Philip Rounsevile Alger
Encyclopedia
Philip Rounsevile Alger (September 29, 1859 – February 23, 1912) was an American Naval officer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1876 and graduated four years later at the head of his class. His first cruise, in Richmond, Virginia
, took him to the Pacific station
and to China
. In 1882, Alger was ordered to the Bureau of Ordnance
, Washington, D.C.
This assignment exposed him for the first time to the field in which he was to later win marked distinction.
Following duty in European waters on board Pensocola
from 1885 to 1889, Alger returned to the Bureau of Ordnance
. On November 10, 1890, he resigned his commission as a line officer ensign to accept an appointment as a professor
of mathematics with an equivalent rank of lieutenant. One year later, he was named head of the department of mechanics at the Naval Academy
. In ensuing years, Alger was closely involved in the advances made in naval ordnance which were made as the United States established its "New Navy."
In 1903, Alger accepted the position of secretary and treasurer of the United States Naval Institute
, an office that entailed the editing of the institute's Proceedings
. The following year, Alger was appointed to a special board to advise the Bureau of Ordnance
in developing and test ordnance material.
Alger's extensive writing on ordnance included two books, Exterior Ballistics (1904) and The Elastic Strength of Guns (1906), which came to be regarded as standards in their fields. His work entitled Hydromechanics (1902) was used as a textbook at the Naval Academy and other institutions of higher learning. Alger also penned numerous articles on a wide range of technical subjects. Alger died at Annapolis, Maryland
, on February 23, 1912.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, took him to the Pacific station
Pacific Squadron
The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...
and to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In 1882, Alger was ordered to the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
This assignment exposed him for the first time to the field in which he was to later win marked distinction.
Following duty in European waters on board Pensocola
USS Pensacola (CA-24)
USS Pensacola of the United States Navy was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruiser. The third Navy ship to be named after the city of Pensacola, Florida, she was nicknamed the "Grey Ghost" by Tokyo Rose. She received 13 battle stars for her service.She was laid down by the New York Navy Yard...
from 1885 to 1889, Alger returned to the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
. On November 10, 1890, he resigned his commission as a line officer ensign to accept an appointment as a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of mathematics with an equivalent rank of lieutenant. One year later, he was named head of the department of mechanics at the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. In ensuing years, Alger was closely involved in the advances made in naval ordnance which were made as the United States established its "New Navy."
In 1903, Alger accepted the position of secretary and treasurer of the United States Naval Institute
United States Naval Institute
The United States Naval Institute , based at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is a private, non-profit, professional military association that seeks to offer independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national defense issues...
, an office that entailed the editing of the institute's Proceedings
Proceedings
In academia, proceedings are the collection of academic papers that are published in the context of an academic conference. They are usually distributed as printed books either before the conference opens or after the conference has closed. Proceedings contain the contributions made by researchers...
. The following year, Alger was appointed to a special board to advise the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...
in developing and test ordnance material.
Alger's extensive writing on ordnance included two books, Exterior Ballistics (1904) and The Elastic Strength of Guns (1906), which came to be regarded as standards in their fields. His work entitled Hydromechanics (1902) was used as a textbook at the Naval Academy and other institutions of higher learning. Alger also penned numerous articles on a wide range of technical subjects. Alger died at Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, on February 23, 1912.
See also
- United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
- BallisticsBallisticsBallistics is the science of mechanics that deals with the flight, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially bullets, gravity bombs, rockets, or the like; the science or art of designing and accelerating projectiles so as to achieve a desired performance.A ballistic body is a body which is...
- Naval artilleryNaval artilleryNaval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
- Coastal artilleryCoastal artilleryCoastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
- Physics of firearmsPhysics of firearmsFrom the viewpoint of physics , a firearm, as for most weapons, is a system for delivering maximum destructive energy to the target with minimum delivery of energy on the shooter. The momentum delivered to the target however cannot be any more than that on the shooter...