The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-02
HODCMAN'S
OVER SHOES
Prevent Colds and Falls.
Rroadway, or west 1sfd ST.,
Co-ser Srand street. All. FHth Az. Hotel.
THE FArE or rHE DEsrRo YER
II Does Not Dete, n,iae the Question OF Merit
In the emhtnnrinc Asmn srairrt.

n Does No, Dete, u,,ne the Question OF Merit
In the Submarine Gun Sy-teu.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1T looks now very much
| as II the novel war vessel once known as the
Destroyer. but In her recent days called the
| Pirnting. might end her career by going to
pieces at Pernnmbuco. where she now is.
How she came into her present position Is
familiar history. While engaged last year in
| testing torre0o nets at Newport with her sub
| aquatic weapon. she was coveted 10y the
peixoto Government which was then en-
! gagged in gathering UP various craft that could
! he usod in eNtempori2ing fleet with which to
attack the insurgcnt squadron Of Mello. rs
the United states Government merely held ap
option on the vessel the exercise OF which
might depend on it, passing the required tests
faNorably. and US il was for the interest OF
Brazil to get tho moral effect Of owning this
! craft. with its name ominoYsly suggestive Of
how it might serve tho Aquidaban, to say
nothing of less important rebel ships, an ar
! rangement was made for its sale. As has been
fully stated. there was a dispute among those
concerned In her about the advlsability Of let
ting 20 the conditional hold on our Govern.
ment for another hold, to n large extent. II not
wholly conditional. on Bra2l Iut It is said
that the price offered By the latter was larger
than was looked for from our Government.
lowed. 1t was arranged that she should lie
towed. which was an expensive labor but was
deemed advisable a. she was harbor defence
craft rather than seagoing cruiser. The first
thing heard was that the Destroyer had to be
haulcdu UP on the way for repairs; but finally
she reached rcrnambuco. From that point
came q despatch alleging that she was leaky.
had broken her propeller. and had nearly
foundeted on the voyage. and that reixoto
had refused 10 accept her. Broken rropellers
can be repaired and leaks can be stopped; but
as It is said to have cost ; - 900 to tow the De-
stroyer TO Brazil ana might take $40 900 to
bring her back. exclusive Of the repairs and
as large amount OF money Is said to have
been eNpendc upon her to make her capable
Of being sent to Brazil. it has seemed doubt
iul whether she will ever be brought back.
Yet should It lie the fate Of the Destroyer to
end her days on tho Brazilian coast. that
would not necessarily be the end Of The sub
marine gun. from the very first it has been
evident that the worth Of tho weapon was
wholly disconnected with that OF the vessel
built for the purpose q conducting expert
mcnts with 1t. When Ericsson built the De-
stroyer, at private expense. IT was in recogni-
ton Of the fact that mpleted war vessel
purchased outright grsas the Offering OF
the gun itself without 20 vessel. might leave
undetermined the prOblom OF Luildiug IA craft
in which submarine gun could DO fixed.
Eestde-. vessel was very desirable for the
purpose OF experiments. IT rs true that
Il submarine gan was taken 10 England with
view o. selling the right TO IL to the British
THe I'm ts hiown No va paes in raniaoance
II Is said. OF the US" OF an Improperly con-
structed det2naior made - highland. That
this weapon. and also the last. all firing pre-
viouslj aud since having neen made with
that the testing ot the submarine gun may 90
on without a vessel suited to it. although. OF
course IT, would be vastly more sati ,iactOry,
and finally Necessary. to nave tho gun fired
from itS normal position. below the surface. in
But regret must be felt should tho De-
stroyer be loft To decay at lernambuco, or be
the submarine gun would necessarily be sus-
pended for consit erahle time. Congress
period like the present. to come further to the
relief OF those interested in the gun. A very
liberal appropriation was made before. but
their claim upon the United states Govern
ment and obtained release Of their own obli-
cations during the midst OF those experiments,
Congress wouId naturally be in no haste to take
up the matter. sun, should the Destroyer or
trials as those Interested might provide OH
cial supervision might well lie given to such
1t should he remembered that whateyer the
defects IN the Destroyer alleged ty the Peixoto
do with the merits OF the submarine gun sys-
tenn; IL has always been known that this par
and sunk by an A." enemy long before she Could
get within the short range OF u few hundred
wards possessed 10y her submarine gun. She
was designed and constructed in days when
modern rapid fire. pieces had not received the
development they possess to-day. She was
built when far less speed was given to
vessels relying, as she does. on what Is
practically torpcdO-tube attack. the contrast
being enormous between her steam power and
that which IL given to the Nesuvius for exam
pie. and to other vessels much faster than the
Nesuvius. The fact that the Destroyer ia an
unarmored craft, except for having an inclined
plate running across her, 10. OF course, still
another consideration of IMPORTANCE She
WAS not very costly to construct, il is said and
as Congress- appropriated $50. 900 merely for
"A single gun or torpedo tube for her and for
experiments Herewith. il will be seen that the
ultimate fate OF the vessel Is OF small impor-
lance to the system.
IL the submarine gun should ever be intro
duced into our navy or any other, 1t will prob
ably bs put into armOrclAds. or possibly into |
submarine boats. should the latter be sue
cessiully constructed. Commander Folger
while Chief of or dnance inclined to the belief |
that the submarine gun would prove n vaIu-
able and important adjunct to our defensive
armament, particularly when mounted on |
board of vessels intended especially for RAM
ming" He thought the ram would have her |
chances thereby quadruUled Of being able to |
reach her antagonist with destructive effect |
We may hope t. see this weapon mounted in |
some craft for experimental purposes even il |
the Destroyer should not again be seen in these |
waters. As to the use " that particular craft |
IN hostile operations against Mello's squadron |
the friends OF the officers and crew need hardly |
mourn much that 1t does not appear likely to |