least in
vessels hereafter constructed two vessels OF
lively Jason and Comanche, and two others
Ajsx and Manhattan.