The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-17
Tho Color Of Our War Ships.

| The order issued by the Navy Depart
ment. about two years ago. directing that
iron and steel vessels should be painted
white instead OF black above the water line.
was well received both In and out Of tho
service. The change instantly took the
| public fancy. so that when the Chicago. the
| Boston. the Atlanta. and the Yorktown ap-
peared in snowy raiment. the name white
| squadron was promptly given to them. and
became much more familiar than their OIL
| cial title. the squadron OF evolution.
Not only did white paint make the new
| ships more slightly. but 1t kept them cooler
In summer. and this was important in trop-
ical climates. The sanitary condition OF
| the vessel. as we'll as the comfort of the OFF,
\ GERS and crew. was found to be improved by
the coat Of white. A sufficient variety was
given by having the yards, tunnels. and SO
| on. a straw yellow.
But now this question Of color is again
under consideration. after two years Of ex-
perience. One objection found to white
Is its being too conspicuous at night. and
therefore not adapted to war service. A
second Is the difficulty Of keeping it neat
and clean. especially in humid tropical
ports. and with the frequent coaling re-
quired in cruising. The argument against
1t. with a proposed substitute. is put by
Capt. w. S. SCHLEY In his recent report on
the Baltimore:
Ships should not be painted white but lead color.
with slight tnge OF green like the French coast.
guard ships White 10 onspcuous. and cornpels
quent repantng In the struggle just ended in Chilli,
the torpedo boats Amirants Lynch and Conden
painted this color nearly and on two occasions ono N
| Iquique and the other at Coquimbo. both vessels
ARaA Vha riu ouAx ole
few hundred feet away"
The Importance attached to having the
uniforms Of troops of the right color has
received very general acknowledgment in
late years. The gaudy hues once fancied
on account Of the brilliant appearance pre-
sented by the men havo been found to
make them much too conspicuous targets.
So far has care on this point been pushed
that even the famous German helmet has
| been condemned on account Of its shining
spike. The gray uniforms which the Con-
federate soldiers used to wear were excel
lent from the military point Of view. and
there are advantages. too. in brownish
hues. 1t Is natural that the question OF the
best color for ships should begin to receive
ulso its proper share Of attention. Appar-
emily. French gray or lead color would be
suitable for them. as for the uniforms OF
troops. but other tints may be suggested by
the difference between water and land sur
roundings. A peculiar reddish brown has
been spoken Of as suitable for the night
service Of torpedo boats. with view to con-
cealing their approach.
The advocates Of white may insist that 1t
is best for station duty: that lead color
would not greatly change the objections on
account Of coaling, and that it is an easy
matter to repaint the vessel in case of hos
tilities while she is preparing In other re-
spects for actual fighting. We should then
have cruiser putting on her war paint.
like an Indian, as token OF serious work at
hand. Still. an acceptable tint both for
peace and war which would obviate the
present objections to white. might displace
it altogether for the hulls OF our Ships