Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-12
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.
Hereditary Influences shown IN the
Careers of Naval Officers.
CttD

In these times, when the valorous
deeds of the officers and men Of the
United States navy are recounted
almost daily. and when the world Is
being convinced, that in spite or long
quiesence, the fighting blood OF the
American of days gone by still flows IN
the veins Of his descendants, it is OF IN
terest TO note that the sons or worthy
sres and grandsires are wearing
officers uniforms aboard the ships OF
SIMPSONS and Schley's squadrons and
that these young men, the product OF
the younger generation, are doing every
thing that is expected Of them.
1t would probably be too much 10 say
that the love of things pertaining to the
navy and naval warfare was an inherited
instinct, in the strict sense OF the term
This reason is set forth, however by
some to account for the many instances
i'm which the sons Of navy or army ohicers
follow I'm their fathers footsteps. And
while the love of such life may or may
not really be inherited, it is doubtless
true that there is more reason why the
son of a United States officer should be-
come the servant of the government
than the son OF anyone else.
While It may not be the fighting in
stinct that is inherited, there Is no
doubt that the most natural thing for
such q young man TO do is TO DO just
what his father has done before him. lie
has been raised, should his father be
naval officer, in a naval atmosphere since
he can remember. His friends have been
| the children OF naval people. His family's
friends have been the families of other
naval officers. He has lived in naVaI
| colony. where most of the conversation
has been upon some naval topic.
| He has never received any consecutive
| education nor been thrown continuously
| with boys who were not naval In their
thoughts. His life has been wandering
| one. because his father has been moved
from station to station at the beck ana
J cali of Uncle Sam. No sooner has ne
been settled in one school than ne mas
| had to leave il and become settled In an
| other and all this is calculated TO break
the train OF thought which might lead
him into a profession other than that
which his father has followed before
him.
There are many instances disclosed by
the naval registers showing how the ma
| val feeling has been handed down direct
| w through generations; how II has been
| disseminated through branches or the
| same family, and how marriage ties
have made II as contagious as any other
force.
Witness among these the remarkable
Rodgers family. There was old Rear-Ad-
miral John Rodgers, now deceased, and
his cousin, Rear-Admiral C. X. p Rodg-
ers, "the Chesterfield OF the navy" who
| is also dead. Lieut.-Commander Ray
mond Rodgers, the son OF the last
named, is now on the Iowa, and this
officers brother, Alexander s. Rodgers
| - ThnfQl 9
8 Rodgers. a son OF Raymond Rodgers,
Is on the bennington, and Capt. F'reder-
lex Rodgers, a cousin OF Raymond. Is
detailed for naval duty in Washington
His brother, Lieut. Commander John A.
Rodgers is on the Indiana, and this ones
son William l. Rodgers, Is a Lieutenant
on the torpedo-boat Foote. Lieut.-Com-
mander ]. A. Rodgers son, John Rodg-
ers, is now a cadet at the Naval Academy
II there are any other male members Of
this family who are not hankering rC
sail on Uncle Sans ships, Uncle SAN
would like TO hear from them.
These Rodgers are related by marriage
to old Commodore Perry and the Hor
: family, of which there are some represen
tatives in the navy, may gee their inspira
ton from one OF their ancestors, Balm
bridge. Rear-Admiral Henry A. Hon Il
dead, and his son Capt. VIM. b. Hon. 4
retired captain in the navy. Enslgl
} Arthur d. Hon, the captains son. is as
sistant to the United States naval at
l tache at London.
Two OF Admiral SIMPSONS daughter
married naval officers Miss Margare
; married Lieut.. Roy Smith, who 10 on tn
Indiana, and Miss Katharine found a hus
band In Ensign Richard II. Jackson, nov
on the Foote. These daughters certainl!
y belong TO a naval family.
} Capt. A. II. Mahan, the famous autho
OF works upon naval warfare, has broth
3 err, Dennis III. Mahan. who is not so fam
Q Gus, but who is a lieutenant In the navy
Just the same. The father OF both
them, Dennis II. Mahan. ST.. was cap
= tain In the engineering corps OF the army
Fighting Bob Rvans's son. George
. | Evans, was graduated from the nava
D ] Anadsmv last snrinzL and IL Ia ths unani