The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-26
NAMES ron THE WAR SHIPS.
some InconsrV,,tics iu Our Nomenciature
Even for the New Steel Fleet.

some Inconcsuitics TIA Our Nomenclature
Even for the New Steel Fleet.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 25-A recent announce.
ment. which might possibly have attracted
more attention ant comment save for being
an incident in n long official report. was that
our newest battle ship will be named tho
Iowa and the newest protected cruiser tho
Minneapolis. Herewith came confirmation
Of tho report that the new arm rod cruiser was
to he called the Brooklyn. The Minncapol-
tans ara already setting about n christening
Gilt since the speedy sistor OF the Columbia is
to take to tho water in the spring: hut tina
people o. Iowa will have n longer time to wait
before the launch OF their namesake.
When our first modern ships were begun.
and called tho Chicago. the Atlanta. and tho
Boston. those cities seemed to 10 in great
luck: and the same was true Of Maine and
Texas. when those States were made sponsors
Tor our ilrst steel nrmorod vessels. But II WAS
atterward remarked that the motto. Wait
and get the best" applies to this matter ms to
others. Iowa certainly now gcts tho biggest
and best OF the battle ships. with its dispnce-
ment OF | LOG tons. or about ]. 100 more than
the Indiana's and about 5000 more than that
OF tho Texas. Minneapolis. also. with the
magnificent 30. lot triplo-s screw flyer which
stands thirteenth on the list of our protected
an earlier vessel Of that class. The city
OF New iork, is Justly gratttiod with the fine
armorel cruiser Of =, 80 tuns which hears her
name but brooklyn gets ship OF the same
class Thousand tons larger Ivy waiting II
little longer for her turn in tho distribution OF
s" as ad tuwms wmosu turn
has not yet come
One fact which has been illustrated in tho
construction Of our navy is thu rapidty with
which improvements are made In shipbuid-
ing. since even whore acts Of Congress in SUE.
u Al lad u n,l, Nf
about tho same displacement, tho later are
npt. to. be not only larger within the same
speed. battery power. or other details. Where
ships have been given out In contracts by
and in some in stances OF later following OF Tie
old moiel-as with the Concord and l'enning.
ton ton ths Intrktown's mates.not much gain is
greatly improve on tho Columbia. but in gen
era The progress from year to yearis apparent.
the SUBJECT q names t. E noticeable That
not only Of other countries to guide us. but
our own; wo have some inconGruity and
Man5 e !nac!n in our new system Apart
such as, the Gunboats and torpedo boats. We
have had an admirable basis. to. go on in the
to those of States and those VI towns. This
restriction. fixed by law. has n nevertheless been
not give any clue either to the size or tho
Type OF TIE vessels to which they are respec-
We find. for example. tho name OF a city,
Montgomery given to an unarmored vessel OF
1000 tons dlsn9cement and the name Of an.
vessel Of $3.50 tons. II Is true, that they pos:
sess the common attribute of being, called
Mant9nomoh and the Terror. which are in
s aiihn%c only Hr coast and hnrbor defence.
TACT 81 &c ba this
sentihl difference between an armorclad and
an nnarmored vessel. to say nothing Of the
VAC al hnc fhnV,
he Displacement Of tie other 'H This SI point iIis IS
made sti o more emphatic il we take the dit
an armorei vessel OF O. i5 Thus U.S. p new sys
in I'll" er all
reaches no better results than this in the way
OF nm lnd tGlt is Uniformity uni, ind system
Cruity IN our new naval nomenclature. Ad-
hitting that it is Of no consequence to give the
and the second rates in tho navy provided we
substitute uniform names for the Same types
t Sar sH IS Of s
class as q little unnrmored vessel OF ono fifth
rs disbursement. merely because both can
on these conditions. The Baltimore is GER
tainiy cruiser. and she has the name OF
hut a coast defender so designed SO classi-
fled in the register and so to be used. yet she
acemon,s now y ior nothns as a @e have
SSen IN other cases and tho class OF duty for
when sup ~ INTENDED IL made to regunt0
her name. it is clear That this very rule is vio-
lated in Civ ing n coast defender the name Of a
city. Again. tho Maine appears In the last
register as n cruiser. aud so does the Atlanta,
ana yet while the latter carries the name OF q
city the former has that OF n State. The Maine.
too. Is not only cruiser but an nrmored
cruiser. and In that respect res en- bes the New
York. to which she is greatly inferior: never
theless. the after takes the name OF city and
the former that OF n state. In the current re-
port Of Secretary Tracy an effort is made to
EepaiEr this particular ineongruity y clsssf,
the thickness Of her armor this seems to be an
improvements; yet she was planned as an
armored cruiser. built as an armored
cruiser. and carried on the official regis
ter rs such for years. In distinction from the
Texas. which was ca cd battle ship. She is
so cnrried to-day. and as an armoreu cruiser
she received the nnmo Of State.
or course the question OF what is required
by the statutes is not here taken into view
nor Is tho fundam mental fact that successive
Admin rations have taken divergent views
OF what shoul, be the proper basis OF u no
menclature. The main point which concerns
the country is that. after all the efforts. even
our new steel ships are named on u system
which shows Glaring incongruities. forlu-
90 not Interfere with that continual addition OF
local interest in particular ships which has
been created by tho provisions Of the laws
prescribing tho selection OF names.