New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-18
TORPEDO WIRF.fRE.

The successful attempt OF the torpedODOats,
Cushing and Stiletto, TO enter Newport Haroor
without observation under the full glare or IL
searchlight is attracting more attention than
pcrllaps 1t deserves. 1t was made i'll bright
moonlight under unfavorablc conditions for the
oncration of the light and one Of the boats
had been repaintcd in a different color without
the KNOWLEDGE Of the observers II the night
had been darker and Commander converse
mon had not been watching for til" tone OF
color with which they were familiar, they might
have succeeded in picking ont the boats III the
hov Tho boats were well handled and were
scnt over an unusual course on the west side OF
the bay 10 Rose Island and thence directly cast
10 their mornings in the harbor. The force nj
the torpedo station was expecting them. anu
cnvcrcd the entrance of the harbor with the
scarchlicht but failed TO detect them although
they were within sight for Il distance OF TWO
miles \ fest of this kind IS not 10y any means
decisive 1t denotes unusual SIKH on IN" part
OF the officers Of the tOrpcdo-boatS III elldlnS
observation and In stealing into port bnt II
does not demonstrate the imprac'icability OF
detecting them with the aid of ScarchlightS nor
OF intcrcepting them with torpedo-caicherS.
The question Of the efficiency Of the electric
scarchlight in bringing tOrpcdoboatS under "o-
seryaton Is far less important than the sue
ccssfu defence of vessels Of war against craft
OF this kind When the irOnclad Blanco En-
calada was blown up In Caldcra Bay there was
no scarchlight in use. but IN" crew, even Win
nearly al the officers ban1u"ting on shore had
warning Of the approach OF me d"StroyerS.
Black as the night was. they saw The '"hu'H
rs she was creeping up AID opened ho' HI'
upon her. which beat her of: and II thoy hld
been equally vigilant In looking ON Tor h'r
consort. the Lynch the torpedo when droN'
the great ship 10 the bottom would nor nave
been launched, as II was nj pistol range. N"h
IN. same precautions which would hAv" br'h
taken In similar circumstances 10y an EhSi'S"
battleship the vessel would not have deem loS'.
II she had been encascd In netting ana ma
been protected by scarchllgh'S ana patron
launches. the torpedo boats would probably
hive been beaten of aud sunk. The loss of inc
ironclad which was taken completely UNA
wares. really had no practical bearing upon me
problems ~ modern warfare and the Newport
incident Is hardly more Instructive
There has been much controversy IN naval
circles over the value Of scarchIghs and criho-
line netting I'm defensive warfare against 'or'
p,-lo.boats: bur no definite conclusions can De
reached until there shall be a war between TWO
MARITIME. Powers Of the first rank. ;" far rs u
f. practicable 10 forecast The naval battles 81
the future IL Is SAT. 10 assume that there VIII
he a notilla of torpedOboatS, launches am
catchcrs on each side, and the battlcShipS VIII
be- fitted ont with torpedo gear Of their own
for resisting attack from these deadly missiles.
General recognition 81 the fact that the navlcs
~ Tho nrrscnt I'm actual warfare will be az the
mercy Of these terrible tubes involves the neces-
sifv OF lighting fire with fire ana or holStlhg
lin. torpcIo-boat with It's own petard. No Meet
cnuId nfTonl 10 take the risks OF approaching
hostile coast where torpedocs might be- readily
launched unless 1t had a iioiilla OF Us own
available for patrol work AMI for fighting oil
dlminutivc torpedo-boatS.
The scarchlight " one Of the accessories OF
defensive warfare against foes which Would
be- invisible without IL. and II Is more likely
10 remain In permanent use than crlnoline net
ting. which must inevitably hamper ship II II
can have the weight required for resisting the
onset Of a torpedo running NJ high velocity
But more important than agencies Tor detect
Ing the approach OF torpedo launches are lachl'
,les for taking the offensive against them aud
countrracting their destructive resources. Inc
\ewnort manoeuvrcS have comparatively niue
en- do with the main problem of torpedo war