The sun., 1894-10-01
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NAshiNoroN. scrfs - Tho policy OF Secre-
tsry Herbert in flfIna up several OF the old
wooden vessels with modern batteries suggests
still more thnn an Increase 6t efficiency. The
period seems tohave come when these survivors
of earlier times have an interest as the links be.
tween the nsvy,of to-day and the navy Of the
past The beginning sf the-new steel fleet ap-
peared 10 begct an iifibdtfence A. these old
timers as lagginR superfuous on tho stage.
Whenever one-wascondeuned as nnseryiceable
was an encumbrance well got rid o. Those
that remained wete not equipped with modern
guns, and Congresa fixed a limit for the repairs
allowed on them at a stated percentage Of what
hwould cost tobuild new ship and afterward
u reduced that percentage.
But as one after another Of the wooden craft
has dropped from active cruising service. and
gone into the humber OCCUPATIONS Of recruiting
and training ships, the disposition 10 hurry them
on from the more active stsgs seems 70 weaken.
Probably II would be still less II the navy had
enough men for all It's vessels. In the present
dearth Of wars, and with new aud fine steel
cruisers tied up 70 their docks waiting for com.
piements, the temptation Is natural TO place the
old wooden craft out of commission for the sake
Of utnizing their men on the more modern ves-
sells.
Yet the capabilities Of the wooden ships are
recognised. They are slow. and. OF course. they
Yet the exploits performed by wooden war ships
are immortal, with "iron hearts in wooden
walls" They are often roomy and comfortable
old craft, too. for cruising. Often their light
draught makes them very serviceable in river
service In foreign stations. Their sheathing
enables them TO keep the sea longer than un-
sheathed steel ships without docking, and thus
they become very useful for distant service.
Very few Of the old iron and wooden ships re-
main available for cruising service. or the iron
there are the Ranger, lately Of the Behring Sea
feet, and Alert. 1.o2o tons each; the Monocacy,
1870, now Of the Asiatic station the Michigan,
es5, on lake service; the Pints. $50. stationed at
Sitka. or the modern craft there are the Lam
caster, $3.50 tons, recently tho flagship OF the
Asiatic station; the Richmond. 2.7OO tons, re-
ceivirg ship at League Island; the Mohican,
1000 tons. OF the Behring Sea feet; the Marion.
lately on the Asiatic station. 1 300 tons: the
Adams. ,375 tons, of the Behring Sea fleet; the
Alliance, 1873 lately OF the Asiatic station; the
Essex. 1876, a training ship; the Enterprise.
1875, n school ship: the Yantic. 900. OF the
South Atlantic station; the Thetis, 1850 tons,
at Mare Island on special duty. The Fish Com
mission vessel Albatross Is also of the Behring
Sea feet. Besides these there are the wooden
sailing vessels Constellation, Monongahela,
Portsmouth. jamestown, Saratoga, and 81.
Mary's, serving In the training squadron as
nautical school ships or otherwise. There is
also the old Hartford. n steam vessel. to be
fitted up as training ship: and then, untitled
for sea service, sre the large ships Franklin,
Wabash, Minnesota, all steam vessels, and the
Constitution, Independence, and Vermont, sail
ing. besides the smaller st. LouiJ and Dale also
sailing craft, all housed over a. receiving ships
at the navy yards Finally. the New Hamp-
shire serves q naval reserve ship at New York.
Looking back at the cruisers this list, the
Alliance, which has done great deal Of service
In the Pacific. especially at Honolulu and Apia.
and Is now undergoing repairs at Norfolk. is to
have hef old battery replaced by modern guns.
She carries battery consisting OF four 9-inch
smooth bores, one s-inch muzzle-oading rifle,
and one 80-pounder. The new battery will con-
sist Of six 4-inch rapid-fro guns, besides four
8-pounders and two 1-pounders. This will give
her an excellent armament, well suited to her
size The Essex has already been fitted out with
q new battery like the one decided upon for the
Alliance. The Lancaster, one OF the finest OF
our old wooden craft. built in 1858, and after
ward thoroughly overhauled, returned from the
Asiatic station some time ago, and It was
thought tnat she must be given up on account OF
the magnitude of the repairs required. II was
fortunately found, however, that these would
come within the legal limit. Her present bat
terry consists of ten s-inch le-loaders. and
It Is contemplated to give her instead the ia
vorite 4-inch rapid fire guns. Her secondary bs:-
tery INCLUDES variety Of P, pieces sc put Is td5e
Founders. The Alert's secondary battery is also
thus 10 be strengthened. while instead OF her
smooth a % bore. and nd one one So-pounder breech-load,
ing rife. there VIII be battery OF 4-inch rapid
One OF the most interesting facts connected
with the old wooden craft Is the decision 10 turn
over the old Constitution for the use OF the
Ia ahINaa "a m \ a
The famous Old craft was built in lsa?. at Bos:
ton, by the Government. and has displacement
pendiculars and OF AS feet beam. with
mean mean draught of 20 feet: ;,.shS,, She is now
9SGdea SsrS as 0Vs ar eceivine ship. sRs has only
saluting battery Of four 3a;poundeI smooth
and tbs
for the sake Of her historic glories; may well be
congratulated on getting this ship under the
longer useful for naval purposes to be turned
over 20 the States. Before many years her hum
viii add to her renown that she is still serving
to teach the lads OF to-day how battles were
Finally Fsrragut's old flagship. the Hartford.
under the Appropriation act passed at the re-
cent session 6 again 70 be brought into service
tons displacement, being .925 feet long, ~ In
beam, and isl4 in mean draught Her present
laid up in ordinary at Mare Island. The House
voted 81 81, 900 TO give her modern battery for
amount available instead 10 turn her into .
training ship. This disposition ought to guard
her better against the accidents OF ordinary
cruising duty, and give her u better chance of
being preserved for the admiration OF future
generations.
The twentieth century will see very few OF
these old wooden vessels remaining on regular
duty, and possibly not single one employed In
cruising. Yet as receiving ships and school
ships many OF them may proiong their period OF
usefulness. The fact that Congress OF late has
slackened In the work OF authorizing new steel
vessels makes IL all the more desirable to retain
In commission as many as possible OF these old
timers, since calls for vessels are frequent In all
number OF enlisted men is increased the chances
will be all the better OF keeping some OF them In