Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-04-29
TUE TORPEDO vs.. THE IRON CLAD.

THE TORPEDO vs.. THE IRON CLAD.
In these days OF rapid invention in
means Of naval warfare the offensive
aud the defensive are having u close
race but the offensive seems 20 have the
best otit. For Instance, the armoured
vessel has yet % be built that will with
stand the modern torpedo. THIS is
practically demonstrated by the fate Of
the heavy irou-clad Blauco Encalada'
which was sunk To the hsrbor Of Val
paradise by a torpedo fred from a gun
boat. her heavy modern armor oelnS
shattered Ike an eggshell by the tor
pedo. Here IS what Admiral BRAISE,
Commander-lu-Chiei Of the Brooklyn
navy yard. says on the subject OF tor
pedoes as weapons Of coast defense
against great armored vessels and FOR
general warfare,
Il believe Co the efficiency OF torpedoes
iu modern naval warfare. and properly laid
or used they certainly would prevent FOR
eigu meu-of-war from approaching Us with
In firing limits.
ave use several kinds OF torpedoes, the
Whitehead. the Lays mems and the Howell
torpedo The Lay-Simens is FAR superior
,n nv opinion 90 any other, though tho
Howell IS very effective The best Of al
and the surest, think. is the pole torpedo.
I believe in ramming vessel Get up 70
her: then give her the charge Of pole tor
pedo and success IS yours.
"Of course torpedo nets viii protect a
vessel. but only % certain extent Inc
AlbemarIe was considered a very powerful
vessel during our wa, and when she was
living iu AlOemarle Sound. surrounded oV
poles and almost docked, Captain Cush-
ing succeeded in blowing her 70 pieces AL
the same Pluck, plenty OF pluck IS al
that is necessary.
Heavy ir0nclads manDuvre far too
slowly 90 De- able 20 avoid disaster when
assault led by half d dozen OF torpedo boats.
"In case Of urgency sc could ID up any
amount % steam tugs with tCrpedo-lauuch-
mg apparatus and play havoc with Tor
ei 20 fee. 90 irouclads. The losses would
undoubtedly be- very great, bu, the success
would be 0u our side. We heve plenty OF
Young aud piuclIy officers in our navy az
present. men who. 50 far as their efficiency
GOes. are certainly equal n not superior 70
NAAN -tAHNNNN NA aAlH ANANAAA AaaNa'Ar -
The coast defense IN this country Is IN
der the War Department, and we have
consequently two torpedo systems. The
army has her own, and so has the navy.
The east entrance % New York Haroor 10
well defended by torpedoes a. Nilletts
Point and Fort schuyler, and 50 far as the
main entrance il concerned L would be
very hard FOR any vessel 20 approach with
ia drug limit and not be blown up.
In view OF these facts there Is little
use ia the government deyotlng rs at
tentlon 20 building cumbersome heavily
armored vessels Tor our navy. II the
armor IS heavy enough 10 reasonably
protect against shot and shell il Is al
shat can be done In that respect, and
after that has been accomplished the
ingenuity OF our naval engineers had
better be- directed toward lightness and
speed aud effective guns. And instead
Of spending millions for Notifications
along the coast. we had better devote
our attention TO improving the torpedo
system OF coast defense, the least eIpeH-
slye and the most effective.