The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-08
NEW RATINGS FOR TEE NAVE
A Change In the Classification os War YES
sells 60 n SiupIer Rasla.


sells 60 n Siapler Rasss.
WASHINGTON. jan. IAN order just issued
by Secretary Tracy accomplishes through ad-
ministr,,tive action what has long been sought
OF Congress through legislation.
The registe OF the vessels in our navy shows
in It's classificatlons what seems like strange
incongruity. and certainly is source OF con-
fusion. We ind tho Newark. OF 4.OS3 tons dis
placement, and the PHILADELPHIA. OF 1924. put
down as first rates. while the Texas. OF o.3oO
tons displacement. is only second rate, as
also Is the Maine. OF 8.64S tons. Again. while
tho Hartford OF 1000 tons displacement. and
the Cincinnati. OF 3. 1873. arc second rates. the
big Puritan. OF 5000 tons. Is put down as
third rate. although she has about 1000 tons
displacement moro than tho San Francisco.
which Is n first rate.
Looking further Mt the list OF third rates. We
find among them the Amphitrite and the
Terror. OF 3.8l5 tons displacement each. while
the Atlanta and the Boston. OF 700 tons less.
are among the second rates. We also find tho
little Yantic. OF 900 tons. and tho Machins. OF
1850 in the same class with the Monadnock.
OF 1915 tons. and the Puritan. OF e.00O
The key to this apparent Inconsistency Is
that under the regulations which have sub
sisted for many years. armored vessels are
rated according to tonnage measurement, but
others according to tonnage displacement.
The changes in tho rules for ratings IRE. to
some extent. reflex Of the progress in naval
architecture. In old times the rating was
based on the number OF guns carried This
was the rule in the British navy us we'll as
ours. Our statutes provided that ships OF
forty guns or moro should be first rates: those
Of twenty guns or more. second rates: those q
very well until monster ordnance in turrets
took the place OF rows Of small guns, Y would
armor-ciad. carrying four iOO-ton guns, in n
lower rate than 5QO.ton sailing ship. mount
ing half dozen little smooth hores which
were mere popgnns In comparison. Nor even
when secondary batteries came into vogue did
they make the old method Of rating by mere
Thee saS tRes atns By
with the distinction already indicated That
IN
aud ironclads OF 3.OO9to or moro IN tonnage
measurement; second rates steamers 81 from
caas from sGS to 3So5 tons Ina
ment: third rates. steamers Of from 900 to
100 to 1000 tons meas rement: fourth rates,
steamers Of too small displacement for third
We now soc. accordingly. the origin Of the
apparent confusion already spoken Of The
ss rsY Maine Tssa na tsn and ds s
ment, but neither has 5000 tons by measure:
%ent and they 20 into ths second
| placement, has only $40 in tonnage measure
second! rates, the minimum OF which. in the
HSs s msnsSF til sfa
had asa has 0: sS toms s ss aS
ter. like the Hanger. with her 1.O20 tons dis:
register nowadays gives dsnacements only. 80
thnt the classification becomes myster ious to
1t has long been obvious that with the change
the latter by steel decks: and other ehanges in
tinction between the methods OF rating iron.
clads and other war vessels ought to DO set
ed Of this fact that both branches agreed to
substitute subs tT simpler method OF rating But
the vessels Of the navy. and since botn sub:
jects were Incorporated in the same bill the
ed Tssy has
Change IN Tatiass. ana has pubIIshsd a e eircu;
OF the navy regulations so rs to read as follows
ship. OF ami above 5000 tons displacement will be
1000 and above Ju! below s. % tons dispacement
~ OF less man tons dis
:, Since this is exactly the system to which the
sress It IS we'll that a aSthority Should have
been found to accomplish the change. without
| waiting Tor n Legislative action which could
not have been expected in season for the next
The changes Effected by the new classified.
tion will naturally be numerous. The Maine
and Texas will become first rates. and the
Puritan vii! be promoted from the third rate tc
tie 1irst. There also; viii DC found OF course
and the New York. besides cruiser No. T.. nov
popularity known rs the Pirate, her sister shil
No. IL. and, finally the $500 ton vessel. build
ing at SIM Francisco. which is to receive the
Next tho Chicago. the Baltimore. the Phila.
delphia. the Newark. and the San Francisco
viii be CHANGED from first rates to SECOND
the names Of cities: They, will join their com
radios Of similar names II ke the Charleston
tho Lancaster. the Pensacola, the Atlanta the
Boston. the Raleigh. the Cincinnati, now al
ready among the SECOND rates. To this elias.
also IIs viii DO raised the monitors LAmphitrite
the coast defender Monterey: Then we shall
find the Hartford and Omaha dropped from
the end of the list OF second rates to the top o
tile third rates, and the Yantic from he bot
tom Of the third rates to the top Of the fourth
To- these ARRANGEMENTS may be added b!
lating to the names OF ships. and at all events
the improvement in ratings is manifest