New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19
rAMOI'S NAMES IN THE NAVY.
rury KEEP UP THE TRADITIONS OF
AMERICAN VALOR

nuba,,s in a name? 4 great deal to your
,-h,us warrior of the seas if it be a good
ana and perhaps quite as important in its way
wu he A bad one. Like every other honest cit
tom the thoroughbred scadog prefers good
name and if it has just pinch of salt in 1t
D, give il the proper flavor of the sea. SO much
,hs better In looking over the list OF Ameri-
ran naval officers of the last few generations
one is surprised To find how many of them
hear famous naval names not only by inner
nance but in their given names. In proportion
To the number in the service there have been
more officers in Uncle Sans Navy who nave
been descendants OF well-knOwn officers. or who
have received the names OF naval heroes IN
haptism. than in any other navy in the world
American naval officers seem to like the ser
yjce Notwithstanding that it is. comparatively
speakng one of the poorest paid among all
naval Powers and want their sons to follow
them and it seems to have been the ambition
Of every father who has given his son a glorious
naval name to have him enter the service-and
they certainly have succeeded in remarkable
number Of cases Nearly all of Americas early
naval heroes have been fittingly represented in
the personnel of the Navy in succeeding gen
erations
THE TWO DECATURS
Take almost any name-Decatur. for instance
There was the original Captain stephen Decatur.
beginning his career on the ocean under the
Stars and Stripes If the war for American
Independence He was as true a son or old
Neptune as ever lolled qu!d Of tobacco in his
mouth He did some pretty work for Uncle
Gam in f,a - ri
and of course his son. stephen Decatur. jr..
had TO keep up the record. He not only kept II
up but added materially to it, But Stephen
got into that duel with Barron and was Killed
before he had sons born to him to keep up the
famous line Decatur was fighter. and when
Barron vent so far out of his way to pick a
quarrel Decatur was not the man to avoid
meeting and the result was that Uncle Sam
vas deprived Of any more Decatur blood.
But there were plenty to take up the glori-
o1s name. Captain Edward Trenchard knew
Decatur the elder very well. and named
lis son stephen Decatur Trenchard. Trench
ard entered the servcc-of course. ne had to
with such front" name. besides being the son
Of a gallant Navy ofiicer-although his parents
had fondly hoped that he would bud out into
iulfedged bishop in due course OF time. The
name and the circumstances OF his birth were
TOO much for them. and Trenchard became one
II the most valuable officers in the Navy. dying
b 1880 with the rank OF rear admiral.
THE RODGERSES AND THE PERRYS.
Those gallant ROdgerscs have been part and
parcel OF the Navy ever since it came into ex-
Silence. one must be sure to put ID" in the
name In spelling it. Some admirers OF this
celebrated family have said that the "a" should
put in because they fight like the devil when
uey once get started. 1t the first John
Rodgers who prccipitatcd the War OF 1872. be-
cause ne wouldn't take impudcnce fro n the Little
Belt and no one has ever blamed him for IL.
other Rodgerses have kept up the good work ever
Since Commander George Washington Rodgers
was killed in action before Charleston Rear
Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers
was the name Of naval hero who. with John
Rodgers. Jr.. did good service in the Civil War.
Ill OF them deserving to have I'd" in their
names judging from the way they fought. And
| nere are six Of the fighting Rodgcrses in the
navy to-day-Captain Frederick Rodgers Lieu
@hant-Commander John A. Rodgers Leuten-
mt-Commander Thomas S. Rodgers. Lieu
~hant William l.. Rodgers Guy G. Rodgers,
@Sstant paymastcr. and that sturdy young
"er' John Rodgers. naval cadet Surely the
Rodgerses with the ID" are not DESERVING Uncle
Sam
closely allied 10 the Rodgcrses were the Perrys.
VINO bore one Of the most illustrious names in
american naval history. The list begins with
christopher Raymond Perry. in the Revolution.
VINO performed some remarkable operations. and
a' son. Oliver Hazard the gallant hero OF
lake Erie Then there was his brother. Mat
"e" GalbraIth Perry. who did some splendid
WIZ In the Mexican War hut who won his last