The New York Herald Newspaper, February 23, 1874, Page 3

ADMIRAL The Present Condition of the Navy as Treated by. Ita: Highest Professional Authority. SHALL THE’ HAVY BE IMPROVED ? Diseussion of the Imperative De- MON ITOBS. Changes in Warfare and Their Infu- ence on Shipbuilding. Wasuingrow, D. C., Oct. 22, 1873. Sim—I have the henor to state that since my Jast report ten ships of war have been inspected before Boing to sea, and found to be properly fittea out and in nearly every case an improvement over the previous year. Ido not know that there is anything more to be @esir@d in the manner of fitting out vessels for sea, except that further facilities for SAVING LIFE sbould be provided. Ihave not yet heard of any sbip going to or returning from sea, that had the means in case of fire or other accident, of pro- ‘viding for the safety of her crew by boats or life Failte, for it 1s quite certain that in the hurry of a fire or collision, proper rafta could not be impro- vised, ‘The last thing at an inspection is to see what facilities a sbip has for saving her crew—a much more important problem at present than in former times, when torpedoes were not used im naval warfare. Yet, as I said before, 1m no instance bas a United States vessel been found provided with the means of saving her crew; and our boats are ven, ip many instances, inferior for this purpose to those provided jor ocean passenger steamers. I have referred to this important subject in several reports to the department, and again recommend that 1t receive the attention it merits. No ship can carry boats enough to save her crew ao @ beavy sea, but life rafts can be fitted to the vessel in such @ way a8 .not to encumber her or ook out of place, and with their aid a whole ship's company could be saved. Some ofMicers object to these life-saving appli- ances as unsightly, and make any excuse to leave ‘hem behind, and the gutta percha rafts are stowed a@way in boxes, unused and without ventilation wantil they become unserviceable. I would recommend, therefore, that every ship $m the navy should have a montbly exercise to test the efficiency of the means at hand for transporting the crew, and the result reported to the department. I venture to say that at every trial some useful experience will be gained, ‘and, in case'of the destruction ot of our ves- ny gels by torpedos, the good resuits of such practical | iments would be seen, a ‘he ya Ife, Fae ae Eee tas eennaere mmen, Torrey’s percha and the hamm ue vith py latter recommended by Mr. R. B. Forbes, a jspenueman who has at bis own expense undertaken experiments in _life- | which should properly gaving apparatus, be €onducted by the government. ‘These experiments of Mr. Forbes haye shown the wi save life under all circu ‘ey imstances, and if the re- ealte are adopted they will prove ver: tisfactory ‘al who have to encounter the perils of the sea. erewith enclose one of Mr. Forbes’ pamphlets on the subject. Nine @l have been inspected on their return ‘from #ea, and without exception have been found ia le condition.. This speaks well. or the weal ' energy of the commanders and officers, ‘who have @ pretty hard time in maintaining dis- the cosmopolitan crews with which snips aré manned, with rules scarcely strin- | peace, gent enough even for times of te In examining the returns of tions abroad, 1 find the universa: excuse for deficiencies “short ness of crews,” and although in some cases these excusesare hardly admissible, yet. on the whole, Our ships’ companies are about fifteen per cent. beiow the complement, which should not be the case with vessels of war. The calculations for our hips’ companies have already been made very ciose, and No supernumeraries, as in former times, allowed, consequently the loss of ten (10) working- men would be ielteven in the largest of our ves- | be m dina small vessel. Yet, if a commanding officer should meet ‘with defeat owing to the shortness of mis crew, I fear pant he would find little sympathy on that ac- count. in my last report to you I nearly exhausted this @ubdject, but as no remedy has yet been applied to the growing evil, I again beg leave to suggest that some legi#iation trom Congress be procured by which the navy can be properly mauned, both as regards numbers and material. wels, anda single one must Alter careiul study and an experience of many | rs at sea I adhere to the opiniun I have hereto- eal Tore expressed in my reports from time to time to | ‘tue department, that AN APPRENTICE SYSTEM, based on the plan I lately submitted to you, should be adopted ior the service. it has hitherto been thought that our merchant marine would be @ school from which we could always recruit seamen, whereas the navy is now | actually the school from which merchants obtain their best men, and the wages in the merchant marine are so much better than those in the avy, the inducements held out by the latter are insuiiicient to keep men in the naval service. Seamen are merchautabie articles and naturally 0 where they can get the highest pay. the merchant service more desirable and more re- munerati than the navy, which men enter deeply in debt for an outfit which should be fur- mished them t500 of cost. eS Fe At is possible that in adopting the apprentice System as now existing in the Britisn Ravy we tg at the end of five years’ apprenticeship be still jurnishing men for the merchant marine, but We would get them again in time of war, and ‘would then experience the benefit of having sea- meu educated in the navy and attached to their country and fag: probability a large number of rentices would eiect to remain by the service and enjoy the benefits arising from contmuous employment. At all events no harm could result from the adop- tivn of the system, and we should secure @ larger number of mative Americans than we have at present in the service; ior frequeatiy when our | wal} sre as jast report was very fall on this subject, and bs indisputavile tacts to corroborate wiiat 1 now ‘write, 1 beg leave to call your attention to one defect im some Of the smalier vessels, which has on sev- eral occasions been noticed by the Inspecting Board, and which is obvious to officers of the navy generally—that is, the batteries are too heavy for the vessels and the Poe too large for the breadth of beam, This applies more particularly to the nine-inch guns on board vessels of the Plymouth class and those below their tonnage. ‘rhe breadth of beam does not allow the working of the nine-inch guns to advantage, and in time of return from a cruise ubout the only na- ity they have is in their officers and the fag at the peak. < action they would knock themseives to pieces | againet the coamings. Without referring to other disadvantages, I recommend that a suitabie eight-inch gun be substituted for the nine-inch. There is but littie difference in the weignt and Tauge of against @ wooden vessel would be almost as