The Washington herald., 1910-05-29
BRITISH WAR SHIP NAMES
Some Striking CuriOSes in John Bulls System of NOmen
Cature.

navy list reveals a number OF names asso-
ciated with Trafalgar. Among the bat
tie ships there are the Britannia. Aga
memnon. Africa, Royal Sovereign, Mars,
Revenge. and Swiftsure: while armored
cruisers perpetuate the Leviathan, MIno-
taur. Achille (Achines). Defense. and
Euryalus. The noble flagship herself still
remains with US at Portsmouth, and with
minor vessels accounting for a few others,
the only names left unpreserved are the
Ajax. Belleise. Tonnant, Polyphemus,
Prince. Pickle. and Entreprenant
Considering the plenitude OF naval he
roes IN British history. the number after
whom ships are named IS small indeed.
In addition TO the two already men
toned. there IS the Lord Nelson. the Al
bemarle. Duncan. CornwallLs. Exmouth.
and Russell (the Montague OF this class
was lost the Hood. Blake Drake Edgar,
King Alfred, Cochrane. Hawke. and Bar
ham. There is no Raleigh. Rodney. An
son, Boscawen. Edward H. Hughes. or
Howard OF Emngham, 20 mention only
a 1.-THE Of the names that spring 20 the
memory.
Naval victories are commemOrated n
the Nile and Trafalgar. both now obso-
lete, and in the Aboukir and Hogue. NIL
itarv successes are recorded only in the
Families. Cressy, Sutlei and Blenheim
The only military leader thus remember
ed is the Black Prince
other British ships-a very large num-
ber-bear such names as Magnificent
Implacable. Powerful. and so on. and a
still larger 1fumber owe their COgnOmens
10 the gods OF ancient mythology. With
the exception Of the Mars and Jupiter,
however, all these are protected cruisers
and other small craft
During recent years the admiralty has
adopted some sort Of system for these
smaller classes We have nine small
cruisers whose names all begin with "P'
Pandora, Psyche, Pioneer. &c. while
the latest batch OF unarmored cruisers
are named Boadicea. Bellona. Blanche.
and Blonde. names which have no con-
nection beyond their initial letter. There
are also four gem" cruisers-Amethyst
Topaz. Diamond and Sapphire.
In the latest protected cruisers the ad-
miralty has followed Up the idea which
originated with the County" class Of
armored cruisers. but instead OF coun-
ties. towns have provided the names.
These are Bristol Gloucester, Liverpool.
Newcastle and Glasgow in the 1868
programme. and the Dartmouth, Fal-
mouth, Weymouth. and Yarmouth pro-
vided for last year Besides these, the
only British ship named after a town
Is the battle ship London.
The battle ships Of the King Edward
class have n fine series Of names imperial
in the extreme. They are Africa, Britain
MIA, Commonwealth. Dominion. Hlbernia.
Hindustan and New Zealand. The Natal
and Good Hope. however, are armored
cruisers. The eight scouts" built seven
years ago have names which respond
well 70 the ships special duties. such as
Foresight. Pathfinder, Sentinel, and Skir-
misher.
With torpedo-boat dest-oyers no sys-
tenn at al was in vogue Up to 1902, and
no greater inappropriateness could he i'm
aGincd than 10 see a long black hull sur
mounted by black smokestacks belchinR
forth black clouds OF smoke and coal
dust. with name Ike Fairy or Dove.
Spiteful. Surly, Brazen, and Vlrago were
happier choices.
In 1902 there was begun the river class,
all of whlch-thlrty-fou boats in all
were named after rivers, such as Chel-
mer. Derwent. Boyne. and Welland.
These were followed by the tribe class
very appropriate names, such as ANA
son, Ghurka, Tartar, and Mohawk being
given 10 them. It comes as a shock,
though, to find the Viking sandwiched
between the Maori and Zulu. There are
twelve Of these tribe destroyers. Just
before they were started the admiralty
laid down some torpedo boats. which
they at first tried 10 pass off as destroy
ers. They named these Cricket, Grass
hopper, Gadfy, Sandhy. and so on.
II is interesting 70 note that both Ger
many and the United States name their
ships almost exclusively on the territorial
principle. France pays far more homage
TO literature than we. for while we have
not a single ship named after historian,
poet, or novelist, France has her Diderot
Ernest Renan. Edgar Quinet, and
Miraheau. Why have we not a Shakes
peare Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, and
Macaulay?