The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03

Asr,r., v~r.,nnp,. R.cones,lop..

-
-
Adu,raI Frnulriin,s RscsiIsstIons.
It is a delightful repertory OF "reminiscences
which tho Harpers have published under the
title Of Memories Of a Rear ADMIRAL by 8. r.
FRANKLIN. That tho author should have seen
and known many interesting persons and thinga
will surprise no one when we mention that he
has served for considerably more than half .
century in tho navy Of tho United States, dur
ing which time he has taken part In two war;,
ronmod about tho globe. been Commandsr-in-
Chief OF the European Station. superintendent
Of the Naval Obser vatory, President OF the In.
tornational Marine Conference. and member Of
tho international Meridian Conference. Among
the distinguished men and women OF whom We
hear something in these pages may DO mem
toned Admiral FnrraRut. Admiral Porter. Adj
miral Dewey, Admiral Sampson, and Capt
Mahan oftho United States Navy; Admiral Dem
man, vicc-Admiral Sir Y. Hastings, Rear Ad-
mlral Bowdon-Smith and Rear Admiral Sir
George Mares OF tho Royal Navy; Admiral kas-
nhkof Of tho Russian Navy, and Vicc-Ad'
miral du Petit-Thouars OF the French Navy;
Pope Plus TX. and Pope Leo XIII; tho CEar
Alexander H., his son, Alexander III, and the
Empress Dagmar; tho Emperor OF Brazil. the
present Sultan OF Turkey, tho Emperor Freder
fox OF Germany and his wife. King Oscar OF
Sweden, King Christian Of the King
and Queen Of Greece. tho Khedivo of Egypt,
the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke
of ConnRuRht. and not a few d~iplomatists ana
statesmen, both American and foreign. Not
only were these recolloctions worth recording OF
Themselves. but they are set forth in an I'M
affected and engaging way. which suggests that
tho narrator must possess q slngularly arniable
and genial personality. So crammed Is this vol
ume with pleasant stories that to review II Is
like undertaking to pick half q dozen ulums out
OF a Christmas pudding. We warn the reader
that, to appreciate the good store OF things In
tho book. he must read 1t for himself. Womust
moods connne ourselves to marking certain iu-
oidents OF historical value.
Admiral franklin Is the arsRt-Rrnndson of
Thomas franklin, ono of several brothers be-
longing to an old Quaker family which resided
in tho city OF New York before and during the
Revolution. Walter Franklin, the brother Of
Thomas, built and occupied what was consid-
cred in those days perhaps tho finest house in
New York. 1t stood on what Is now Franklin
Square. and was selected as tho residence Of
Con. Washington when ho was inauguratad as
the FIRST President of tho United States. This
son of Thomas Franklin. and tho grandfather Of
the author OK this hook. was an officer in tho
Continental Army, who married the daughter
of the Colonel of his regiment, Jonas SimopdS.
Col. SlmondB was an original member OF the
Order OF the Cincinnati, and our authors elder
brother, Gen. FRANKLIN. is now n member of that
society, having Inherited membership through
his grandmother. as Col. Simonds left no male
heir. Our authors father was a student In tho
law school at Litchfield, Conn.,. where Calhoun
and Clayton also obtained their professional
training. He married q daughter OF DR.. Buell.
of Litchfeld, but died premRturely in 1888. In
tho following year his eldest son, afterward
Gen. Franklin, vas sent to West Point. whore
he was graduated four years later ot the head
of his class. Our author. who was destined for
the navy, was appointed an acting Midshipman
by Secretary Paulding in February. 1s41,
toward the close of Van BureE's Administration
Admiral franklin recalls the fact that in the
year named there wers three or four Secretaries
Of the Navy. the result being that between two
and three hundred acting Midshipmen were
created. One effect of this extravaganza exer.
cise of the appointing power was to crowd far
beyond their capacity the steerages in which
tho Midshipmen used to 1.-Two on board
ship. Another effect was that scarcely
any appointments were made during tho
next five years, so that this class OF
young officers eventually became very small,
and had to be supplemented by Masters
Mates. who, not being in the line Of promotion,
lacked esprit de corps. 1t seems that II tho
commanding officer with whom an acting mid
shipman served made a favorable report at the
end of six months. a warrant was issued to the
young man creating him a midshipmsn. Ho
then became what would be called q warrant
officer. but not n commissioned officer. n most
important distinction at the time. Although
twenty-six years had elapsed since the close of
the war Of 1912 there was no such thing As q
naval school deserving the name, although
attempts had been made to establish such inSti.
buttons at the navy yards in Boston, New York
and Norfolk. After six years service. midsbip'
msn were sent to the Naval Asylum at Philadel.
phia. n sort of sailors home. and there, after a
fashion. were prepared for examination.
In the spring of IsIl young franklin was or
dercd to the receiving ship North Carolina. in
New York. this line of battle ship being utilized
for receiving on board enlisted men who wore
detained there until they were drafted into some
sea-Going vessel. She. as well rs the 100-gur
chip Pennsylvania at Norfolk, served as a rem
devious for acting midshipmen. who were sent
70 them In order that they might pick up somt
Of the ways OF the sea before they were ordered
on a regular cruise. On board tho old North. al
she was called, there WAS II professor of mathe
matics, and there was some pretcnce of teach
ing school that did not amount TO much. Dur
Eng the summer months the ship was anchored
eff tho Battery, and, to some extent. the dutie
were much the same No those performed in
regular cruiser. We are told, however, tina
there WAS not much to point her out rs
war machine. There had been n long peace
and such training as now takes place OIL
board our ships OF war was. as yet, undreame'
Of. Even in the regular cruisers there wa
comparatively little OF It.; people then thought
II seems. moro OF making seamen than militar,
men. Sailormen were. of course. very neces
Uary; but, in Admiral Franklin's opinion, tn
fighting machines should never have held r soc
ondary place. In September. 1s4l. younl
Franklin was ordered to tho friRate Unite
States. which was fitting out at tho Norfoll
Navy. Yard. or tho midshipmen. twenty-nin
IN all, with whom he served In tn is frigate. h
knows of no one now living. and he does no
know that any Of them lived long enough t
attain flag rank excepting himself. They ha