destructive. Neither gun would have any effect aguinst an ordini ironeclad unless acci- dentally striking some very vwinerable part. Some of the vessels above alluded to coulda probably carry ® couple more of the eight-inch guns in consequence of lighter weight, owing to @ decrease of calibre. ‘The eight-inch gun could also be more rapidly anvied with a tewer number of men, and in my opinion, at ordinary range, ten eight-inch guns ‘Would ve superior to eight nine-inch, It is @ disputed point with some officers what constitutes heavy tay but certainly there can be mo.doubt of an eight-inch being considered a heavy uv, as it 18 one Of the favorite guns of the service, ana only a few placed on board our largest frigates. in my last report I drew your attention to the want of steam capstuns in the navy, and gave rea #one for their use. I recommend thetr adoption in No ship-of war can ve Ma hout a ata necessity of buitding mo ‘Munoyant steam cutters, with models better adapted ‘20 @ heavy sea, such as our steam cutters are oiten wire driving boats of larger size. weoreetictyerth Some improvements of late years have been made in the cabin allowances, but price 01 living abroad causes’ omic: to incur ex: ses far beyond their means, and at the end ofa cruise they are olten heavily in debt. may ar Ifberal ove accustomed reure pieces, bat when it is Temembered. ‘net ‘they have to provide for their tamilt ae their absence from home and pt and returir the nospitalities of foreign officers without any allowanee irom government, a different oplaion will prevail. Naval men are proverbially hospitable, and European governments, desiring their officers to be #0, afford them ail necewmary PORTER'S REPORT gis TORPEDOES, $0 | The torpedo system has occupied They find | the eight-inch shot, and its etfects | earsago but iour of them were | on shore | a@ vessel not on NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1874.—TKIPLE SHEET, THE IRISH ELECTIONS’ CANVASS, at ok bimeelt or SPhralatat clase receives $6478, witha commodure in bevel yan re than twice rear admirals the pay of higher omicere For sratance,” of. mre ofthe Beet receives $19,100 ands vice ad. miral oe oe other allowances. From this it will seen how inade deemed of our A chard would be comman: officers oper, yemaeen, In addition to the above, al Bikeand! omMcers are allowed “table money” for entertainments, which enables them to leave a aufficient amount of pay at home to sup- T doubt ifwe have an captain or cem- mander afloat who 18 dostamduiritecna on ac- count o/ the Various calls upon his hospitality, and a e is naturally so much more agreeab! aa ie Cy ete hat omeers hesitate to eee sea urge that our officers abroad are not gui tolucur these expensea, but it would not vely courteous In any commander, after par- taking of the hospitalities of a foreign oMcer, to get up nanncaar and steam out of port to avoid re- FO irtesies between Officers tend to cement the bond . bee y ee ar one nation =r ences toward another, and sbould, e, Fecelve the largest encouragement. i On two witl knowledge the State Department have paid out some $10,000 to enable the comman officer of the European Squadron to return civilities and do honor to our country, and these precedents it would be well to w. 1t 18 not just that, oficers out of a pay only sul- ficient for support o! themselves and families, should be subjected Lo expense in retarning hoepitalities which are lutely of a national character. _ I speak in behalt of the navy, have no Vigil interest im the matter and trust that a beral view will betaken of the subject and all poouhle allowance made to prevent officers abroad ‘om being placed in embarrassing positions and subjected to unnecessary expense. This subject | belongs to Congress, but the department | Can in & measure regulate the matter o1 wances | ana add to the comfort of comman ofmicers abroad as well as those in command of shore sta- tions. has bee ¥ signed by of as been nume! y officers of the navy, including myself, asl that the flags of Admiral, Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral fueeistones dur- ing the war, cogesnes with tue old broad pennant, be restored to the service, to take the place of the flags now worn. The present flags are distaste/ul to the officers and meu, and do not afford the dis- tinction between the grades that they were origi- nally intended to efect. There are traditions con- nected with the old flags that are dear to the officers and men who served during the late war for the Union, and we do not want to lose the old otinets 80 familiar to those who have served a itle' mm the pavy. Admiral Farragut was al- lowed to retain the Bd under whi ined his renown until the day of his death, but was then abolished and the navy now asks that it may be resuscitated, The younger ofMcers now coming forward will look up to the old fag with more pride than to the one at present worn, which signifies nothi at all. It was incorrectly sup- posed that i was responsible for this c e of flags, but such is not the case. 1 never did ike the flag proposed, but tne alteration wad deemed advisabie by the Chief of Burean, We had charge Of such matters, on the ground that the new flag wouid assimilate with those of foreign nations who had adopted a uniform system. This ‘Was @ 1act; but as there was no national sentiment connected with the joreign flags as there was with ours I think the change unad' ble. ‘The new flag having been tried for some years and given no satisiaction, the officers of the navy have petitioned ee jor the change, which J trust you will particular attention during the past year, and although much engaged in matters relating to the building of the new torpedo vessel, I have yet found time to in- te the experiments mave in other quarters. | 4 in my opinion that the torpedo | system, although still in its 1nfancy, 18 destined to | Pay 9, most important part in future naval war- re, so that the pation most advanced in torpedo science will possess great advantages over all Others. To us, who seem to experience so much difficulty in maintauning a navy, it is absolute), necessary that we should devote more time an attention to the subject of forped: than other liberal outlay for this pur- | pose. seat there is not 80 much | Interest dispiayed in the torpedo question in our | Davy as its importance deserves, for I know of but two vessels that have gone to quarters and fired their torpedoes the same as if in action. Iam | convinced that proper atiention will not be given | & this subject until special instructions are issued | | from the department. | | Although the theoretical instruction hitherto | given at the torpedo station has been of a very in- teresting kind, 1 think a much larger amount of | practical experiments could be sudstituted with | advantage. | Omicers would naturally feel more interested in actual practice than in mere theory. I have