Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-27
SHAM FIGHTS A NECESSITY.

WHY should VIC not extend the instructions
to a larger and grander scale? The adyan-
t0ge 10 be gained by the British navy through
their proposed sham fights and fleet ma
nUuvres would be painfully apparent TO an
Impractical enemy. even with more power
full navy, should conflict occur. such
practice is absolutely necessary to give Off
GERS and men thorough knowledge OF ships,
guns, and torpedoes. Even with the minor
experiments had with the few ships, officers,
and men OF my command last year at Tampa
BAY. the greatest imaginable benefit was de-
rived. Officers aud men both gained more
knowledge Of the conditions OF actual war
fare during the few weeks experiments
there than during the whole part OF their
previous career. ! mean the younger olli-
GERS. whom we will have to depend upon
now in the event Of another war.
"Itis an outrage that Admiral Luce was
not able 10 carry out his programme for the
mannuvres al Fishers island. This was q
step in tue right direction. and one That
should not have been postponed, for next
year we could have taken another, and by
the time we have some new vessels we would
be able to undertake project similar TO that
now in progress in tie British navy"
COMMODORE HARMONY IN FAVOR.
Commodore Harmony, while not ~ enthu-
siastic as Admiral Joueti, commended the
plan % mauGuyres now in progress by the
British navy and expressed many regrets
that we were not in the position to do like
wise.
''Whlle do not believe" he said. "that
by such experiment We cln come anywhere
near the conditions OF actual warfare, prac-
tice Is absolutely necessary, and 80 tue pros
gramme land down for tie maDWuyTes in
question is the nearest approach possible to
such conditions heartily approve OF the
whole plan. The fleet man@uyres are par
tlcularly important, for it shows officers >
what can be done with their vessels when
I'm close contact with Others. II makes them
alert. They must know just when TO move,
at what rate OF speed. and when to stop.
The sham battle IS less important in Itself,
but TO make the manGuvIes complete cannot
well be left out
TO GIVE READINESS IN ACTION.
Admiral Brvson was sitting IN his door
way reading the Herald as your correspond
eut approached.
IL am too long retired TO have on opinion
ready" SAID he, "on these British naval
manWuvres. am Quaker now lthe CORE
spOndent suggested that be might be- cOnsid-
cred fighting Quaker) and you had better
ask the opinions OF these young fellows fresh
from the salt water. But there il no guess
ton that such naval manGuyrinr VIII give
captains and crews readiness in action and
iamiliarize them to a certain extent with
naval tactics, but II is not battle. | may
not live to see the great sea fight that Is to
come but it will be watched with great in
terest.
"TbeTe are numerous important problems
TO be solved and great fight will solve them.
OF course the loss OF life and tue disasters OF
war are to be regretted. but the naval fight
will he very interesting nevertheless There
has never been great sea fight between mo-
dern irouclads. The bonbardmert OF Alex
andria was no test Of an ironclad's merits.
There was nothing in the TurcO- RuSsiin
war. The fight at LISA wss between typts
OF irouclads now obsolete. The American
navy during the late war was a Datched-up
affair for temporary service. IL was not
really formidable at the close OF the war, for
the EUROPEAN Powers were then acquiring
ironclads. river fight would not be fair
test because tho vessels would not msnGulrc
TO any extent. Ii is q doubtful question
whether ram from q heavy Ironcad would
not he as fatal 10 the ram as tie vessel at
tacked.r
VALUE OF THE MANGUvREs.
Admiral franklin was at home. Al these
old, retired sea dogs live in tine houses in the
northwestern part OF the city, abandon their
quarterback airs and are the most agreeable
and genial people imaginable.
81 regard these name Iyres,r safe Ad>
miral Franklin, "as highly valuable. They
famiIarize officers with their vessels and
tue crews with their station. They get
~ kak - lgaa.1sa n
going into action. They see what can
be done in attack and defence. OF
course many things would be different IN
an actual fight. There is system OF naval
tactics and such thing as a aavsl line OF bat
tie, but the introduction OF the torpedO-boat
as a naval engine will undoubtedly change
the details OF any existing system VI attack
or defence to large degree.
"Thcse msneuvres are similar TO those
executed BY the other naval Powers every
year, though evidently on larger scale and
more detailed plan. They are As necessary
as any part of naval schooling. Our own
war college is designed TO teach our young
officers the same thing, and should by all
means be sustained. As well Try 10 teach an
officer gunnery without ever seeing the
breech of gun as 10 teach him naval warfare
without chance for practice.
"There never was q time when the con-
duct OF a sea fight did not depcod largely
on the brains. mettle. aud stubbornness OF
the commander. sea fight to-day will re-
quire higher order OF talent than ever be-
fore. The commander has vastly more
and difficult engine OF wariare
70 handle under very different conditions.
There never has been sea fight between
fleets OF iirst-class modern ironclads. Such
contest will be interesting. There Is much
to be learned everything, you might say.
"Tbere were several savage fights be-
tween Chilean and Peruvian vessels 10 their
war IN whicn great personal bravery was dis
played on both sides, but the vessels were
not types, nor was there a dghi between
squadronf.
There has always been deal Of COM
plant" continued the Admiral, cover the
condition Of The British nsvy. but It IL largely
due 10 the national srowib. The Euglish
navy Is Ia an admirable condition Of Ell.
cheney. The officers are active and INTEL
'igent; they are constantly exercising aud
dr!lliag their crews and are really Ia fine
state OF readiness. The other European
Powers are not so very far behind. France
lss an excellent navy, Italy also. Their OF.
dccrs are finely educsted and well up In their
professions. Germany and Russia have good
asviss. 4 general Europesn war would add !