Evening journal., 1895-08-27
THE NAMES CHOSEN ARB GOOD
TO Say About tho Naming Of Uncie SANS
New Gunboats.

what n Washington Correspondent Has
TO Say About the Naming Of Uncie SANS
New Gunboats.
wAsHINGroN, Aug. 27-More than a
year ago n report was current that
Secretsry Herbert had chosen for the
three gunboats building at Newport
News the names OF Albatrosr, Penguin
and Porpoise Had this really bsen done
Il would have continued, In the case Of
the two former the nomenclature begun
with the e92-ton guuboat. Petrol, years
before, and In the case Of the third that
Of the 4s6 ton Dolphin. As the dis
placement OF two Of the Newport News
boats is 392 tons aud that Of the third
1871. there was nothipg improbable In
the report
Bat Il turns out that the names really
chosen are those Of towns. thus mskinR
the analogy the one Of the 7i0 ton
Runbosts Yorktown, Bennington and
Concord. and Of the 1,l77-ton gunboAts
Castine and Machias.
Had Il bsen desired to continue the
Revolutionary names, Monmouth. Gull
ford aud Eataw might well have been
considered, or Trenton and Princeton
might have been revived Bat perhaps,
as to these last. there was a feelisg that
the misiortunes which befell cur old
vessels OF those names might create a
prejudice among the suporstitious and
sailors are well known TO have their full
share OF suporstitions
Still It would make a good deal Of
trouble N all the names that have had
inishapa attached 30 them Ia the past
should be barred on that account. IrdSsd,
the practice Of tho Navy Department has
besn not 10 pay too much attention to
omens Of this character.
Tkero Is nothing In the laws that
requires q name connected with tho
American revolution 10 be affixed to
gunboats, and thus We had Mr. Herbert
choosing Nashvills. Wilmington and
Helena for the Newport News craft
The towns h0nored belrg In Tennessee
Delaware and Montana, three widely
separated states arc represented, no one
OF which had before furnished a name TO
the new steel 1eet
ltappears that there was quite a list OF
applications for share In these honora
Lexington IN Kentucky, was among the
number considered, and the name IL a
good one for a gunboat or cruiser. but
hantucky IL also a prominent candidate
for christening battleship Chdtta
nooga. Norfolk, Niagara and Gloucester
were also names urged but as TO the last
Massachusetts had her name and those
OF Boston, Concord aud Mubleheas
Ia the new feet Mobile has been 1
candidate for a cruiser or gunboat, bu'
Alabama already has Montgomery, anS
the secretary is doubtless wary Of doing
too much for bis own state North Point
80 the scene Of a memorabls incident n
the second war with Great Britain, lonl
ago had It's advocates FOR q cruiser, bu
We have the Baltimore Against the nami
| Cumberland it wss urged that she wa.
sent TO the bottom By the MerrlmGo
The names chosen are good, and thl
| question Of locality has evidently bsei
much considered There are, undoubt
odly, advantages In the se'e,tlon Of thi
names OF states for battle ships, and o
cities and towns for cruisers and gun
boats, notable among thsm bsing thl
interest thus atlrro1 up ia the welfare .
the navy throughout the country. Az 4
10 the custem for the city or state con
cerned to present to itn namssAko
christening gift Of a set Of colors or o
silver, or a clock, or a punch bowl, or
library, as tho case may be. a furths
interest 10 the particular craft, Ent
herewith IA the navy as a whole, Il
stirred up. IL Is quite esrtain that th'
navy is ususllylwsll treated BY Congress
and that far inland. Rs well a. on the sea
board. II has enthusiastic friends smonl
/ the people