con- | Yersed with several who have been under instruc- | tion at the station, and, although they express themselves pleased with the information they have gainea, they seem on the whole not sorry to have | (as they suppose) ‘finished with the business. *? | In my opinion, no one can make a good torpedo officer unless his heart is in the work, and hence | | believe it well to make the duty as attractive as circumstances will admit. At present the torpedo station is a theoretical school without suficient practice, and the experi- ments are not altogether suited to impress the students with the importance of the work on wrich tney are engaged. Iam pleased to say, however, that some very good and uselul practice has lately been had at Newport while fitting the Mononga- | hela, which wilido more to impress the officers | and crew of that ship with the power of torpedoes than anything else could have done. A number of otticers would lixe to go to Newport for instruction, but some of the rules of the station seem to them imconsistent with the relations that shoula exist between seniors and juniors where the latter are superintendents and instructors. Now, in foreign navies—Engiand, for instance—the torpedo in- struction is under the immediate supervision of a | rear admiral or officer of high rank who has the opportunity of selecting the best officers in the | service as assistant instructors. Two rear ad- murals, ten commodores and @ large number of | captains and commanders are now under instruc- | tion in the British Navy, and“ seeing the difficulty | im the way of our future progress in torpedo in- struction, 1 recommend that @ like course be pur- sued with us, | | Among ali the officers who have studied at the torpedo station I have met with none who seemed to | have invented anything or proposed any improve- ment on what has been done before. ‘This is, I think, because they are not sufficiently interested, It should be the policy to encourage every officer | to use ail his faculties to bring the torpedo sys- tem to perfection. In my several visits to the tor- | pedo station during the present year and during | my sojourn there o! two months it was evident to | | me that the means of instruction were imade- | quate. There are only two or three small launches attached to the station, and they are not at ali suited for the work, and there is no | | Course of instruction whatever ior defence against | torpedoes, It is evident that to make the torpedo | | school what it should be a more liberal expendi- | ture ts required, und the cost of one smull ship of | | War annually jor this rc geaned would be money | weilspent. There should be added to the present | | means of instruction four large steel launches, | fifty feet in length and ten feet beam, with double | screws for quick mancuvring, and all other | modern appliances; also the different kinds of | torpedoes for harbor defence, the various nets and. spars for the protection of vessels against tor- | ations, and make pedoes, and a good monitor trom which to send of the Lay torpedo, tor 1do not believe ships will | come close enough to port to be injured by that device, and we must consequently go some dis- | tance irom shore to attack them. | In addition to this, there should be sections of: ships or iron buoys made equally as strong, to test the effect of the different ’torpedoes fired irom the | | water level to twenty ieet below. Specimens of | all foreign torpedoes should be bought aud tested, | | and remedies applied against their attack. Such | as prove good we should adopt into the navy, ana | teach our officers how to encounter and use them | under all circumstances, I merely make these | Suggestions without going into details, but the liberal expenditare of money in this matter of tor- pedoes would, no doubt, give birth to many de- vices not thought of at present. A great deal of importance has been given to the Harvey torpedo, | the Fish torpedo and the Lay torpedo, and the | probability oi their destroying ships under all cir- cumstances. No doubt all these are formidable contrivances, to @ certain extent, and a commanding officer | ignorant of the manner in which their attack | should be met would be in danger of losii his | but with an understanding of the subject and @ vessel oft equal speed any commander could eeiees destroy either ol the torpedoes men- | tione SHIPS AND TORPEDOES. No towing, diving or swimming torpedo yet in- | vented is @ matcn for @ smart vessel properly armed, with her crew at the guns, and it for this reason that I recommend tne construction of 80 mnany large launches for the purpose of teaching officers how t manceuvre in attacking and repel- ling the attacks of torpedoes or torpedo vessels. Officers would soon find out the diticulty of de- stroyihg a ship properly handled by means of tow- ing torpedoes, unless the torpedoes were hidden, altnougn it = be easy enough to blow uy he alert or one improperly handled, A vessel of equal speed need have no fear of an opponent carrying either HARVEY OR FISH TORPEDO, for these inventfons’can only be successfully used against snips taken by surprise or lying at anchor, As @ protection against such contrivances 1 fi a3 L E 4 i i : A i i ‘i i S ‘ish to wol twenty feet irom the ship, and would do no harm except to the net. Nine thread ratiime stuff made into a sum- amall network to prevent one of these through the interstices would i ‘expiode. ‘a banver or Fish torpedo before it could the ship’s side. then, isa most interesting and important twotry, The work is the only cer- a can have against anything that poor protection against a nected with a properly con- sirecees corned. vessel With appliances ior cutting 5 tron and men all under cover grapeshot would do the torpedo vessel little damage, aiaring but @ small target to fire at solid shot would seldom strike her, especially at Dight orim afog. Yet all these matters are prob- lems only to be worked out by actual experiment, and we are solving them too slowly. In the late experiments conducted on board the United States steamer Mononghahela, where a hulk was biown up bya spar torpedo, the ship running for the quarter of the hulk, two large ieces Of timber containing several ‘bolts were thrown back on board the ship, together with some smaller fragments of débrie. To avoid casu- alti t such times every oo A the navy shoud be supplied with a rope splinter netting as a por- tion of her regular outht. Ifeeilam touching on tender ground when I Teier to the question as to how far naval jurisdic- tion extends in ion of our coasts aud harbors with to} No matter how well drilled a soldier may be at his several duties, he can never be as much home in @ boat or on winner as @ seaman, T can an army Officer as well direct the management of a boat or vessel as an officer of the navy. Torpedoes planted to defend a harbor shotild be laid down by men accustomed to boats