New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-29
TIE NAVY or TIE FUTURE.

THE NAVAL DRILL IN FLORIDA BAY.
COMMODORE PARKER's oBsERVATIONs-LEssoNS OF
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES EXPERIMENTS
WITH THE TORPEDO-wHAT THE WAR VESSELS
OF THE FUTURE SHOULD BE.
The Army and Nary Journal publishes n
paper read before the Naval Institute by Commodore
Foxhall A. ParkerOn Our Fleet Maneuyers in the Bay
of Florida and the Navy OF tho Future" Commodore
Parker Is the author OF the naval tactics and the tactical
signal books in use in the United sites Navy and as
Chief OF stan OF the united fleets under the command OF
Rear Admiral Case directed the naval drl referred to
in the caption of hs paper. His Judgment upon the
maneuvers therefore OF special interest aud value.
OF the debarkaon OF the sailors and marines ana their
landing and movements on shore, he says:
Tking into consideration the fact that AZ least one
haf OF the meu were greenhOrns recently slipped, the
aHdr was an exceedingly crcditaO.o one. lucre Was
neither Struggling nor druhkennes>; ana although Tue
irregular swaying OF tho bayOncts the march be
rayed the recruit yet the manual OF arms ana the var-
and e which reflected the highest credit upon the
young dr officers, all OF whom, with three or four eX
cepuons, graduates of the Naval Academy. Tue
hOWitzer firing from the boats, however Oh TINS Occa-
sion, neither rapid nor well sustained nor was the
have Ashore itappcared t. better advantage yet
neither aJat ashore did is truly sailor arH com
pare ttvOriblY with the infantry. o. the boat eXer
were decidedly failure. and showed clearly how little
importance had been attached " the study OF hc-t
tactics by the navy generally.
TIE LESSONS TAUGHT IN FLORIDA BAY.
Commodore Parker then describes in detail the
euvers in the Bay, and makes this reply to the question
What were the lessons they had TAUGHT
That a naval force matter OF what elements com
posed. possessed but ltte strength unless properly
organized aud thoroughly exercised in tactical maueu
vers, every officer who had witnessed our ovOIutiOns
was willing admit; but apart from all this il became
painfully apparent 10 that the vessels before
In NO respect worthy OF great nation IKE our own
for what could be moro Iamentable-vnat more painful
VINO loved his country and his professionalism
to see Meet armed WIN tnOnth pore guns, requiring
quarters for their developments moving at Che rate
OF four and half knots an hour WHAT inferior force
could OVeraKe or what sup 'lor Ohe escape from or
OF the great naval powers o. the earhf Did 1t rely
in the latter case upon IT. spar t0pelOes for defense
What Don QWN0te OF an admiral was going to ran
upon them wnen, having tue legs OF his adversary
he could concentrate upon his van rear or upon
OF his nihkS ana choosing ms distance, c0o'y cut nun
to pieces with his artillery Aud, III truth what reli
ance cou.d De paesa UPON our syssen' aot or
either onrnse or detensef After many days prepare
OF the eighteen t0rpedOes used the 2jth Of
explode not more than IOu we're submerged under the
target IT, then, beautiful calm dty, with nothing
TO dsqulet US sacn Was tie result Wnat wouia nave
happened had tue eet AZ the te been exposed TO the
dis urbIng influences of an enemys shot and sliell
Tue exercise OF the torpedo III Florida Bay was Of
great however since for tho Intelligent
weapon 1t is as important To know what cannot
what be effected by IT, II is one thing to promise
great results on paper and another to obtain them IN
actual practice and 1t Is clear TO my mind now, that
rugged out On pole ATTACHED to large yesse! not pos
sesshg very great speed and turning power The tor
pedo alike harmless TO friend and foe. Nevertheless,
for our long line Of seabOard the torpedo Is Invaluable
and the submarine mine OF The engineer supported by
forts aud aided would be in time or war by moa
launches almost Theoretically sealed
hnrnors To hostile neet whle riga blockade o
any OF them would be next 20 an mpOssioy harassed
necessarily "a the Dlockadlng force would be. by i
provised rams ana torpedo boats. and by internal
machines Of every conceivable device and construction
IL that the blockading admiral suppOslng him Ia
be q OF energy aud resolution, would endeayOr to
the torpedo VITA the torpedo, the mine with
the oouutermne; yet taking into consideration The in
genuty aud enelpnse OF our people aud the dtadvan
tage under which both armies aud fleets operate at
from thor base Of supplies the defeat OF the
bockades might be relied upon think, Win almost
absolute certainty
THE NECESSARY ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE FLEET
Referring to the elements of which fleet should bo
composed. he says:
II tue object TO be kept in view SIMPLY the en-
cOunterng of hostile force at the would alone
In opinion, suffice for our purpose. fully convinced
am tnat Tor hect hghting II the most terrible
engine OF that navy can possess For attacking
forts. however must DC brought uto play and
creeping stealGuly upon large vessel at nigh thick
equal 10 tue low torpedo consequently TO be pre-
red for all the service that be expected H. the
fleet of tomorrow must CONSIST OF rams, torpedo
boats, aui artillery vessels, all OF which should
steamers u great speed. having auxiliary sail power
aud II not propelled ny t~iu-acrews, mechanical
COnltlvduCe Wuic VIII enable tucm short around
wlth CELEBRITY, for turning power essential TO every
al ways keep her head turned toward the enemy. In
b-Orms tue dependence OF those steamers for safety
shUIt be on their en-ines, aud II never required to
NJ All WIN n winH forward OF me beam the nasts
ui4ht he teo,cOplc tis proposed by RearAdmr BOsgs
years sinCD, ANA thcit sllfa and sails Light
be easily handed ana sent below; 50 that artillery
vessel would have thng but hsr lower mat Is, and a
ram and torpedo vessel hot"lhg AT al LETT standing
above decks when steanng mead 70 wlnd or going INTO
action. Al that have said above refers to the nghug
vessel. For eating up an enemys commerce ships
Of tue Alabama and ShenahuOah type Will b5 re-
qlired, having long range pivot gun forward, two
steam torpedo cutters and Calling battery and every
admiral IN time of should be supplied with u
Der of extraordinarily fast steamers 10 carry dispatches
anu act 0Ok0uts Al present our vessels adapted
to tho days OF Paul HOste, rather than TO the OF
steam loaded down they with immense spars
aud rigging, which, III general IctOp would iualhbY