New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-05


table lack Of judgment in allowing SIX cables
for naval manocuyrc which required at least
eight but it does not follow that evoutions
oi this class are useless and ought HtNcI 10
be ATTEMPTED The object of such pIacH'c b|
a fleet of warships is to ascertain u! cApcIi-
ment what is the tactical diameter III ""i''
each vessel can manOcuvre with iaclli'E'
souadron which is constantly forming ana re-
forming in divisions, or changing Columns anu
inycrtng its line. drills officers ana men III
eyolutions which will be Of the highest Vaiue
in actual warfare. The Admiral VINO Ufects
such manoeuvrcs learns by experience what
each ship can do how rapidly II can turn ana
what is the circle of its operation. Those who
witnessed the handling of the BRITISH shipS at
HAMPTON Roads bore testimony 10 the Sn-
periorlty of the scamanship displayed. navy
in order to be efficient in an emergency musi
be trained in this way.
The navics Of the world have undergone
during this century more Stupcndou> changes
than the armies. and there have been few OPP
portunities of learning how battles are to be
fought at sea. The American Cvil War
brought iron into use as a means OF protect
ing the sides of ship: LISA emphasized Inc
utility Of the RAM the south American ana
Russian-T Turkish campaigns introduced TORPEDO
warfare: but the experience acquired III 'hesc
naval operations will not be OF much practical
value in enabling the officers and men OF any
fleet to clear the highway of the sea If they
are called upon to fight their country : battles.
Indeed. the navcS of the world may be sad
without cxaggcration to have been launched
,,I,,,. Jl,tf I,sh
their heavy guns, their torpedo tubes, thcIr
destructive rams. their pOndcrous arihof ana
their complex mechanism for steam pr"PH-
sion. are unknown quantities in sea i@ht.
Jarvis once deemed it necessary - apologize
to his sovereign for winning a victory by vIo-
latng the rules of the service. lh"r" are no
recognizcd principles regulating Che nduct oil
Il modern battlcshp in naval engagement.
The traditions Of the sea fights oi the last
century are obsolete because all the conditions
Of warfare have been transformed. Naval
architects and uldnanco experts have had many
controversies over technical questions relating
10 low and high fIccboardS. the thickness and
breadth Of armor belts and the comparative
efficiency of "cnd-on' and simultaneous all
around" fire: bu, an Admiral of the present
day must ne more OF I'SN vi dI d-H'N'' ~
spccring the real efficiency in actlon of the
ironclads under his command.
One fact however, impresSeS every practical
seaman in every navy, and that l. the com
handing importance of manocu'rlng power
The battleShip has lis three weapons Ms bat
tcrios with LONG reach for ma>-ing irc upon
an enemy. its torpedo tubes for d~charging
the most destructive missiles below the water
line. and its ram for charging at close quar-
tcrs Whichever Of these three methods of
offensive warfare may he employed. II l. the
manoeuyring power Of the ship that viii make
Il available and effective. Batteries, torpcdo"S
and ram will be as efficient ~ the handling 81
the ship may permit. If there be- anything
which NAY be affirmed with dchntcnc>S and
confidence respecting the sea fights of the
future it is this: the feet which manocuvrcs
most rapidly and scientifically will win the
da,. Hence It is undoubtedly true that Nd
mirals like Tron, GhcraIdi and Walker, who
have paid the closest attention 10 the cvOlu-
tons of fleets. are educating the victorious
tars of the future. The more complex the
battlcshp with its steam mechanism, armorcd
bclting and batteries. the more urgent is the
necessity for scientific handling of her; and
il is ONLY when a fleet + out for practice that
the manocuviing qualities and tactical d.
amctcr of each ship AT different rates OF speed
can be accurately demonstrated.