and skilled in the management of lines and tackles, Along the open coast or on the ocean, torpedo duty must of necessity fall to the lot of the navy. During War of the Rebellion the torpedo duty of the enemy afloat, was in the hands of rebel naval officers, who mal dit with great success, taking into consideration the small means at their command. IN TIME OF WAR, the duty of the soldier eee the harbor isin the fort, where he can protect with the fire ef his gang, the torpedoes planted to obstruct the chan- hei, for torpedoes without protection from guns on shore would be useless, and the guns on shore would not prevent the passage of vessels without the torpedoes, but in handling torpedoes in boats in all weathers, seamen alone can be relied upon. The question then arises, will not the navy, in case of war, be called upon to protect our coast by torpedoes, and ought there not to be a system adopted snd provision made to meet 1uture emer- & policy —eeriens it IP é countries there is a torpedo corps, com- posed of officers and men taken from the navy, whose sole duty it is to look after the coast and harbor defences relating to the torpedo. I am strongly in favor of such a corps in our avy, With @ permanent head, the junior omeers to serve a length of time equal to that served at s€a or on other duty. The organization of @ proper torpedo corps will necessarily be trom the navy for the reasons I have stated, and as it will eventually become a most important part of our naval system we should take advantage of the present opportunity and commence the establishment. Jt will be rather late when war breaks out to be- gina discussion on @ matter that 1s quite plain enough already to all who have examined the sub- ject, ior the enemy would pass the gates while the argument was going on. my opinion, it is simply the duty of the army to fire torpedoes from the stations alter they have been planted. For ths they should have the proper sppliancce and every means for knowing the arrival of an enemy’s vessel over a torpedu neat. Lhave said so much on this sabject to show that to the navy the most important ee appropri- ation lor operating on the water should be made. and lor those torpedoes used on land the appro- priation should be made to the army. Com- mon sense would indeed point out that the deience of harbors and coasts where there are olten oangerony bars and lines of breakers, either with floating, turning, submarine or any other kind of torpedoes in any way connected with a vessel should be manipulated by naval oflicers and m ao SOONER eg Stet a! ie oe * ine should be drawn between the duties of the army, and navy where one terminates and the other commences, otherwise there will be confusion. NAVAL DRILL, I would respectfully call your attention to the fact that the quarterly returns of exercises are not as full as the regulations require or as is desirable for the purpose Of maintaining efficient drill. ship can be @ thorough man-of-war unless erfect in all her Yer oa eta for any emergency. ship ing = in- to action should ve able to rie for the fight in a few moments, for with all her top hamper up and 1 ging rove, she runs the risk of fouling her propeller should a mast be shot away, and crippling her guns by falling spars, Now that battles are to be fought under steam there 1s no longer any necessity for spars aloit in time of action; but constant exercises are necessary to Make the ship thoroughly efficient. EXTRAORDINARY SEAMANSHIP. On one occasion, while in command of the Naval Academy, 1 saw a sloop-of-war with royal yards | across, rigging rove and sails bent stripped to her No | picked crew, the sbij school of a ine, ani a vas nag, on board in commission with a will afford in thie way more of the routine of the regular gervice in three Mouths than they would in three cruises in @ Yona murriedly fittea out and witha green crew I herewith inciose reports of Inspection. of re- ceiving ship and the general condition of vessels of the monitor class. Those that have been re- constructed on the plan I recommended are ex- cellemt vessels, much more comfortable and em- cient than before, and will be serviceable for many TAPER nor to be, very rome, 30 nor very res yar obedient servant, pitied sons DAVID D. PORTER, Admiral. Hon. Grorge M. Ropeson, Secretary of the Navy. Monitors, Wasurnaron, D. C., Nov. 6, 1873. SIR—As an addition to my report I beg we to submit the following in relation to monitors — ‘Since my last report the Saugus bas been com- pletely re , a3 recommended, and is now An excellent vessel and is at sea, ‘the Manhattan has been repaired in a similar manner, and can be got ready for seain a short time. The Wyandotte and Nahant are pele repaired and will be ape im six months. Tue Canonicus, being repaired in a similar manner, will be ready in three months. When finished ali the above named vessels will be much improved, and will last for many years with very few repairs, ‘The tollowing named vessels of the Nahant class now at League Island should be repaired in the — ene meee betore bypre moat Che re ve good and machinery, al rotten in their woodwork. 5 Catskill, Nantucket, Jason, Lehigh, Passaic, ‘Thege vessels can be repaired in six months by ¥ the work to separate firms, and would cost 180, each. Ibeg leave to renew m: mendation with regard to the Puritan. fine hall, and, if finished on the new plans, will make an admirable monitor and ram. I also rec- ommend that the Terror, one of the finest vessels in the navy, be rebuilt with an iron hull, which could be done in seven mouths. At the Boston Navy Yard the Nght draft monitors Shawnee and Wassuc should be repaired like the rest, at a cost of $140,000 each. The Mahopac, at Norfolk, could be ready tn a month at a it of $1,000. Spe is a fine vessel since the alterations were made in her. The monitor Amphitrite, at the Naval Academy, ‘was originally one of the most formidable vessels in the navy, and, though deficient in steam power, has a good hull and turrets. She could with an outlay of $180,000 be made a most powerlul vessel. The Dictator, at New London, also requires re- pairs without delay. She is one of the best vessels we have, and would make a powerful ram. With the monitors thus repaired we could deiend our poms against any ordinary enemy, and the work | ave proposed on these vessels would not be too much to undertake at one time. RECEIVING SHIPS, I @ examined into the condition of the re- ceiving ships and find them kept in as good order by their commanding officers as circumstances will admit. Some of them, however, require thorough overhauling and repairing to make them comfortable and efficient. A suitable place should be provided on board for the examination of re- cruits, and for this reason, if for no other, the sick bay should be placed on the gun deck of a mie and the upper gun deck of a ship of the line. Bath rooms should also be provided tor the