Judge John Thomas and the American Navy
Article from the Muskogee Phoenix- Date unknown
Muskogeean Helped Rebuild U.S. Navy
Judge John R. Thomas, as Naval Committeeman, Even Drew Up Battleship Plans
From the end of the Civil War to about 1880 there was but one feeble effort to revive ship-building in this country. All of our energies of capital and enterprise were directed to the extention of railways over the country, to the repair of the war ravages in the south, to the settlement of the vast territories of the west—in a word, to purely domestic development; pending which, England was by common consent left to enjoy her ocean monopoly.
Such was the state of affairs in 1883-85, when the adoption of the policy of naval reconstruction offered to American ship-building the first encouragement it had seen in a quarter of a century.
English Cited Terms
When we began to build the new navy, every English journal, from the London Times down, pooh-poohed the idea that a modern man-of-war could be built in an American yard, modern high-powered engines in American machine shops, or modern breach-loading cannon in an American forge. Many of the English shipbuilders rubbed their hands in actual anticipation of orders from this government for the ships and guns we needed, and they blandly assured as that they would give us quite as favorable terms as were accorded to France, Japan, and Chile.
Our navy had sunk so low in power and equipment as to be inferior to almost every other one in the world. Finally in 1883 congress made an appropriation for the construction of four new vessels that were to establish a new standard and advance our navy to a station among the best in the world.
Recalls 50-Year Changes
Accounts are appearing in the press of the country concerning the final disposition of the Chicago, one of the four vessels constructed constituting what was called the beginning of the modern American navy. Shall she be sunk, sold to Japan, or destroyed and sold for junk? These stories call to mind the significance of the Chicago when she was constructed and the vast changes in our country covered by those intervening 50 years. They are remindful also of the part played in that phase of American history by a former citizen of Muskogee.
The late Judge John R. Thomas of Muskogee, former United States judge and earlier a resident of Illinois, represented in congress for 10 years a southern district of that state.
Even Designed Battleships
He entered congress in 1869 and early shared the views of other forward looking Americans that our navy should be improved to a state commensurate with the importance of the country among the nations of the world. He early was made a member of the committee on naval affairs where his enthusiasm and strong convictions were in a measure responsible for committing the house to the great forward step established by the bill of 1883 calling for the four new ships subsequently constructed.
Judge Thomas not only took part in committee discussions and deliberations but by his industry and application acquired a practical insight into the mechanics of the subject so that he was able to contribute much to his understanding by his fellow committeemen and members of the house.
He even designed a battleship, features of which were well thought of by the naval constructors who incorporated some of them in vessels subsequently constructed.
Judge Thomas’ daughter, Mrs. Grant Foreman, has recently made a donation to the Library of Congress of an extensive collection of letters of public nature written by interesting public men to her father while he was in congress and among them are a number relating to the construction of the new navy. She still retains a large mass of material of her father’s of the same nature not yet classified and arranged including many drawings and sketches of vessels under consideration at the time, which she plans to add to the collection in Washington.
Four Ships Built
She is the owner of one of the castings of the Dolphin, given to Judge Thomas by Secretary of the Navy Chandler as one of the first castings of the new navy. It is in the form o the sportive fish, the dolphin, the head and tail united by a trident. Mrs. Foreman cherishes it as a valuable token of an interesting phase of American history associated with the public service of her father.
The four ships constructed under the act of of 1883 were the Dolphin, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston. Because of his interest in the subject and the aid he had contributed to its advancement, Judge Thomas was given the privilege of naming one of the vessels and as he was from Illinois he named it the Chicago.
Much Controversy Arose
The first vessel of the four to be launched was the Dolphin and her first trial began Nov. 20, 1884, while on this trip her shaft broke and when it was replace another trial was made March 10, 1885. An incredible amount of discussion and controversy arose concerning the plans and the tests of this first ship of our new navy.
The other ships were launched later. The protected cruiser Chicago with her diminutive size and auxiliary sails, does not look like a formidable fighting ship to those accustomed to pictures of the great floating fortresses of today. But there is a significant symbol of a mighty change in our history and it seems a pity that she must be consigned to an ignominious end. It is regrettable that American sentiment would permit it.
