The New York herald., 1871-01-13
HAyRE, Dec. IS, 1870.

world. She has the most numerous armed marine,
the most diverse systems of naval architecture the
most accurate works on navigation, and an ordnance
comprising, in large measure, the mprovements
OF every other service. Her docks, her fortified
coasts, her ironcads, her officers, taught in every
cline; her seamen, who handle the oar with con-
certed mechanism-these have all been useless since
the Due de Granont cried
"wARw
In the Corps Legislative. and Olivier declared that
he entered on the struggle with a light heart And
why have the mailed and wooden squadrons OF
France been laid up in ordinary, SO to speak, when
they had been constructed, armored, rigged,
equipped, manned, oficered and exercised espe-
ciay for this war, long expected, between Prussia
and France9 Why on the sea has France been so
badly crippled, gigantic as she is, when she wants
nothing, asks for nothing, demands no seamen, no
munitions, no naval gunsY Where is the Dunder-
berg, which she bought from the yard OF the most
eminent OF American ship builders These ques-
ons surely involve the whole naction OF the French
marine, once proud and confident but now crest
fallen and Inundated.
When the war first broke out the American public
heard OF
IRoN-CLADs PASSING DOVER,
bound westward, or iron -cads again bound east.
ward, OF the blockade of the German coast and Of
the probable bombardment OF Hamburg and the
other seaports OF Prussia. or these matters the
public hears no more, and the eet has even ceased
to make an appearance OF activity. There are many
causes for all this lamentabe stagnation, but that
above all others is the invention OF
THE TORPEDO,
which in fine, has held the whole navy of France at
q very respectable distance from the coast. The
torpedo by itself has made the French squadrons OF
the north nothing but roaming amateur fleet in
pursuit OF flying merchantmen, who are be-.
friended only by the dense fogs and invited by
harbors IN close proximity on several neu-
tral coasts 1t has been found impossible
for the french cruisers even to approach the coast
within bombarding distance OF any town, much
less to enter a harbor. Shallow water has no do ubt
had something to do with this inactlon OF France,
but not ali; for Immediately after the Luxembourg
affair OF 1851 light draught vessels built In great
number in Brest, Cherbourg and the other dock
yards OF France. These were plated with armor
put on longitudinay, atfixed In sections and SEEM
ingly these vessels were more ADAPTED to stand
heavy musketry fire rather tnan even
LIGHT ANAONADE.
These fleet steamIng craft, upon which were
placed some OF the heaviest guns IN naval ordnance
could not penetrate the ElDe, the Jahde and the
Weser. The only Obstructi0ns, the sunken vessels,
have naturally lett channels but all the inlets and
outlets are commanded 10y that unseen but impera.
tive agent-the tOrpedO-and 1t Is this
LITTLE TIN BON,
no larger than.a mans nat which has defeated, held
in check and taken fron the French navy the ustle
OF Its former days This Is the naval history OF thus
war up to tle present day-the torpedo mas beaten
the navy. Here Is the practical application:-ln
many English military and naval olcers besides
clouds OF people claiming to be artilersts An
American man-of-war has been present In the basln,
and there mas also been an unusual ln1ux of news
paper correspondents. IL may be readily imagined
tnat, with sucn grouping Of the pro essions there
were long and gaseous discussions concerning the
result OF war between the United States and Eng
land. II was generally agreed that England, as tar
as number Of guns and heavy armament were con
cerned was much the stronger naval Power. No
doubt she Is she has her
sQUADRoNs IN EVERY SEA-
vessels building III all her docks, ironclads thicker
than wooden vessels and the learned peers 20 up
TO ShoeDuryness 10 see the artillersts knock down
lren plating with an Armstrong or Wnltwortn
With the United states matters entirely differ
ent. Her navy Is gong 10 decay day by day. her
lron-clads are in the market; her monitors, with
equal facility, can go 10 sea and go down at sea,
aud the Western people, who see no use Tor COM
merce 10 bear their products TO the Eastern world,
OF course see no use Tor navy protect il. This
is the whole story with the United States navy-a
service which in lis brief and brilliant history OF
less tnan q century has made the American name
Wnat 1t Is abroad. Now, the feeling Of the ROYAL
naval officer Is rnat when the war breaks out las
from the sentiments | hear expressed on every
sincerely believe iJ Will soOnl the navy OF Great
Britain has only 10 approach the coast Of North
begin In this way TO razec the seaboard and reduce
the Union. This is the plan but not all Of It, Clyde
steamers are 10 prey upon our trading marine, and
Great Britain hersen Is not to lose any commerce.
But when 1t was coltended that america would
have no commerce, wOlid need none, but was rich
enough, industrial enough, to live upon the enor-
nous resources natural TO the countr,-that we mad
more than we desiredn-then the advocate OF John
Bull was obliged to recede from his Clyde steamers
and British priva eering business, because there
would be no prey for his Clyde hounds
THE TORPEDO.
Then came the great ana absorbing proposition
that the iron-clad squadrons of Great Britain can
lay to- under the lee ol American shoreApurn cities,
send the vast wave OF humanity which covers the
Atlantic SeabOard recOling tntO the country and
then repair TO other exploits. This was plain and
simple enough fifty years ago; half century has
made improvements Our war gave birth TO the
torpedo and "the little tin box' now confronts the
fleets OF the Whole world and is their master. In
our war the torpedo was young but ne was preco-
mating purpose. We proved his master. We made
"devis'' and tongs and macnlnes OF all kinds for
succeeded admirably, but often losing fine
vessel, with crew. OF noble onlcers and
Still 1t can be said that the torpedo was sub
jugated, in the main. during the war. In the past
seven years rapid strides have been made until TO-
day we see tine little tin box" set up against the
French navy and the French navy strikes her coors.
Why is ths2 Because Prussia has the best torpedo
system in the world. She has perfected it under
fine mechanics, great chemicals and able engineers
TOrpedoes are no longer confined 10 shallow water;
they can no longer be fshed up ike the log of a
rotten nulk; but the .sttle Tin boxn mas undermined
the sea, and just the moment snip gets over one
Of the iron fish the gg open, there Is parting OF
the waters and a parting of the ship, and In few
All along The German coast the water Is like
HUGE PERCUSSION PRIMER,
and the 81 ghteSt friction and 1t does is duty Tor
pedoes are laid down like net work, and there can
he combination or Isolation TO suit the operator and
the whole system on the German coast is perfect
piece OF mechanism The French navy has been
appalled, and mas reluctantly retired. Now either
the French navy Is very cCwardly-wnich am not
disposed to beleye-or this torpedo system il almost
perfect, winch | do Leieve. Oi what use then, is
an offensive lr0n-c.ad non.seagolng navy2 OBJ
yousy none @ at al THAT Is what told our British
friends. We could call IN our shipping, lay an en-
barge upon all our commerce, run out our guns and
stand by lne ock strings and then only seal our
ports up with ''tle little tin Dox.r Then, Mr.. John
Bull OF what use 10 you are Captain Coles inclined
sides, the belerophon, the Black Prince and whole
Captain CLASSY la the first place IL needed little
TIN box" TO turn The Captain up side down; 1t was
the Captains inclination SO to turn.
OUR MONITORS
served no better IN sea way, the only difference
being that they settled right down to the bed OF the
iormaities exhibited by the Captain. The terrible
catastrophe by which Britain lost OF her abest