ablutions of recruits when they come on board. This is indis- Ppensable, as the recruits nearly always present themselves in & condition too filthy for physical examination. ‘he sick bays should be enlarged, a8 none of them will now accommodate more than fifteen patients. The receiving ships are properly heated in winter, and in that respect are comiort- able. Respectfully submitted, DAVID D. PORTER, Admiral. Hon. GEORGE M. Ropgson, Secretary of tne Navy, AMUSEMENTS. The Theatres To-Day. ~ To-day being celebrated as Washington’s Birth- day, performances will be given this afternoon at many of the theatres, At the Grand Opera House “2460” and ‘Humpty Dumpty Abroad” will be given, with Mr, G.L. Fox in’ éach. Bryant’s will furnish a charity entertainment for the benefit of the poor of this city, the programme including the burlesque on “Cinderella. At the Theatre Comique @ bill will be interpreted identical with that of the evening, including “Little Jack Dar- win” and “First Crime; or, The Felon’s Wife.” At the Olympic the extensive troupe will ap- be? in @ highly diversified performance. At iblo’s ‘‘Leatherstocking” will Le repeated; at Wood’s Museum a variety periormance and @ “Quiet Family” will be given at eleven in the morning, and “Dombey Son” at two in the afternoon; at the Colosseum entertainments will be provided trom ten to one and from two to five; at ony, Pastor’s & programme, concluding with the bevtesque, “Little Jack Shetpard will be tur- nished; at the Metropolitan Theatre the Marti- nett! troupe and other special performers will ap- pear; at the Bowe: “Horseshoe Robinson,” “Trip to Jersey” and ‘fom Cringle’ will be acted; at Mrs, Conway’s “The Stranger” and a favorite face will be played, and at the New Park Theatre “the White Swan” will be offered. The usual evening entertaimment will also be given at each gf these houses, Mme. Ji chek at Booth’s To-Night. Mme. Janauschek will this evening begin an engagement at Booth’s Theatre with Lady Dedlock recom- ine bas a House,” known as ‘Chesney Wold.” The rest of the cast will include Mr. Milnes Levick as Mr. Tulkinghorn, Mr. Charles Waicot as Sir Leicester Dedlock, Mr. Wheelock as Bucket the Detective, Mr. Pateman as Mr. Guppy and Miss Mary Wells as Mrs. Kouncewell. Grand Opera House—Sunday Concert. ‘The third Sunday concert at this house took place last evening, and although the attendance was by no means as large as on the two preceding occasions, yet it was of dimensions respectable en- | ough to warrant belief in the popularity and suc- | | cess of these entertainments. There were three lower rigging and her rigging all tallied in seven- | teen minutes, and this the work of young mid- shipmen without previous preparation. have frequently seen the same thing done in halfan hour, but I hardly think any of our ships now in commission can do as well. The reasons assigned by commanding oMicers for not perform- ipg all the exercises do not always seem to me valid, and irequently no explanation at all is given of omissions, Many compiuints are made that the iron work on board our ships gives way during the exercises; and this 18 given as an excuse for not sending up and down topmasts and lower yards; for, of conrse, no commanding officer should risk the lives of men on doubtiul iron hooks or bol! But there is a simple remedy for this, which 0 , have every bolt, bar or hook tested to see what it will bear, and a test mark put on it. Where iron breaks it is always the case that it has been previously put together by only about one-fifth of its thickness—the fault of bad torging. Ships stationed in the tropics have neglected | their exercises on the ground of the excessive heat making them oppressive to the crews. But few of the exercises occupy over ten minutes; and if the crews are called to quarters daily, cast, loose, run in and out the guns. and secure, tt will do no one any harm. Thesending up and down of topgaliant yards and masts requires not more than three minutes, tn the cool of the morning and evening; | loosing and furling sails require, at the most, three minutes, and the sails are quite as well preserved on the yards as in a sail room, where they are apt to mould and rot, I think these things will strike intelligent ufficers as they do me. On the whole the exercises, as faras they go cousidering the shortness our crews, are riy performed. In endorsing the reports of Mela 8 officers Iam obliged to be governed by what stated therein. UNIFORMING THE SEAMEN. I notice that the uniiorms of our seamen do not yet coniorm to regulations, and that some officers alter it to suit their own taste, which is not war- ranted by custom or regulation, The present uniform is appropriate and as inexpensive as it can be made, and indicates the several distinc- tions among the sailors, yet I have seen the boat’s crew of a ship some time in commission Wearing three different varieties of uniform, mone of them regulation. ‘Tne only chan I ‘would recommend in the uniform 1s the abolition of the dungaree collar to the blue flannel shirt, and the substitution of blue nankeen on the collars of white frocks in place of dungaree, which washes all the colors of the rainbow. STEAM DEPARTMENT. The seamen-firemen and seamen-coalheavers substituted in place of the old rates of firemen and coalheavers, do not like the duty assigned them when steam is raised. The duty is unpopular, be- cause, a8 @ rule, steam is seldom used, and’ the extra pay aliowed jor these occasions will not even pay for the clothing worn out, Firemen and coal heavers being, as one may say, denizens of the lower regions in a ship of war, have stow holes or boxes allowed them in which to keep their steaming and cone clothes, but a seaman has only his bag where he keeps hia best apparel, and he cannot provide for this extra steam duty. The result is that most of the sea- men-flremen and seamen-evalheavers desert, and I would recommend that the system be changed. ‘The duties are so distinct that tt is quite out of _ to make @ good fireman out of & sailor. SCHOOL SHIP. Having visited the Naval Academy practice shi the past summer, | beg leave to submit re- marks in relation to that vessel. Although a fine ship of her class Ido not think her al ther adapted to the purpose jor which she ts used, The midshipmen are too much crowded together and are thrown too much with the crew, which 1s not at all desirable. When the Tennessee is finished she will make an excellent school ip, and, being the best kind of steum engines, will afford. a fine Means of instraction in that branch for midshtp- and cadet emaineers. Ji she is kevt constant ‘is | attractive features. Mile. Ostava Torriani, the de- serving prima donna of the Strakosch troupe, san; the grand scene of Agatha from ‘Der Freischtitz” with the Yorting ead expression it demanded, and showed in the brilliancy and clearness of her voice no trace of the trying operatic campaign she has