New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-15

mama 'i lii' -N'i'" - .'o'''''D 80
sinder his command, many Of the unarmored
vessels having been detached for service in the
philippines 1t viii be essentially a feet Of bat
-lcships and tho first considerable feet OF them
9ho Navy has ever had
Admiral Dovcys flagship the Olympia. after
undergoing necessary repairs at Boston, VIII
MISC join the fleet. it Is said, in its winter
,nanuuyrcs tc TIE southwark.
DRILL IL HANDLING BATTLEsHIPs
The new commander IN chief who raised his
Fac ON the New-York yesterday. in conversation
with q Tribune correspondent. said: 81 very
much desired 20 spend few days with my
friends and family I'm Pottsvine before going to
sea. but ] found # impracticable. 7 have taken
a house IN Washington. where Mrs. Farquhar
md my daughter Will live. My younger son.
12aymond has graduated I'm medicine. and viii
practise IN Washington
1T viii probably be several weeks before the
feet viii he ready % sail from Hampton Roads
tThere will he about half dozen battleships
snd naturally q large proportion OF new men.
The officers az a rule veterans OF the war.
sout number of Junior officers have had little or
30 experience IN the mechanism Of modern bat
tleships Resides the Kentucky, the Kearsarge
md the Alabama are Of the latest types. with
many improvements.
Tactical knowledge familiarity with every
,part Of these complicated machines Of war. COM
Dining steam and electricity for power and new
mechanical appliances for the handling OF guns,
Is a matter Of constant and patient practice.
Another element IN fact the most important
iCne in the late war the splendid gunnery.
The praise Of the men behind the guns who
did the real work at Manila and Santiago has
gone the rounds Of the maritime nations. OF
course, handling the feet as a whole and the
ships as units 70 advantage in a sea fight is
she first requisite, but unless the men behind
The guns make their shots count, good seaman
ship is Of little value.
We are told by the Spanish officers at Manila
and Santiago in their official reports that tie
american fire was delivered with such terrific
accuracy that 1t was Impossible 10 live undcr it.
10th officers and men became panic stricken,
1nany Of them jumping overheard and making
1or the shore. That has always been the strong
point with our Navy. and has given US the ad
1antase over even The superiority Of ships ana
metal of our adversary in sea engagements in
CORNER days
THE actual test Of the value Of the modern
1yTes IF ships OF war IN action was made IN our
war with Spain The battle 81 the Nalu
hardly satisfactory. as the opposing officers and
eDaincn had not had long training in the West
en- methods Of sea hghiins The Spanish for
several centuries had been noted fighters on the
.Vefer and we Americans had our experience.
TO. with England In 1872
WINTER RENDEZVOUS AT KEY WEST
we rcyoluuonzed naval architecture ma
4erials and methods in 1851. in the engagement
,pf the Monitor and the Merrimac and gave
some object lessons 90 the world ia fighting the
great floating ma hines in 1905 The American
Navy has always held foremost place among
III, maritime nations. We added 10 our prestige
Il tac late war Ii is now our duty Il even In
crease Il possible. the efficiency OF our Navy.
Thr winter practice VIII Therefore have that
ord in view The rendezvous OF the fleet Will
.. ~ K,r West. and the nanWuNrng VIII he
in tn, waters near uy.'
In referring 10 some Of his earlier seafaring
experiences. Admiral Farquhar mentioned the
cruising days OF the African coast looking Tor
1ns ~l.y. shius In 1850 eusien. with ten
s-,n.en hc hroughi captured SLAYER from the
African coast 90 the United states ior con
d,f,lrati0u. In the Civil War. as Neutcnant he
commanded the steam Ruuhoat Mahaska. ~ the
North Atlantic blockading squadron, co-oi,erat ,
ing With General NcCiellan's army. IN INo]- ~
D. or,..-,l iu the West Indies in search Of the
C.rf.4.f.tt cruiser Alabama. VIII" In com
,rard ~ the Santiago Dc cuba he took part IN
the attack on Fort Fisher He assisted III
landing the infantry. and took part IL poth at
lacks on Fort Fisher. I'm the attack pf January
j.. $50. he led the seamen Of his Vessei ~ me
assault. After term OF service at Ihc ~ d.
Academy. he WAS assigned % the command or
the steamer Kansas. engaged in the Tehuan-
tepec survey.
CAPTAIN OF TIE TRENTON AT SAMOA
His most famous exploit was the handling OF
his flagship. the Trenton in the hurricane which
swept over the harbor Of Apa. Samoa, on March
u and &c. 1850. The big ship with $50 men, he
handled a whole day without steam or rudder
saving not only all Of his own crew, but 40
men from the tops and rigging Of the Nandalia.
which was wrecked the reefs. the
Trenton later. OF the German war vessels In
the harbor. the Eber sank out OF sight, the Ad
1a M m
the beach.
As the British ship Calliope which had steam
up passed out to sea. the Trenton's band was
ordered on deck and played the American and
British national airs. In the storm Captain
Farquhar ordered his crew into the mizzen rig
ging where the united bodies acted sail
and swung the ships head to the wind
AS an all around seaman as well as COM
mander Rear Admiral Farquhar has no SUI
perior in the Navy. II was this fact which had
great weight in his selection to command the
squadron Of battleships and drill the officers