REPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVE
of the
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
Before the close of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition of 1897, an
appropriation was made by Congress for the United States Government to
participate in the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, of the
following year, consequently a large portion of the Navy Department's exhibit
was shipped to the Washington Navy Yard and stored ready for re- shipment to
Omaha.
In the meantime, the funds apportioned to the Department being ample
to make a creditable exhibit, arrangements were made for the construction of
several articles which would be attractive and also offer a means of
instructing the public.
Through the courtesy of the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, a dummy
breech of a thirteen-inch gun was cast and carefully finished to receive a
bona fide thirteen-inch plug loaned for the occasion.
By request, the Chief of the Bureau of Construction and repair
directed the following named articles be supplied, viz: a large sized
reproduction of the seal of the department carved out of mahogany; a richly
carved frame to contain facsimile of every medal awarded by the United States
Naval officers; a model of a state-room, full-sized and completely furnished;
and a working model of a timber dry dock, with basin, built on a scale of
one-quarter inch to the foot. In connection with this dock, a model of the
Battleship "Illinois" was constructed and loaned to the Department by private
individuals for this Exposition, to be floated in the basin to illustrate the
docking of a ship.
Anything that has "life" to it, as in a working model, attracts and
holds the attention. This is exemplified by the tired-and-get-through-
with-it manner in which many visit an exhibit, without halting or casting
hardly a glance at objects displayed at a great expense of labor and money,
yet stopping and giving all attention when anything, however trivial, is
moving.
For this reason, to give "life" and thus create an interest and fix
the attention, the working model of a dry dock was conceived and was most
satisfactory in its results.
The "Docking of the Model Battleship 'Illinois'" at a certain hour
daily, was announced on the bulletin boards stationed about the Exposition
grounds. In order to obtain good positions, people began to gather about the
model long before the appointed time, and all that the voice could reach were
collected in the neighborhood of the dock when the demonstration of the same
was begun by the Representative. This was followed by a general description
of the entire exhibit, given in a brief talk.
The Representative (undersigned) embraced in these talks the
explanation of everything to be seen about the models and everything
suggested by the questions that had been asked from time to time by visitors.
Boats, guns, torpedoes, shells, air ports, life buoys, anchors,
officers' quarters, etc., etc., were pointed out and attention called to the
full-sized or real ones in exhibit. The halyards on the models suggested the
manner of signaling, which was explained,--the International and Navy Code
flags being displayed on the walls for this purpose and not for decoration.
Then followed a statement of the utility of the navy, its necessity and
requirements. Upon special occasions the docking of the ship was repeated,
but with these exceptions it was deemed inadvisable to give it oftener than
once daily.
Owing to the war with Spain, no rapid fire guns or torpedoes were
available for exhibit early in the season, nor could a detail of Marines be
provided. Four men, three of whom had served in the Navy, and one in the
Navy Militia, were engaged to keep the Department's space in proper order and
act as instructors. The interest aroused by the war and the success of the
Navy presented opportunities to teach the Westerners facts in regard to the
Navy that they had never before been interested in.
The Representative (undersigned) directed that his assistant,
Lieutenant S. J. Logan, U.S.M.C. (retired), and the men, above mentioned
should appear in uniform. Thus, as part of the exhibit, there were displayed
uniforms of a Line Officer, a Marine Officer, a Chief Petty Officer, a
Sergeant of Marines, a Boatswain's Mate, and a Coxswain, one of the latter
being white. These men were directed to be constant in their efforts to
describe to visitors the various articles on exhibit.
It being observed that the questions of many visitors denoted more
than idle curiosity, the Representative had a small book published, giving in
concise form information calculated to interest, as well as instruct them.
Three thousand copies were distributed with discretion, and during the
Exposition, one failed to find them cast aside in the rubbish of circulars,
advertisements, etc., that the tired visitors left about the grounds.
The Navy exhibit occupied about three thousand nine hundred square
feet of space, about forty-two by ninety-two feet, located in the North end
of the Government building and on the East side of the main aisle.
The following is a list of the exhibits displayed:
Models of the United States Battleships, Cruisers, Monitors, Gun-
boats, etc., etc.,
"Bancroftf" "Maintonomah"
"Yorktown" "Petrel"
"Maine" "Monterey"
"Baltimore" "Vesuvius"
"Kearsarge" "Newark" "Gunboats 8
and 9" "Katahdin"
"Massachusetts" "Charleston"
"Columbia" "Nashville"
"Atlanta" "Wheeling"
"Annapolis" "Illinois"
Half Models of:
"Washington" "Hartford"
"Old Ironsides"
Navy Department Seal, Navy Medals,
Franklin Buoy, Framed photographs of ships,
Hichborn turret, Ten transparencies of ships,
Diving suit, complete, Four wall cases of photographs
with air pump.