just | concluded in the West and in Boston, M. Victor Maurel, of the same company, created a species of popular furor by his noble rendering of Mahomet’s Bice war song irom Rossini’s “Siege of Corinth.” ilmore’s Twenty-second Regiment Band played selections from Meyerbeer, Verdi, Rossini, and Gil- more, and two of the members of this eminent body of musicians, Messrs. Arbuckle and Letfebre, were heard in solos for the cornet and saxophone. An entire change of programme will occur on next Sunday evening. Musical and Dri atic Notes. ‘The Caroline Richings-Bernard Muzica) Union ap- pear this evening at Steinway Hall. “sunlight Through the Mist,’ embracing three continents, four acts, five characters and six years, is the new play at the Bowery. ‘The spring season of Italian opera will be in- augurated this evening at the Academy of Music by the Strakosch company with Verdi’s “Ayda.” Mr. Fred. Rullmann announces a brief season of German opera at the Stadt Theatre, commencing early in March, with Mme. Pauline Lucca as the chief attraction, Mr. Stoddart has been acting in “The Long Strike” out West with an enthusiasm which is described as having deen highly prejudicial to the wig of one of the most gifted actresses in his com- pany. At the Academy of Music next Saturday night an entertainment will be given by the Charity | Amateur Dramatic. Association for the benefit of the Hebrew Relief Society and the Hebrew Be- nevolent Fuel Association. ‘Love's Sacrifice” will be presented, “Le Démon de Jeu,” played at the Holborn Theatre, London, is said to be a very clever drama, in which the unconquerable infatuation of the con- firmed gamester is powerfully and artistically treated, In spite of its sensational title a nigh | comedy tone is said to pervade the dialogue | throughout, and the play is described as rema! able for the natural and lifelike representation it | affords of scenes which have too frequently been treated, both by dramatists and actors, in an ex- aggerated and violent fashion. The Cluny Theatre, Paris, has revived ‘Le Crime de Faverne,” in order to afford its patrons an op- portunity of seeing the veteran Frederick Le- maitre in the part of Seraphin. The small com- pass of the house is said to be to a certain extent Javorable to the decayed voice of the famous ar- tist, and some remnant of his “wonted fires” yet lives in his impersonation of the touching rdle of the Notary; but (says a correspondent) it is a grave error he commits to keep on thus playing long alter his powers are spent. His old popu- larity still clings to him, however, and at times his feeble outbursts of passion are sufficiently ap- preciated to bring down the house. bi TERRIBLE MINING AOOIDENT. WILKESBARRE, Pa., Feb. 22, 1874. A portion of the roof of shaft No, 4 of the Empire ‘Mines fell in to-day, crushed the engines, injured the aa seriously, and John Russ, the dreman, and Hortense in the dramatization of “Bleak | Progress of the Great Constitutional Struggle in the Green Isle. PROVINCIAL DIVISION IN POLITICS. Home Rule, Tenant Right, Public Education and the Question of the Churches. Dusuin, Feb. 7, 1874. However surprising may bave been the results of the Engiish elections to liberal politicians, the con- | clusion of the Irish contests thus far can scarcely be said to have been unexpected. The issues be- fore the electors here were simplicity itself com- pared to the complicated considerations, sectari- anisms and feelings affecting the electors on the other side of the channel. As completely as at any previous election in Ireland have the questions | on which the contest hinges been defined, but more thaD on almost any previous occasion have the objects and aims of irish electors and Irish election managers been separated from the pres- ene objects and aims of English political parties. | We have still, of course, liberals and conserva- | tives, and we have still the respective cries of these two parties. 1 may add, too, that, so far as the tories are concerned, some local questions have to a certain extent complicated their caudidatures here; yet the Irish conserva- tive is in very much the same position and conui- tion as the English conservative. He has the same hopes and fears, He must, from the necessities of his position, in @ sharp electoral canvass be more pronounced in his professions of Protestantism, for he has to gratify the Orangemen, with whom Protestantism is everything; but even in this re- spect tne Irish tory during the present contest has not presented such a marked contrast as his English confrére has on some former occasions. There has been a@ deal of Protestant feeling im- Ported into the present struggle on the English side of the channel. It has, of course, existed also in Irish conservative quarters; but, so far as I ha been able to observe, it has not been so pronounced as in previous contests. Other questions have forced themselves on the attention of politicians. I shall endeavor to explain WHY THIS I8 8 In this, as in many other great electoral battles, the Northern and Southern divisions of Ireland roughly represent two well defined divisions of I may call the Southern opinions have made in- roads on the Northern province, and have even these Southern political views are summed up in the great question of home rule. It has absolved every other political consideration. It was sup- posed that it would sweep all before it in the South; that no candidate would have the smallest hope or chance of success who did not profess the strongest faith and reliance on home rule prin- ciples, as represented and defined by the Dublin Conference. AS a conse- quence, the great majority of the candidates before the constituencies were home rulers, Minority, indeed—appeared on the old ilberal ticket, dome“few on the conservative platform and others on a liberal aud modified home ruie was the approval or the reverse by candidates of home rule principles. In the Northern division of the country it was very different. A home rule candidate was there scarcely heard of. Monaghan there is one, Mr. John Madden, a cele- for the disestabitshment of the Irish Church, and has become tory nome ruler to despite the further into Ulster than those places; and I don’t know that it i# of very vigorous growth even there. In Belfast, though there are ‘some home rulers, they have taken no prominent part in the election ; and what they have done has didate. In the principal Ulster towns—Belfast, fought and decided on the old and well defined party principles. In the counties and the smaller tenant-right reform of the Grand Jury laws and also of the Fishery laws, though these last occupy quite an insignificant position in the programme. The farmers are thoroughly roused on the subject of tenant right. They wish it secured by law; they wish it thoroughly well defined; they wish it to be settled in their favor continuously on paying a fair rent, with a