The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-09-24
s1zEpTIoAL NAVAL oFFIoERs.
They Cannot ncliovc that tho Chinese
Armorod Vessels were Whipped-Rela-
tive Merits Discussed.

They Cannot ncliove that tho Chinese
Armored Vessels wero Whipped-Rela-
tive Merits Discussed.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Sept. 23.-Few of
the ordnance officers Of the navy are
prepared to accept tho recent engage
ment between the Japanese and Chinese
fleets at tho Yalu river as demonstra-
ton of the superiority OF unarmorod
cruisers ovcr heavily protected but
moderate speed battleships. This ia
natural, in view OF the fact that for
many years tho officers In this branch
of the service have devoted their in-
qenuity to the development Of tho pas-
siyely resistant quality OF ships holding
that tho designs bcst which should
carry the heavieat armor. Thus they
created tho groat battleship, and now
they stand prepared to defend her.
One OF tho most distinguished OF ord
nance officers in his record OF work ac-
complishod, man who has had much
TO do with designing the guns and ar
NOR for our modern ships, speaking
upon the subject OF tho Yalu fight to-
day, was inclined to be skoptical as to
the defeat OF tho Chinese battleships.
Said he: ave arc still in the dark as
to the details OF the battlc, but l will
venture the assertion now that not ono
Chinese battleship was seriously In
iured, and that their loss was confined
to cruisers or only partially protected
vessels. And oven tho best OF the
Chinese battleships is not tirst.class
vessel. Tho Chen Tuon is q second rate
ship. about like our Maineor Texas, but.
as II was, thoro was only ono reason,
though that Is very good ono, why tho
battleships did not speedily destroy all
OF the Japanese tleet, and that reason ia
tho immcuse superiority OF tho Japan
ESQ personnel. Tho Japanese them.
selves fully understand the valuo OF
battleships, and have boen making
strenuous efforts to purchase some.
Lately thoy have been trying to buy tho
Caption Prat, tho now armored vessel
built in Europe for Chill.
A good deal OF nonsense has boon
said and written about tho valuo Of
high speed unarmored cruisers, mainly
bv tho private builders who aro attor
tue uIk pIGllluhIs phN tSA ppSS"'
would rank excessive speed about tenth
In the list Of valuable qualities for a
warship. About tho only advantage 1t
offers ia tho opportunity to vessel to
decline an engagement 1t will not
help her to run away oven II sho Ia
,oncc In action. Tho difference between
tho fifteen knots OF battleship aud the
twenty knots OF cruiser is not enough
to sayo tho latter. Then. aftor once com:
inQ within lighting distance, she could
not choose hcr position, for she would
have to movo whenever tho heavy ship
came up. When tho explosive shell
was brought out in tho Crimean War
naval warfare was revolutionizod. Wo
have percussion shells now that We eau
explode with certaint almost inside ot
n cruiser aud tcar her to piccos. But
these shells will not penetrate tho
armorod side OF battloship. Tho only
projectile that can do that is tho armor
plefcer, and that, whilo partly hollow,
s never charged with explosive. An
export naval commander on one Of the
battlcships can meet at once and de-