The Biographical Dictionary of America/Barber, Francis M.

BARBER, Francis M., naval officer, was born at Sandusky, Ohio, in 1845, and was graduated from the naval academy, Annapolis, Md., in 1865, at the age of twenty. After his graduation he saw service on various ships, cruising in the waters of Europe, Asia, Africa and the West Indies, being steadily promoted from acting midshipman in 1861, to midshipman, 1862; ensign, 1866; master, 1868; lieutenant, 1869; lieutenant-commander, 1879, and in 1889 receiving the rank of commander. He was instructor at the United States torpedo station, Newport, from 1871 to 1875, at the same time superintending the manufacture of high explosives. When the Alarm was fitted for sea he was her first commander, and acted in the Naval advisory board that constructed the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Dolphin. In October, 1893, he was granted leave of absence. He was placed on the retired list Dec. 28, 1895. He wrote on naval subjects and published lectures on "The Whitehead Torpedo" (1874); "Drifting and Automatic ^lovable Torpedoes, Submarine Guns and Rockets" (1874); and "Submarine Boats and their Application to Torpedo Operations" (1875).