periodical reverberation; and | verily believe that, could the tenant farmers of Ulster but once feel sure that the landlords would never know how they voted, they woulda to a man vote against their present representatives. LANDLORD IN IRELAND. But it is hard to convince them of this. true they have the ballot; and it is humiliating to confess that a line of men, usually considered so sturdy and even bold, should fear to vote openly for what is so manifestly their own inter- ests. But it must be remembered that for long generations they have been at the absolute mercy of their landlords, who were not always over- scrupulous in their dealings with their tenants. The picture of Burns was often realized— Puir tenant bodies scant o'cash, How they maunthole the factor’s trash, That and more—sometimes @ good deai more. The system practised by the Western landlords was a refined, but cruel and most oppressive sys- tem of despotism. They were kind at times. They allowed occasionally on extensive estates the farmers to sell their tenant rights; but then these kindnesses were mainly the rewards of political and practically feudal subserviency. Independ- ence, individual uprightness, was severely pun- ished. The landlord insisted upon being absolute master and ruler over the wills and consciences of his tenants. They dared not think according to their convictions or consciences; they must con- sider how the landlord thought and go in that groove or they might find themselves turned out of house and home, penniless, and without the smallest hope of redress, They were never left in doubt as to what were the landlord’s gen- eral opinions. The agent lived in ‘‘the office.” He distilled the landlord’s views to the bailiffs, who swarmed over many estates—a band of spies and eavesdroppers, Who not only domineered over the tenants, but conveyed to the agent all they saw and heard. Thus the tenant would never be sure when his complaints, if he made any, might not be overheard by some creature of “the office,” and transmitted thereto with considerabte color- ing. He was never sure when punishment ior some rash word or deed might not be hanging over him. Disobedience at the poll was ruthlessly punished. There was no pardon for that sin. In the old days of open voting tenants were abso- lutely driven tothe poll in droves like cattie. The man who dared to be independent was mercilessly evicted from kis land and hunted from the country. THE CAUSE 0; THE TRNANT. Need we wonder, therefore, that the present race of tenants, those who have chosen to remain and submit to such a state of things, are still fear- ful of the machinations of the landlords and doubtful even of the secrecy of the ballot? The tenant wants tenant right, but he is fearful that the landlord might find out how be voted and panish him accordingly. agents know the condition of the tenants’ mind, and even now they are working upon it. Itisa mean thing to do, put they do it. Still the Jar- mers are more thoroughly aroused on.this subject @t present than ever I have seen them at any for- mer election. This feeling has alrcady contributed powerluily to the loss of such seuts to the landlord class as Coleraine, Dungannon aud Carrickfergus, It will, unless I am very much mistaken, lose many seats to the same class in the counties, armagh, opinion. Mark me, I speak only roughly, for what i gained some slight victories. I need hardly say that | Not all, however. A good many—a very respectable | programme. But in the main the deciding question | In Cavan there are two. In , brated Orangeman, who refuses to be comforted | government, But home rule has not penetrated | been done as liberals in support of the liberal can- | Newry and Londonderry—the contest has been 3 boroughs the chief questions at issue have been | It is | The landlords and their | ‘There arel contests now going on in county Antrim, county | ‘éred a verdict in accordance wit Down, ceunty Derry, county Vomcgal aud county Im all vhese the principal auestion dig- 3 fe tenant right. In all these the land. lords have candidates and the tenants have oppos ing candidates. The whole force of landiord power is being exerted to secure their men and perpetu- ate their system. On the other hand, the tenants undoubtedly feel keenly. In their hearts they de- sire most ardently the success of the tenant right- ers; but whether they will huve the courage to ex- press their opinions by voting for the men who represent these opinions 1s what I would not venture to pronounce Judgment upon. In this rex Spect, however, the present election ts by far the most important which has takep place for genera- | tions in the North of Ireland, The farmers may trust in the secrecy of the ballot; they may return their chosen representatives by decisive majori- ties; and if they do, whatever may be the con- servative majority returned in England, the Tesults of the North of Ireland contests will give a most powerful impetus to land reform, not only 1n Ircland but in the Unitea Kingdom. AT THE MANCHESTER OF THE NORTH. In Belfast, a3 Ihave said, the home rulers dia not put forward a candidate, They, so far as they took any part in the election, supported the Wb- | eral candidate. Yet this gentieman—Mr, Thomas McClure—who has sat for five years as the repre- sentative of Belfest in tue House of Commons, bas been on the present occasion defeatea by @ major- ity of more than two to one. The result surprised both liberals and conservatives, it was wholly un- expected, and many explanations have been given of it; but trom what I have been able to hear even liberal Presbyterians became frightened by the no-Popery and home rule bugbears, They do not like home rule. They have a modest, timorous and not very voleranc horror of what they call Popery, and believing or fearing that the liberal candidate was allied with both, they voted, even against their cherished po- litical convictions, for the two candidates— Messrs, Johnston and Corry—who proclaimed un- | compromising hostility to both home rule and | Popery, But, though Belfast be lost, say the lib- erals, we have gained Coleraine and Dungannon. And, considering that these two towns have been represented by tory members for a time almost bee yond the memory of men—beyond the memory, at least, of any ordinary mortal—it must be confessed that the liberals in this have some reason to pride themselves, SENTIMENT AT THE SOUTH. Turning to the South again, as I have already ; sald, there is there no really disturbing element in | the political waters, The question is home rule ornohomerule. It is plainly put, and a@ direct and plain apswer has been requested. It is, of course, too soon yet to form @ decisive judgment on the relative strength on members of the home tule vote. Many elections have yet to be de- cided where the home rule question is the Sole subject of consideration. But it is to be noted—and I speak as an impartial