The evening times., 1896-08-13
hAMIhG THEHEN WARsHIPs
Secretary Herbert to Perform
That Duty at an Early Day.
STATES ARE TO BE HoNoRED
Suggestions In the ,secretary's Pos
session Regarding BattIe~hips-ob-
jections to Pennsy sylvania-Torp
Boats to Be Called After Men Prom
inent In the Navy.

The naming OF the gunboats and other
vessels, for the construction of winch the
government viii enter into contract in Sep
tember, is a duty which Secretary Herbert
will have TO discharge at an early day, in
advance OF the opening of bids.
The Secretary has number OF informal
suggestions in his possession regarding
the naming of the battleships. These,
Under the law. must take their names from
the States, and those most prominently
mentioned at present are Pennsylvania,
Mississippi, Virginia, Illinois and Ohio.
tis understood, also, that some enthusi,
asst, In view OF the present political con-
dftions, is anxious to have Nebraska's
claims considered in that connection.
Those who favor Mississippi point out
that not single ship of the navy, OF high
or low degree, is named in her honor, or
in honor Of any city or town within her
borders, and, indeed, that none of the mod
ern vessels is named for a Southern State,
Kentucky excepted
THE KEYSTONE STATE.
Some objection has been raised against
Pennsylvania for the reason that there
are now four ships bearing names Of places
In that State. In favor of calling one Of
the battleships Pennsylvania there is much
to be said.
The greater part OF the material that
enters into the construction of all our new
ships comes from Pennsylvania roundries-
the ship plates, the machinery forgings,
the armor and gun forgings, are all made
withinits borders. Ohio has but two ships
named for places within the State and one
of these is the old Wabash, an antedIluvian
tub OF receiving ship at Boston, relic
OF the ancient navy which has not the
seaworthiness of ferryboat. Maine, on
the other hand, has four ships which stand
for the State In one way or another, and one
of them is a battleship.
THESE ARE AVAILABLE.
There are numerous States which have no
Representations on the naval register, among
them Rhode Island, Louisiana, Arkansas,
Wisconsin, Colorado, West Virginia, and
Nevada. There are to be six new gunboats,
and in the naming of them the Secretary
is permitted considerable latitude.
The names prominently mentioned as
available, and in hehaif of which sugges-
tions have been made to the depa rtment,
are Narragansett and Pawtucket for Rhode
Island, Natchez and Chattahoochie for Mis-
sissippi, Wichita and Topeka for Kansas,
Itasca and winnebago for Wisconsin, Ka-
nawha for West Virginia, Marietta, Scioto
and Miami for Ohio, Ouachita for Arkansas,
kaskaskia for Illinois. These are mostly
local names, Identified with neighborhood
history and suggestive of the Indian or
colonial period of the country's existence.
For the thirty-knot torpedo boats names
OF men Identified with the history Of the
navy win undoubtedly be chosen such as
Perry, Prehle or Porter, or as has been
suggested for the boats of this type build
ing at Baltimore, Paul Jones, Bainbridge
and Decatur; or for the boats numbered 6, 4,
and s, Hull, McDonough and Stewart.
Ever since Cushing's memorable deed sug-
gcsted the name for the first of the modern
torpedo boats. the name OF Farragut has ap-
pe;ired in connection wius the fearless
Damn the torpedoes; 20 ahead" Lay,
Ha!ght and Wood are names also mentioned
as deserving this conmemoration as a re-
ward for their part in the development OF
torpedoes.