Muskogeean Helped Rebuild U.S. Navy
Judge John R. Thomas, as Naval Committeeman, Even Drew Up Battleship Plans
From the end of the Civil War to about 1880 there was but one feeble effort to revive ship-building in this country. All of our energies of capital and enterprise were directed to the extention of railways over the country, to the repair of the war ravages in the south, to the settlement of the vast territories of the west—in a word, to purely domestic development; pending which, England was by common consent left to enjoy her ocean monopoly.
Such was the state of affairs in 1883-85, when the adoption of the policy of naval reconstruction offered to American ship-building the first encouragement it had seen in a quarter of a century.
English Cited Terms
When we began to build the new navy, every English journal, from the London Times down, pooh-poohed the idea that a modern man-of-war could be built in an American yard, modern high-powered engines in American machine shops, or modern breach-loading cannon in an American forge. Many of the English shipbuilders rubbed their hands in actual anticipation of orders from this government for the ships and guns we needed, and they blandly assured as that they would give us quite as favorable terms as were accorded to France, Japan, and Chile.
Our navy had sunk so low in power and equipment as to be inferior to almost every other one in the world. Finally in 1883 congress made an appropriation for the construction of four new vessels that were to establish a new standard and advance our navy to a station among the best in the world.
Recalls 50-Year Changes
Accounts are appearing in the press of the country concerning the final disposition of the Chicago, one of the four vessels constructed constituting what was called the beginning of the modern American navy. Shall she be sunk, sold to Japan, or destroyed and sold for junk? These stories call to mind the significance of the Chicago when she was constructed and the vast changes in our country covered by those intervening 50 years. They are remindful also of the part played in that phase of American history by a former citizen of Muskogee.
The late Judge John R. Thomas of Muskogee, former United States judge and earlier a resident of Illinois, represented in congress for 10 years a southern district of that state.
Even Designed Battleships
He entered congress in 1869 and early shared the views of other forward looking Americans that our navy should be improved to a state commensurate with the importance of the country among the nations of the world. He early was made a member of the committee on naval affairs where his enthusiasm and strong convictions were in a measure responsible for committing the house to the great forward step established by the bill of 1883 calling for the four new ships subsequently constructed.
Judge Thomas not only took part in committee discussions and deliberations but by his industry and application acquired a practical insight into the mechanics of the subject so that he was able to contribute much to his understanding by his fellow committeemen and members of the house.
He even designed a battleship, features of which were well thought of by the naval constructors who incorporated some of them in vessels subsequently constructed.
Judge Thomas’ daughter, Mrs. Grant Foreman, has recently made a donation to the Library of Congress of an extensive collection of letters of public nature written by interesting public men to her father while he was in congress and among them are a number relating to the construction of the new navy. She still retains a large mass of material of her father’s of the same nature not yet classified and arranged including many drawings and sketches of vessels under consideration at the time, which she plans to add to the collection in Washington.
Four Ships Built
She is the owner of one of the castings of the Dolphin, given to Judge Thomas by Secretary of the Navy Chandler as one of the first castings of the new navy. It is in the form o the sportive fish, the dolphin, the head and tail united by a trident. Mrs. Foreman cherishes it as a valuable token of an interesting phase of American history associated with the public service of her father.
The four ships constructed under the act of of 1883 were the Dolphin, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston. Because of his interest in the subject and the aid he had contributed to its advancement, Judge Thomas was given the privilege of naming one of the vessels and as he was from Illinois he named it the Chicago.
Much Controversy Arose
The first vessel of the four to be launched was the Dolphin and her first trial began Nov. 20, 1884, while on this trip her shaft broke and when it was replace another trial was made March 10, 1885. An incredible amount of discussion and controversy arose concerning the plans and the tests of this first ship of our new navy.
The other ships were launched later. The protected cruiser Chicago with her diminutive size and auxiliary sails, does not look like a formidable fighting ship to those accustomed to pictures of the great floating fortresses of today. But there is a significant symbol of a mighty change in our history and it seems a pity that she must be consigned to an ignominious end. It is regrettable that American sentiment would permit it.