observer, en- deavoring to weigh the matter fairly—that, while the home rulers here, up to the present, have re- turned twenty-six members, they have scarcely re- turned one without a contest, and in no instance where there was a contest was the home rule car- didate returned by what can be called a command- ing majority. dn Limerick city Mr. Butt and Mr. O'Shaughnessy, working together on the same platform, were re- | turned at the head of the poll, but not so far abead | ag might bave been ex] ected in the case of the father of home rule. There were five candidates. | Mr, Butt had 856 votes; Mr. O'Shaughnessy, 848; but next to him comes ‘* conservative—Mr. Speight—with 587 votes; next came a liberal, with ouly 291 votes. And*indeed, here, as in other pact the liberals have sadered more from the ome rulers than the conservatives. In Ennis the | home rule candidate was defeated—by a very nar- row majority, it 15 true, but still he was defeated. In Athlone it is not yet sure that Mr. Shiel, the home raler, will be in. It wasa tie between him and the liberal candidate, and the question is rs | to.be decided as to who will get the seat. It is | Well to note these things in thia, the frat electoral | contest in which home rule has been the promi- nent and testing question. | ‘The elections have been, on the whole, | QUIETLY CONDUCTED. In Limerick county there have been some serte ous riots, and one man was shot dead. But other- wise there has been no serious disturbance. I may resume the subject when the elections have con- cluded, and when there will be better materials | lor forming a judgment; but at present I am bound to incline to the belief that the home rule agitation has not taken hold of the minds of the | Southern portion of Ireland—not to speak of the | Rational mind—with that passionate zeal which characterized the repeal movement, for example. | But let us not dogmutize. Many elections are yet | to come, and when these are concluded we shail Rave much better and fuller materiais toc-sqrming ; @ judgment. | THE MURDER OF NEAL. | | A Cold Blooded and Cowardly Assassina- tion—Full Details of the Crime—Ver- dict of the Coroner’s Jury. | RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 20, 1874, Further details received from Statesville, N. C., goto show that the murder of the youth Thomas Charles T. Neal, of this city, heretotore reported in the HERALD, was one of the most shocking and cold blooded on record. Young Neal was the son of | Mr. Thomas D, Neal, of this city, one of the most estimable gentlemen in the community, About siX Months ago he went to Statesville and engaged in the tobacco trade with aman named McElwee. ; While there ne boarded at the St. Charles Hotel, of which H. C. Elliott is the proprietor. Some three or four weeks ago young Neal paid a visit to this city, where his family resides, stating when he left that he would be absent about two weeks. At the time he left Statesville his hotel viil amounted to some $40 or $50, which remained unpaid, but as Neal was in business there an: expected to return soon he did not regard the dill as of any great importance, SLANDER? AGAINST NEAL. Circumstances, however, combined to render Neal's return at the expiration of two weeks im- possible, owing to which it began to be freely spirited about that he had “run away without pay- tg his deb’ veral of which besides the hotel bill Were no and that he did not mtend to return there. Subsequent investigations to rove that it was Joseph D. Elliott, son of the hotel proprietor, who gave currency to these ma- lictlous and unwarranted reports. in corrobora- tion of this fact it is further stated that young Elliott said that if Neal dtd not return at the expi- ration ol a certain period he would write to his father in this city, and request him to forward the amount of his 1ndebceduess, Contrary to young Eliiott’s slanders, however, Neal did put in an aj pearance on Tuesday last, the 17th inst., and it ‘was not long before he waa tuily informed of the Manner in which he had been calumniated. This naturally enough excited him and aroused his in- dignation, and he manf ully went to young Eliiott about the matter, when SOME SHARP WORDS were passed between them, ‘This was repeated frequently When the parties met for the next two days, the altercations becoming more aggravated ateach encointer, One repori states that Neal remarked, “If Joe. Elliott fooled with htm he would kill him; but this ts denied by those familiar with the entire circumstances of the cuse. It is admit- ted, however, that Neal did say he “believed he wouid thrash out the whole set and go to the other hotel.” Neal did not leave, as le doubtiess in- nd on Wednesday evening both the young in the office of the hotel, where the quar- rei was resumed. Several epithets wed ty by each to the other, with the usual result of indam- ing both, though it appears that Neal had the best of the war ot words, in the midst of the quarrel Elliott, fading he was getting the worst of it, an likely to tare still worse if he resorted to blows or began a fight, rushed from the room, and. going to his father, who was in the rear portion of the ho- tel, told him if he did not put Neal out gf the house “He WOULD KILL HIM.” Upon this Elliott, Sr., seeing the exasperated con- dition of his son, became incensed hinwet, ana came back into the office an excited partisan of Elliot, Jr, Without any intimation he caught hold of young Neal, who was quietly sitting beiore the re, and told him to leave his house, as he did not | want bim there = longer. Neal had both his hands in bis por ) sud, “a! he Ae) not get up tiy, Elnott seized him by shoulde: ron he rear, aud be; violently draggin, th to ra <I . Neal - LH "enumente ited nite loudly in ich tre: nt, saying, | Wate, let me ou;” bat Eliott, without pay. ing any attent! his entreaties, continued to haul him to the door, Fepgating all_the while that he aid not want him in the house any longer, and that he must licave. Several parties who were in the roum and others from without, now crowded around the hotel ki ir | and the young man. Just as Elliott, Sr, Neal near the door pushing him by his sho! from the rear, young Ellio | both, and, pres his cowardly arm around young Neal, placed the muzzie of heavy revolver | against his breast. This was seen by all the spec- | tators, butere any of them could interfere and | save tne life of tie young man the had | been i and the report reverberat like a | torpedo explosion. Youug Charlie Neal stood jor an instant, reeled, and falling into the arms of a med “You did it, but in a cow- the hj ‘was de: The | bystander oa ardly way.” In a moment you ball entered the right atand Tanging crosswise, entered the hi rea derer was arrest and ® coroner’: the facts a9 above stated, There is great indignation here at this cowardly assassination, Young Neal’s remalaa arrived to-aighs and Will be busied to-morrow,