Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-09
A MODERN SEA FIGHT.
What Would Likely be the Result of a
Battle Between IrOnclads.
From Chambers Journal.

Battle Between IrOnclads.
From, Chambers Journal.
People often wonder what would be the
results of a great naval battle at the
present time. Would many ships be de-
stroyed? Would the loss of life be great ?
Let us try to describe, shortly, few OF
the probable features of fight between
two fleets OF modern ironclads. Although
two hostile fleets might approach one an
other in some tactical formation, this
could not be adhered to for any length of
time, and the battle would soon become a
series OF independent duels between in
dividual ships. This is at once apparent
when we consider that most, if not all. OF
the ships would have rams, and it would,
therefore, be highly necessary for cap
tain to have perfect control over the move
ments OF his ship, to prevent her being
rammed by an enemy. At the outset Of
the action the torpedo boats would prOba-
bly, take very active part, and, until ex-
terminated. which they certainly would be
in time, would engage great attention,
and be effective in sinking a few ships. II
may be safely concluded that every ship
would be steaming fast during the action,
this being necessary to avoid being
rammed, to get into favorable positions
for discharging tOrpedOes and to elude the
fire Of an enemy. Heavy qua fire would,
OF course, be maintained from the COM
mencement OF the action, and those ships
whose engines got disabled from this
cause would speedily be rammed; and at
this point we consider that great loss of
life would take place, for the reason that
the boats OF ship, being always exposed
TO the machine gun fire, would at an early
stage Of the action be riddled and shat
tered with shot, and in the incredibly
short time I'm which 2 ship sinks after be-
ing rammed IL would be impossible Tor the
crew to improvise other means 10 save
themselves from drowning. No steps
seem yet TO have been taken by our adj
miralty with a view OF providing for this
contingency. IL has been suggested that
a hospital ship bearing the Geneva cross
should accompany a fleet into action to
receive the wounded. would make a
further overwhelmingly that this ship
should be provided with fast steaming
boats. peculiarly marked 10 show their
pacific nature, which should proceed to
the assistance OF n sinking ship. BY this
means, a number OF men might be saved
who would otherwise certainly be
drowned. II is not probable that the loss
OF life from gun fire would DO large, as a
great part Of the crew Of an irOnclad
would be under water, the rest being in-
side the armored portions OF the ship.
Few ships would be able 10 get into Ia
yorable positions for discharging White
head tOrpedOes from their tubes; even #
they did so, the course OF one OF these
machines is so erratic when discharged
from a snip Ia motion that IL would in
nearly every case miss It's mark. The
time for the use OF Whiteheads would be
from the torpedo boats at the commence
ment of the fight.
10 ann nm A. Ia tho onfufnn NJ manu- ua
val men OF authority that a modern ma
val battle would only occupy about one
bali the time OF fight IN the old Trafal-
gar days; that half the ships employed
would be sunk, and that most Of the re-
lnainder would be 80 battered MS 20 be
unfit for further service for months to
come.