New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-23
UUALEBdCKS md VAR.

With talk of n naval war filling the arr the
news which comes from West SUPERIOR "iscoh
sin is extremely timely. Ordinarily, we 40 "o'
thinl, Of Wisconsin, or of Minnesota as sie"V
maritime States, but since these PRAIRIE coii'''o"
wcalths produced the whalcbacks' mourning III ''e
morirc line has seemed impossible for them
Indeed. fine latest news to which we refer Is IN
regard to these same whalcbacKs.
The dispatch in question announces that the
inventor of the whacbacks proposes 10 ih"Nc
them rs useful for war vessels as lot lfeiglC car
riers I'm fact, he promises that his "haeo'oN'
shall eventually change the nayes OF the worlu III
he saws they will very soon change inc merchant
Soryice Of the world. We trust that we do not
90 too far when we say that the whalcpach' do ~
EXISTS AT present is a sort of an amphDlous Great
nro oouallv ot home in the agricultural State of
Minnesota. and in the damp neighborhood OF the
CpIf Stream. with weakness for such intermediate
localities MS Lake Huron and the Wenand canal
Tho inventor proposes still further to develop the
maritime side Of the whalcbacks character by the
aid of watcr-ballast. HIS war-gong whaebaek'
by taking water to itself will he depressed 81 Una.
only small turret and its strong DOW arlneu
with heavy guns will be above the surface. IRIS
* ALL but it, seems 70 he sufficient unto the uiS'
We see ahead very queer times for the eheiIN'
We know that we shall hc pardoned for saying
that the whalcback when above water and IN DIS
charge of It's peace functions is not a warllke
looking vessel II is modelled on the lines OF the
spcrm whale the Erie canal boat and the Holland
woodcn shoe let us consider the future stnalloh
The cncmy-may adverse winds blow away MS
forctop-g allant-main-brace spanker-sail-the enc
my we say. will see school of these whalebacks
approo ching and he will laugh them To scorn; but
he shall be made to humble his head in the water
Ia..
and stands with his yillainous finger on the
trigger. he will he astonished 10 see
every blessed whalcback sink out of sight with
the exception of the guiding tower and the fight
inc bow If he fire at these he wont Int them.
The wharbaclfs will move nearer. they will shoot
him with their big guns and ram him with their
cas,iron bows When he i sunk they viii come
up Ia the surface and after Topping their tails or
flaming their wings we know not which figure 10
usc.. they will steam away. In all Of this proSpcct
We can see no CLEAN of hope for lhc enemy.
Seriously speaking however. it seems TO MS that
| there may he a great deal in this whalrback IDEA.
| But perhaps u does not 20 ;ar enough. why
should not tie whalchack disappear entirely under
the water? Nothing could disronccrt the enemy
more. after watching n whaehack approach and
getting ready To shoot it, than 10 suddenly sec its
Stern Hv up in the air and the whole thing dive
|
smooth. blank place the water. But what
| would be the emotions of the enemy, "a moment
| later when the whalcbacl stuck It's bcal through
| his bottom? The builder Of the war whalebacks
| must introduce more of this duck idea into hls
| craft. II little disappearance is a good thing
more Of it is beNcr some day we shall have
| whalcbacis in orr Navy that, being hard pressed
i'm shallow water whcrr they can't dive. will spread
| their wines and get up ont Of the water and tly
away, with loud and defiant quncks from steam
quaclicr; but these are not for this century. But
| what we want now and must have are whalcback,
which can at least dive ont of sight, ram the enemy
while below the surface and come mp with the
water running of their slciS and with the enemy,
| furnace doors in their bills
Again seriously spcaking-vcry seriously thi.
| timc-it would NOT surprise Ms in the least if
wnalGhacll battlc-hips were yet built. There wa.
EricNsons Monitor, and that silcnccs all positive
adverse predictions.