New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-28
GIFTS FOR NEW SHIPS.
PRESENTS FOR FIFTEEN NEW WAN
VESSELS.


PATRIOTISM BY BEsTowING SOME
THING HANDsoMD-A SILVER
SERVICE MOST SUITABLE
u,sb,poton letter in The Boston Transcript
Eyf,e.n war vessels having been newly named
NV president Mckinley in honor OF as man!
cities and States. citizens of those
owe the patriotic duty of preparing sultdoie anu
handsome gifts for the shlps IN quea,l ba g
every case without exception, TINS cuStoiii no
been observed in regard to the hghtinS Graz. VI
the United States Navy. The sentiment par -.
the idea is very pleasing one. ana IL may ny
he inappropriate to offer at this time one Oh wv
,naas,;ons "a in presents that are appropriate
for tha purpose some righteousness harine
been shown in making choice Oh i'ioi' imam
one previous OCCASION - 10 Tho moot
The question is, then, what shall De III. ',,o9s
,,itahla g;ft for each state or city 10 Des'o"
,,non her pamesake? The answer 49, d 81, wv.
of silver-sod sterling silver OF coulsI, du sb
mere plated ware. II money enough 10
scribed forty pieces will furnish an aunl'' or
oo,;nmant for the wardroom and for the cap
tains cabin and on this service as "uch 90
$4,000 may be profitably spent pue ~. o nos, Of
portant advantage of silver Is that 'n ~, In
tho donation may be scaled down ahVot "
aaG,itoIv in nroportion to the means aVa'apie
even to a single piece If necessary. ~ eel
OF entertaining is done on Doaru oi !. . VIC, ne
and so an equipment OF silver 10 eA' ~ nc-
fuI II is customary to utilize II OH! Oh ~, Nv
nasons of ceremony and at other times IL Is us
nlaved handsomely on sideDoaro, !, ~
a good deal of 1t. a special case WIN s'' ~
is made for it, r., ., % Uiscon-
Gin annointed a committee to PROVIDE a su.ao,i
gift for the battle-ship named altei nc go IL,
1t was decided to invest the aValiao'I 30 s,,nn,n
a library for the vessel when was " po o"P ~
mnnted with a large bronze badger taken ron,
the coat-of-arms of Wisconsin 10 De p, pa, y,
yyhereyer such ornaments are Iocateu oii " 9"'p,
90 II was expressed in a letter written 10 .te
available space on vessel OF war lor sucn
nurnosc was usually quite taken up Ny the
necessary technical library lurnlsneu 40 ~ IN.
partment and suggestion was mao 10 ,, rn
aaffect that the committee should Duy SILVER
service instead, with the states Goa, 'i'' VI"
each piece. This was done
NO ROOM FOR BOOKS.
1ror hooks there is no room at all in the ward,
room of a warship The technical library ca a. ~
hy every fighting vessel is put in the caDln Oh tne
commanding officer, where AS mucn sheh-Iooih
as possible is always provided Tor lhls PulpoSe
and TO the collection. which consists OF "orhs
that have a bearing on the naNai pr0iessioh. ~
- ~ Off cers have access 1t is usual to PROVIDE
a library for the crew. chiefly composed OF WORKS
of fiction which occupies a Few shelves ol
bookcase fastened up against ouikleau II, he
forecastle Such books as are possessed ny the
wardroom officers are slowed away in lockers
and other odd places. -,
The Women's Army and Navy League hds
prescnted small organs to number OF our
sh;ps and they are useful indeed. being placeh
usually in some convenient spot on the man
deck When divine services are hello the orgah
is played and ii is also available Tor FESTIVE
occasions. 1t is for the benefit rather OF the
crew than Of the officers. and among the tackles
and marines there are always a number OF
musicians sufficiently expert To manipulate the
instrument. The city of Minneapolis gave to the
cruiser Of that name magnificent grand piano
valued at 81 600. This was accompanied by
seven pieces of silver worth $1,000. the soup
tureen alone costing 5000 and the meat plate
$3.50
The battleship Indiana received from citizens
OF Indiana. in addition TO library, silver
service valued at S9j26 and consisting Of
thirty nine pieces. Thirty-twO pieces of silver
given by San Francisco to the cruiser of that
name cost $I,lS6. But the handscmest and
most expensive silver service was furnished for
the cruiser Chicago by the people Of the big
town Lake Michigan. 1t comprises DDS
pieces including dozen and half of every
thing Brooklyn gave to the armored cruiser
named after that city two silver candelabra
worth 81 600 a soup tureen that cost $3.50 and
a lot Of other silver that ran up the value of the
service. excluding the candlesticks. to SS.91.
When the Inflated Maine went into commits
sion citizens Of that Commonwealth gave her
three silver dishes wOrCh 81 600. and several
photograph albums containing views of Maine
merry. On March 10 1891. several residents
of New Orleans. natives Of the Pine Tree State.
pit scented the ship with a lovng-cup Of silver
with moose-horn handle. This cup is
hibited in glass case at the National Museum.
having been recovered from the wreck in Ha
vana Harbor
The proper course of procedure when one
wishes to bestow gift upon a ship OF the
United States Navy is to communicate on the
subject with the Chief Of the Bureau OF Equip
ment in the Navy Department. He is the law
full custodian of all such presents, which are
taken up on the books Of his bureau as part
OF the equipment of the vessels upon which they
are bestowed. 1t is for him to judge what gifts
are acceptable. and he can refuse them If he so
chooses. No regulations govern. Not long ago
a manufacturer of bicycles offered to contribute
number Of wheels for the Of marines ami
sailors on shore duty. They were declined with
thanks. When asked for a suggestion, the De-