The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-07-11
Naval News.

06 DOSUOu Will T5tudlu at U16
Sandwich Islands until the arrival
of the Philadelphia, which is to be
the flagship of Admiral Skerrett,
who at last advices had his head
quarters on shore.
Chaplain j. X. Lewis has orders
to hold himself in readiness for duty
on the Philadelphia, though he
would much prefer leave Of absence
from duty for year or 80.
The Charleston, on her way out
to the coast, will have orders issued
to her commanding officer to call at
the South American ports on the
Pacific side.
SWEET SHIP BELLS.
The best gift that an American
city has made to the cruiser named
after it was San Francisco's service
of plate to the beautiful ship of that
name. There is so much of this
great and costly set of plate that
the cabinets containing it are found
above and below stairs, in the adj
miral's and captains quarters and in
the wardroom All the pieces are
large and heavy, the biggest being a
huge punchbowl of great beauty of
design. Every lid in the service is
surmounted by solid gold bear, the
symbol of California, and the effect
of the bright yellow on the white
silver is very pleasing. Philadelphia
did very poorly by her ship, now the
flagship of Rear-Admiral Gherardi.
This gift is great bronze clock that
won't keep time; indeed, it won't go.
1t bears the name of a Philadelphia
firm of jewellers, who would be wise
either to put the thing in order or
chisel the firm name off. This clock
is not beautiful. Its design is artis-
tic, but does not work out effectively
in bronze.
If the silver bell that this city is
to give to the new cruiser New York
4 is as melodious as silver bell should
be, the gift will be priced. Few
know it, but the bells that ring out
the hours and half hours in our
white squadron were the delight of
our foreign naval visitors here and
in Hampton Roads. All the bells on
the white ships contain a great deal
of silver, and produce clear, sweet,
and extra musical notes. Sir John
o. Hopkins, the British Vice-Ad-
miral, would stop his own part in a
conversation at any time on his
quarterback on the Blake to listen
to the bells on our Yankee ships.
He said that they we're the sweetest
bells he ever heard, and he wished
they had such ones in the British
navy. In that navy the bells go
from ship to ship, as.fashions in war
change, and on some ship to-day the
bell that rang out the time for Nell
son or for Blake is tolling away as it
did in its hour of glory. One of Nell
sons bells may be on the Australia
or the Partridge, but alas! the Brit
ish do not carve the dates and names
of the ships on bells, and so their es-
pecial merits are lost. The old bells
are thrown in the dockyards and
kept there until one is needed for a
new vessel. They are deep-voiced,
gruff bells, whose sound soon dies
out, while the silvery peals of our
bells cling to the air and reach far
out upon the waters.--New York
paper.
Somewhat unnecessary alarm ex-
lists among men anxious for the well
fare of the navy of the United States
at our deficiency in torpedo-boats,
torpedo catchers and other craft
more or less useful in war. But there
is ample time ahead, it may safely
be concluded, within which tc
remedy shortcomings, and when we
do start in the most advanced ideas
will be available. The countries OF
Europe have gone to extravagant
lengths in providing these small
vessels, most of which are unable tc
keep at sea or encounter heavy wea
Their. They are good for coast de-
Tense. Apart from torpedo-cruisers
and gunboats, France last year hac
248 torpedo-boats; England, 2OS
Italy, 1856; Germany, 100; Russia
1853; China, 50; Austria, IS; Holland
50; Greece, 81; Norway and Sweden
35; Denmark, 81; Turkey, 80; Japan
20; Brazil and Spain, 18 each. Eng
land has also on hand 20 new tor
.. pedo-gunboats. The United State.
is credited with three torpedo yes
sells, the Gushing, the Ericsson ant
the Stiletto, and the Vesuvius may
also be reckoned useful. There il
authority to construct three othe
craft, but the work has yet to bt
commenced. Big battleships cal
only be constructed in great estab
lishments, but torpedo vessels may
be constructed anywhere.