The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-03-17
.hMopERN laoN.cLAp fIaAr.
what would BE the Probable Be,ults Of
ureat NaNai IiatiIs.

What would he the Probable Be,ulis Of
aUrsat naval battle.
People often wonder VIA. would be
tie results nf a great naval battle at the
present time. Would many SHIPS be
destfgytdt Would the loss Of fifc be
greatf let rs Try to describe shortly
few Of tho probable features Of a great
fight between two hpctsof modern iron.
ciads Although two hostile fleets
might aprrnach one another in some
tactical formation this could not be ad,
hqred 70 for any length oi time, aud the
battle would sopn become q series Of in.
dependent duels between individual
SHIPS. This Is 1t once apparent when
we consider tint most II not all Of tie
allps would have rims, and II would,
therefore, he highly necessary for cap
TIN to have perfect control over the
niosenients Of his ship, to prevent her
Icing manned BY an enemy.
~ tho outset Of the acilon the tor.
pedq boats would probably take very
active part, and until txterninnted,
which they certainly would he in time,
would engage great attention md
BE- effective in sinking n few
slips. II may be Gfply concluded
tliateycry ship would be Steaming fast
during the acton, this being necessary
% avoid being rammed, TO gct into
favorable poilinls for discliursing tor,
pe1o,.5, and to elude the FIRE Of an eli
envy, Heavy gun fire would, Of coune,
S.naintlinGl from the commencement
ttlie action, ind tIloso ships Whose en-
gints g6s disabled from tltcause would
NeeiiIybc ramncd; and at this point
we consider that great los Of life would
take plnce, for the reason TINT the boats
Of o ship. being always exposed to ma
chine-e7n FIRE, would Mt mn early
stage Of the action be riddlel and sllat.
tired with shot, and In the incredibly
sEott time in which ship sinks after
being rmmed II would be impossible
for the crw to inproyise other means
to save themselves from drowning. No
steps seem set " have been taIenby our
admiralty with a view Of providing for
this contingency.
i has been suggested that hospital
ship, bearing the Genera cross, should
accompany q feet into action, to receive
the wounded. We would maze fur.
ther suggestion, namely, that this ship
sh Md be provided with fast-stealning
boats, peculiarly marked to show
tlpir pacific nature, which should
proceed to the assistance Of the
crew Of Il sinking ship by this means
numbers Of the men might be saved
who would otherwise certainly be
drowned. 1t is not probable that the
loss Of life from gun FIRE would he large,
asa great part Of the crew of an IRON
clad would be under water. the rrst be-
Ing inside the armored portions Of the
ship. Few ships would b. able to get
into favorable positions FOR discharging.
Whitehead torpedors froin their tubes;
even il they did 80, the course of one of
thee machincs ii 80 cratic when dis.
charged from ship in motion that it
would in nearly every case miss its
mark. Tie time fer the use Of White
hea,ls would be from the torpedo boats
at the commencement Of the fight.
To sun M, it is the opinion Of many
navnl MN ui authority that modern
naval battle would only occupy about
half the tiuc Of a fight in the Old Ira.
falgar days; that hnlr the ships EN-.
ployed would be sunk, and that most Of
the remainder would be so battered M
to be unfit Tor further service for
months 10 comc.-Chanber Journal.