Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-01
BENHAM AND HIS FLEET.
The Ships and the Men Representing
Uncle Sam at Rio.


Uncle Sam at Rio.
Rear Admiral A E. X. Benham, COM
handing the United States forces at Rio
who has sprung into prominence through
recent happenings at that troublesome port
will end his active career in the navy April
Io next, when he reaches the retiring age Of
sixty-two years His record is a good one
ana grows brighter as it draws to a close
HIS conception of his duty at Rio seems to
nave net with popular favor, and, If sue
cessful, will make a fitting climax to a
creditable career. He is a native Of New
York. and has been in the navy since No.
vember "a, 1SiT, when he became mid
snipman. He served four years in the East
INDIA squadron and subsequently saw serv-
ice in the Pacific and in Brazilian waters
He served throughout the civil war with
credit and knows thing or two about real
nghting. He was on the Bienville at the
battle of Port Royal and was afterward at
tached to the gunboat Penobscot He at
tained the rank of rear admiral in Febr,,-
ary 1880, and in the following year was as
signed to the command of the South At
lantic station. Subsequently he commanded
the United states fleet at the Colum bia n
celebration at Genoa, Italy. and PaIos,
spain In December last, while in COM
mand of the North. Atlantic station, he was
ordered to proceed in his flagship San Fran
cisco, then at Trinidad, West Indies, to Rio
and assume command of the United States
fleet In that harbor relieving Cant Picking
OF the Charleston, who had been in charge
since the detachment of Admiral Stanton
He arrived at Rio January l., and has been
very busy man ever since.
According to naval authority there is no
better man for the responsible place he
holds than Benham. He has had expert
ence. He is noted in the navy for his cour-
age, and at the same time for his ability
to keep within bounds.
People about the Navy Department say
there will be no tomfoolery about any ac-
ton which Benham may take. He will do
nothing theatrical. and when the occasion
demands force he will not make a mere
parade of his fleet and fire off a few blank
cartridges. He has at his command the
most formidable fleet that the United
States mas gathered at foreign port in
many years. 1t includes the New York,
under command of Capt. j. W. Philip, and
nagship of the station; the San Francisco
commanded by Capt. ]. c. Watson; the
Newark, commanded by Capt. Sias Terry:
the Detroit, in command of Commander
w. h. Brownson, and the Charleston, COM
manded by Capt. H. f. Picking. These
vessels are all of the new navy. They
are com nan by experienced officers each
anxious for an opportunity to do something
TO distinguish himself and his command
The cruiser Detroit, which is the smallest
vessei IN the feet enjoys the distinction
mas fired hostile shot since the civil war
The Cruiser Detroit.
The Detroit is PSI feet in length, with
81 feet breadth of beam and a drsught
of IA IL feet. Her rig is that of a two
masted schooner. spreading 6,2s9 square
feet of canvas. She is capable of steaming
almost 10000 miles at a speed of ten knots
per hour.
The armament is eight four-inch and two
six-inch rapid-fire breech-loading rifles. the
first Of the type that nave been designed.
The larger caliber guns are mounted on
central pivot carriages, one forward and
the other aft; the smaller thirty-six pound
ers are In Sponsors, four on each side The
secondary battery is composed of ten rapid
nre six and three-pounders and revolving
cannon. Six torpedo ports are fitted.
one mas no armor whatever, and the
only protection she has outside Of such
as her coal affords and her coming tower
is light steel deck. This deck is eleven
slNteenths of an inch thick on the slopes
nine-siXteenths on the level over the ma
chihefy, and six-sixteenths at each end.
Officers of the Detroit.
commander Brownson, commanding the
Detroit. is said to be man of excellent
Judgment and not likely to do anything for
which the United States government will
md itself forced to take the back track.
He Is a good officer. strict discplinarian
and is posses of GOODNESS in time of
excitement far in advance of the average
naval officer
1t is said Of him that he may be relied
upon to do the right thing at the right time
IN the right way His first lieutenant,
Lieut. Thos. C. Mclean. is a man of some
what the same kidney with his command
Ing officer. In case. of trouble he will be
just the man to be the second in command
under such a captain as Brownson. Lieut.
s. W. b. Diehl another officer of the De-
in NDS hsx
has made a good many additions to the
scientific literature of the day.
Lieut. Miles c. Gorgas. another officer
comes of an old naval family, and is the
son of the well-known Medical Director
Albert c. Gorgas. United States navy The
chief engineer of the ship is Mr.. George w
Roche, who has been attaced to the ship
since her keel was laid at Baltimore and
as a consequence he is thoroughly familiar
with the minutest details of her construc-
ton and machinery. Taken as a whole il
is evident that Commander Brownson has
under his command just the set of officers to
render a good account of themselves when
the time comes for them to do so.
The Fighting Force.
The Detroit. which had the post of honor
in the recent display of force. is, however
quite puny when compared with the New
York, the great armored cruiser, and the
three protected cruisers, Newark, San Fran
cisco and Charleston, which are almost of
the same tonnage, the two former being
4,0S3, and the Charleston 1910 TONS The
New York, however, looms up as the giant
of all, being an armored cruiser of $3.50
tens, four times the displacement of the
Detroit and four times as formidable, so
that the rebels, in backing down, were quite
discreet. The New York has speed of 20
knots, and it's armament consists of six
S-inch breech-loading rifles, twelve 4-inch
rapid-fire breech-loading rifles, eight g.
Founders, four 1-pounder rapid-fire guns and
four Gatlings. She cost 81, 9S5, 600
The protected cruisers are almost as for
midable. The Newark and San Francisco
are twin ships, and have a similar arma-
ment, which consists of twelve 6-inch
breech-loading rifles. four 6-pounders four
3-pounders, two 1-pounder rapid-fire guns
four Gatings and three modern machine
guns. The Charleston's armament consists
of two S-inch, six 6-inch breech- loading
rifles. four G-pounders, two 3-pounders two
1-pounder rapid-fire guns. two Gatlings and
four machine guns.
The Insurgent Fleet.
The insurgent feet, at last accounts. had
FIVE ships at Rio-the Repubiica an iron
clad. having left thai port with the deposed
Mello, the naval commander who conducted
the insurgent warfare during the early
months of the conflict The remaining vcs-
sells are the famous Aquidaban, the only
ship of efficiency at Rio. a modern battle
ship of 5000 tons displacement; the Ira
jano and the Guanabara, two cruisers of
less than 1000 tons displa cement; the Ba-