New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-28
VALE OF THE RAN AS WEAPON.
VISIONS TAUGHT By THE ACCIDENT OFF TriPoL'
VIEWS OF NAVAL EXPERTS IN

VIEWS OF NAVAL EXPERTS IN
wAsHINGTON.
u,;rcton lime % (Spccian.-Thc disaster 10 VI"
x,o,od, an absorbs professional interest Ill h"'
c,rc,cs For purposes OF technical hho"ic'" "
thc effect OF the ram In engagements 'ii' ,,,
a, Eroland,s largest and most iorihldape "'''"'r
=. as valuable lesson. II is The concensnS ol
oo,niou In naval circles that the ram rs "e"i"' "
OILY cNcelcd 10y the torpedo, ana mat " VIII p,D,
.n or,r ,rps,wor;hy arm OF offence In rnnhlhs
sco Gun fire will be wild ara lha''"r''' az.
slip OF war approaching bows OH 'o""'u " -,
presents q small target which Is al all ih's "n''''
~, o,,dlx shifting In heavy weather even torpeno
,,ca,s will have enough TO DO TO look OUT ior ~,
v,n sofetv Sir Edward Reed the famous nriu>"
So, o,cbi,cct said "A short time ago that ITO "o'
clad a. at present CONSTRUCTED, assuming h'i ""'"
heads 10 be tight aud strong coma D' sun" ~ "
single blow Of a ram. This opinion Is ho' '"" ~" .
sidcred strictly Justified hy naval o'"c'rS ~ '''
,,v,,rv The Victoria was apparently sunk ny o"'
how and 1t Is difcut TO fancy how any V'NSri ,'"'
,,stopd tho eject OF a blow such as the Victoria
received T., a., Navy
II il believed by expert constructors In IN" Navy
fbo however strong and :ht veSciS cohpa'' -.
imlkbead NAV be. destruction would in'vi'anS result
49,. Tho mov Of n ram striking with such t"rTh'
,oc. Even II a ships adversary were not sun" "l
81, ,om,s attacks she would certainly he ciNa'u anu
nave 10 retire. some OF her compartments o' VI.
side struck would undoubtedly he rupt'n'd' anu "''
iS.in
,hrouuh the hole. The iceas would m'aSar""' ""
creosc the stability OF the ship struck ana T''"'' IL"
uns.ryiceabie 10 u greater or les extent
xa,nl officers agree. hOweveg. tfat u l. i"'"'''o
a.. o.svr,. that 10 ram n vessel under any ciic""
,onccs K easy wora with snpcro'i'' oi sP'"'
Al dental ,ol slCns lave reut dlsastro,sN al TIN"
o,d a number Of cases prove that the "hect j. Ger
,o,, and terrific. Cases Of Running WIN hosu'
,n,e,t durinc battle notably few, however III.
vanguard WAS acciden.ly sunk by the Iron DhKc ana
tho Grosser Kmfnrst destroyed unih''h''oh'''a
oa rolLs,one BY a companion TIE hcr.iniao r'"''"
.nd sunk the Cumberland In Hampton KoiuS' p"'
Tho latter was n wooden vessel ana WIS III '"
.-ben Hit Chlh's recent war with Peru aii"ru' ''
most modern Illustrations OF the "h"c'S OF r'"'"-
uhcn The desire was 10 do damage ON one oo'"Sio"
a.. uuasc,r n small turrctcd ship, engaged NV
-,,,,, wooden corvette Esmeralln. The nght WIS
n.oual on all sides. H. however, required ior9
hn,s for IN, Hua,car TO di-ablc her adversary Inc
IIuoscar finally rammod the Esmcr"dh bn' VI"
80, had already been made helpless. Even theh
.h-oe separa.e charges were mad" before the a'c"P
-ss successful. In the duel between the Ina'c"r
"a the Gillian ironclads Blanco, Eiicaiada ana
.',-sn,e Cochrane several attempts were made 10
,h thu Peruvian ship by rammng. but WITHOUT
nc.ss The Huascar eventually succumbed but
n,v 10 the overwhelming Are from 'he TWO
s,hsr vessels The ram did not gain the victory.