The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-19
MONITOR MARLBOROUGH.
4 Talk WITH COBuiNDER GRAHAM.
His Prophecies Being Rapidly Tulafled An
oficer of the Double-Turroted Mont
tor ESplodes u Canard

W '>f'~''s - 'hnafd.
About two months ago a TINES reporter
had an interesting interview with Commander
Graham. Of the monitors below Richmond. in
which naval vessels and naval matters in
general were touched upon. This was about
the time the Gillian war scare was first
started, and Commander Graham made sew
eral prophecies based on his knowledge Of
the Chilians that have since been
confirmed in the news from that
country. Commander Graham cruised Tor
two years IN utn American waters and had
an intimate acquaintance with the CHILEAN
character. He described them as being III
tolerant in their feeling of superiority over
the rest Of the world, arrogant and bullying
By nature and ever ready 10 r.dicule tie
nited states navy for Its inelicIency.
They were frequent IN their boasts
Of the superior strength IT their
navy over ours and were strong IN the belief
that they could thrash rs at Will. Commander
Graham was also ready % admit that M the
time mentioned they might have done 80.
bat now, said be. We have the best boats and
more of them. and We can whip her ont of
her boots, and there came look OF fige IN his
eyes as II he would Ike % take part IA the
fray. Since that time the Navy Department
have strained every nerve 10 put our vessels
on war footing. and both the Chilans
and our Government nave carried out the
policy outlined by this officer 40 the time. the
first one of Discrimination and hatred. the
other OF taking advantage OF the excitement
TO incur emergency expenses IN fitting out a
navy for which Congress would be wiling 10
pay the bills.
TIE MONITORS.
Commander Graham. when asked about the
probable disposition of the monitors under
his command IN case OF foreign war. SAID
The monitors are good boats and nave gOOd
hulls. the guns are Old-tashlOned smOoth-Dore
cannon and now obsolete ut they might be
fitted with modern guns and be used Is ilost-
Iug batteries.
Ihi, opinion has since been confirmed by
! TIL IlMs special New ) OIk correspond
emit who says IL is the intention OF the
Navy Department 20 utilize them Just IN
this manner. Commander Graham was an
officer on the man-0f-war which acted as con-
vOy 10 the d0uble-turretcd monitor AllantO-
nOmah. which has Just been remodeled, when
she made her fam IA trip 20 Europe. and ne
says she proved that monitors are the Dest
sea going vessels ah0at and as hard % sink as
an air-tight box. The captain OF the 8llauto-
NAH placed a wines lass Of water on ms
dresser on this side Of the Atlantic.
and though stormy weather was en-
cOuntered not a drop was lost IN crossing.
In the light of these facts and others
naval men must have read with some amuse-
ment the newspaper reports OF the trial Trip
of the MiantonOm b in which II is SAID the
vessel took in so much water that the boiler
decks contained seven inches of water Other
ridiculous reports are also denied IN the Io!-
lowing letter 10 a gentlemen ia this city from
an officer on this vessel.
GOOD NEWS.
The letter is dated from the United States
steamship Miantonomoh. nayyyard. Brook
lvn. \. y. January 18th. and tie writer says.
I'VE arrived back 40 this yard night before
last safe and sound. Notwithstanding tine
| newspaper reports to tie contrary. We lett
here New Years day for Gardner bay. an1
after reaching He'll Gate We found our steer
ing eearin bad Order-sO had 70 proceed slowly:
When We reached the sound the wind and
sea were high and blowing snOw-storm,
so we anchored at Nhitest0ne and remained
there till the morning of the 81. We ;len
got under way and proceeded up the und.
making nine knots under two-ihirds boiler
power. ON the way mp we adjusted COM
passes and that night anchored OF fau.ker-
ners Island on the Connecticut sh re. Next
morning we got under way and reached our
destination that night. On our trip mp we
ran head on 10 the sea. brOadslde and
before It. and she behaved beautifully. OF
course our decks were awash, the
most of the time but as we had no need 10
20 on deck. except tie watch. we felt no dis
comforts We took IN some water around
the turrels. but nothing 20 complain Of. and
the next time she goes % sea 1t viii be
remedied On the 5th we started o.
try the guns. and fired the four
with reduced charges Of sixty-sx pounds
of brown cocoa powder and shell OF
49G ponndsl The guns only recOIed eighteen
inches Next day we fired them again with
/ lbs pounds of powder and shell of the same
weight They rccoIled twenty-five inches
Next day we fired them with tull charges of
2jG pounds of powder and shell of 800
pounds. They recOied thlrty-two inches.
We then fred two together with
! full charges. and all four together with
full charges. and we did not feelas much con-
cussion from the effects OF all four being fired
together as 1 have felt from one fifteen inch
smooth bore gun IN the old monitors. or q
nine inch smooth bore gun on a wooden ship
So the canard IN the papers about men get
ting their ear drums burst was made out OF
whole cloth by some fool We had no news
paper men on board and We're twenty miles
from any town. TO show you such thing IS
false. ! was in my office four feet
from the after turret. and when
the two after guns were fired. they
were directly over my head and felt no con
cussion. and my ear drums are not burst.
All can say is that the guns, carriages and
shin are a success. We hear we are 10 90 TO
the West Indies. and if so We will be with the
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