New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-13
IrrLArHAN IND W1Sb.

Tn naval warfare the leyiathan now lies at
the mercy of a swarm of wasps. 1t Is an
Enclishman's idea caught up and put in
nractice by the Oldest monarchy under the
SIM A few years ago the japanese Govern
ment commissioned a foreign shlpOullder 10
design and construct a fleet OF heavily
armored vessels for offensive operations on
the coast of China. The Chinese Government
hit upon a scheme of defence devised by
George Rendel. This was fleet of small,
unarmored gunboats, armed with enormous
guns. IrOnclad monitors such as the Hercules
and the Thunderer were costing as much az
So. 800, 900. Mr. Rehdel contended that for
this sum dozen floating carriages could be
constructed for as many heavy guns, and
that aside from their manifest superiority
for purposes of coast defence, they could
take up advantageous positions in shallower
water and direct a cOnyerging fire upon an
ironclad vessel, under which it would in
evitably go down.
These conclusions were accepted by the
Chinese Government. and four of these gun
boats are now off the coast, while four more
are on their way across the seas. AS the
series has been set afloat important modlhca-
tions have been made in the models, and the
armament has been doubled. The length OF
the vessel has been increased from lis 1T. =
in. to 1877 it,; the draught from IT, 3 in. to
9 fit. 6 in; and the displacement from 3l9 to
44O TONS At the same time the 26l2-ton
gun which the Alpha carried has given place
to 35-ton muzzle-loadinG gun, which, owing
to the powder charge that is burned, has
IL, fla ipr
midable artillery of the British fleet. This
superiority is increased, Furthermore, by the
greater range which the guns OF the mosquito
fleet have at given elevations. SO great is
this advantage at the maximum range that
the leading English journal admits that the
Thunderer and the Dreadnaught could be
disabled before their turretguns could be
brought into use. The 35-tOn gun Is fired
forward, but as the vessel is dOuble-ended, 1t
becomes q sten-chaser when the engines are
reversed. 1t is not mounted on carriages and
slides, but lies fiat upon the deck, andIs worked,
loaded and aimed by five men with the aid OF
hydraulic power. Not only has this wasp OF
the sea this terrible sting in its tail, but 1t
can fly through the water either backward or
forward at high speed. Nor need the wasps
go III sWaGhs aEdihsI INC lCNI"'H"H' A'N'1 10
strong enough to fight alone.
This Greek-letter series. if we mistake not,
is destined to revolutOnize naval architecture.
The day of the heavily armored ironcads has
gone by, and torpedo warfare and light
draught craft with heavy guns will be the
main elements of coast defence in the future.
A striking proof of this tendency is afforded by
the new departure of the German Government.
The Admiralty have decided to build thirteen
Cunboats in place of five heavy monitors which
had been planned in 1878, and, Furthermore,
70 abandon the construction of two ironclad
floating batteries, and to provide each war ship
with small feet of light tOrpcdO-bOatS. This
order shows how great a change has been
wrought within a few years in the methods OF
marine warfare.