Evening star., 1896-09-26
NAMES, NOT NUMBERS
How the New Torpedo Boats Will Probably
-. Be Designated.
No Determination to BE Made Until
Secretary Herbert Returns-Cus-
tom in Foreign Services.

The torpedo boat recently launched at
Herreshor's yard. Bristol, R. l.. went into
the water under the name Of torpedo boat
No. g." This was in accordance with ca
bled instructions from Secretary Herbert
In France, and Is accepted as meaning
merely that he has not yet determined
upon a name for the craft and not that a
change has been decided upon in the no
menclature Of vessels Of the torpedo class.
The policy Of naming such vessels after
famous American sailors was Initiated by
Secretary Whitney in the case of the Cush-
ing. and was followed by Secretary Tracy
in the case of the Ericsson. The only
other torpedo boat now in commission, the
Stilletto. already had that name when
purchased by the government from the
Herreshoffs. The fact that the name of
to affect the general policy of having yes
sells OF the torpedo type bear the names OF
American naval heroes.
List of Distinsuished Names.
A list Of such names has been prepared
at the Navy Department for consideration
in the selection of names for our new ships.
1t includes such names as Fulton, Paul
Jones. Truxton. Preble, Decatur. Porter,
Hull, Perry. Bainbridge, Stewart, Law
renee. Marlborough. Farragut Porter,
Winslow and many others hardly less cele-
DIdleu III the annals OF naval victories.
With such a list to select from there
ought to be no necessity for a resort to
| numbers for the designation of any of our
Warships
In some foreign services vessels of the
torpedo class are known simply by their
numbers, but the reasons for such desig-
| nation do not appear to apply to the Ameri-
can navy. In Great Britain and France,
particularly. these boats are built by the
scores and are now reckoned by the hun
dreds. In his last report Secretary Herbert
credits France with 21s in service and "a
Tbuilding. making 272 in all. and Great
Britain with 1S3 in service and g. building,
| or 25l in all. 1t is natural therefore, to
! resort to numbers instead Of names for
| these small vessels, and where they are not
| only constructed but ordinarily serve in
| groups the use of numbers may have GER
| tain advantages in quickly bringing to
| mind the general character of the boats,
| just as numbered streets and avenues in a
| city Indicate about where they are.
Yet 1t is to be observed that even France
| and Engand give names to their fast YES
| sells Of the torpedo boat destroyer type;
and the one launched a Bristol comes with
| in that class, in virtue of the 27l2 knots ex-
\ pected of her.
| In fact, 1t is the rule with all powers te
| have names instead of numbers, sooner OF
| later for at least their fastest torpedo
boats. They sometimes begin with number:
| or with letters, and then give the name:
| afterWard.
Names for Battle Ships.
| II is probab that Secretary Herbert will
avail himself Of his privilege of raining tn,
new battle ships when the contracts TO
them are given out. or soon afterward. In
deed it has been intimated that the thre,
states selected California, Alabama AM
Pennsylvania The first of these names Il
presumably suggested in part by the fac
that one of the ships, as in the case of tn
Oregon, will be built on the Pacific coast
The Alabama is the Secretary'S own state
and, although there is already a Montgom
cry in the navy, it is not unlikely that h
will make this selection. Pennsylvania i
! considered a good name for battle ship
and the fact that the Cramps have built $
many Of our new vessels would be an addi
,ional reason for its selection. If Alabam
| should be chosen, the combination Of tha
and the battle ship Kearsarge would b
suggestive, and perhaps be new illustra
ton of how the animositieS of thirty year
} ago have departed.
| AS to the six gunboats. the applicants 70
standing sponsors to them are very numer
Gus. Such names as Allegheny. Birming
| ham, Bridgeport, Chattanooga, Chelsea
Germantown, Gloucester, Lexington, Kene
} saw, Marietta, New Bedford New Londor
Norf Dix, North Point. Niagara, Tacoma
: Vicksburg and Wheeling will suggest tn
; variety of applications and there are otf
J ers, like Albany, Cleveland. Omaha, Pitts
burg and St Louis to which the only objet
2 lion seems to be that cities smaller tha
these should furnish names to the gunboa
class