Box containing samples of cellulose, Dry Dock basin, (a working model)
Model of crane, Wilson air port,
Model of state-room (full size, furnished completely).
Bureau of Ordnance.
Half-section model of thirteen-inch gun, (wood, full size)
Model of Breech " " " " (iron and steel, full size)
Breech plug " " " "
Recoil spring " " " "
Four-inch rapid fire gun, with telescopic sight, complete
One-pounder Maxin-Nordlinger automatic gun, with ammunition boxes
complete
Catlin gun
Spanish gun, (old field piece)
Mexican gun, (old field piece)
Shells:
Fifteen-inch, smooth bore
Thirteen-inch, S. A. P., Midvale
Ten-inch, S. A. P.
Eight-inch, S. A. P., U. S. P.
2 twelve-inch, A. P. S. S.
Ten-inch, A. P. Carpenter
2 six-inch, A. P. Carpenter
2 five-inch, A. P.
Thirteen-inch, W. S.
Ten-inch, Midvale
Eight-inch, U. S. P.
2 four-inch, Carpenter
Six-pounder, U. S. P.
Thirteen-inch common,
Twelve-inch, "
Ten-inch, "
Eight-inch, "
Six-inch, "
90 sword Bayonets
2 Navy Revolvers Whitehead Torpedo
Mushroom for pressure gauge
Case containing three half-sections of Six-Millimeter rifle (Lee)
Soft steel caps for A. P. shells
14 Carbines
24 Rifles, ancient and modern
Table with rack and Lee navy rifle
Various tests plates, showing penetration of Lee navy rifle
Five-inch ammunition box
Six-pounder, " "
One-pounder, " "
Six-inch drill cartridge
Five-inch " "
Belts, Haversacks, and Canteens
Model of fourteen thousand pound anchor with one fathom of cable
Case containing all kinds of rope used in the navy
Set of original flags, Navy Code
2 sets signal flags international code
Binnacle with compass and lamps, complete
Officer-of-the-Deck's-glass
Sextant, Ships Thermometer
Octant, Areonid Barometer
Stadimeter, Wet and Dry Bulb Thermometer
Binocular glasses, Ships clock
Clinometer.
Bureau of steam engineering-
Engine for twenty-eight foot cutter
Propeller for twenty-eight foot cutter
Framed drawings of engines of the "New York".
Hydraulic Office.
Framed pilot charts
Blue-print charts
Miscellaneous.
Flag of the President of the United States
Spanish relics from ships of Admiral Cevera's fleet
2 sets of the Chadwick carrier
Upon the destruction of the Spanish fleet off Santiago, a four-inch
rapid fire gun, an automatic one-pounder, and a Whitehead torpedo, were
placed on exhibition by the Department. These were of intense interest of
the public. The Colonel Commandant of Marines detailed to the Exposition a
sergeant and eight privates, and these men, having served at Guantaname, were
of special interest, being intelligent and zealous in giving information, and
were always surrounded with scores of visitors.
During the World's Fair at Chicago, the undersigned was residing in
that city and passed much of time on board the brick battleship containing
the Navy Department, exhibit, and can state from observation that though at
Omaha, the number of people was less,and the exhibit not so complete, the
interest manifested at the latter exposition was far greater, and he is
confident that the result will be wider in its reach and more effective in
its character.
Eleven thousand, nine hundred and sixteen dollars and sixty seven
cents, ($11,916.67) was the original amount allotted to the Navy Department.
This was reduced later, by the transferring of fifteen hundred dollars
($1,500.00) to the Common Fund. (#)
# See statement of allotment and transfers of funds.
COST OF EXHIBIT.
The following is a classified statement of the disbursements made on
account of the Navy Department Exhibit:
Services,----------------------------------$2,620.36
Special or contract services,-------------- 2,068.47
Travel and subsistence,-------------------- 1,602.64
Freight, cartage, etc.,-------------------- 1,676.63
Exhibition cases, frames, etc.,------------ 219.13
Supplies,---------------------------------- 418.74
Decorations,------------------------------- 5.00
Heat, light and power,--------------------- 29.63
Telegraphic service,----------------------- 113.53
Total,-------$8,871.13
Edward M. Stedman,
Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy.
Representative, Navy Department.