The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-28

create a diversion of an enemy's fleet, and
If scattered would not furnish a battle ship
or even a torpedo boat for the defense of
each coast city: If We carried out such a
programme during a war an enemy with a
meet OF battle ships could wreck cities
while we are robbing schooners.
TT military value of a commerce-de-
stroying fleet is easily overrated. Cruisers
directed against an enemy's wealth afloat
are capable of doing great damage. They
cree CONSERVATION among merchants and
wO--< the people against whose property
of the line their operations are perhaps
never decisive of a war. During the twen-
ty years from 1892 to 1872, the period COW
cred by the French revolution, French
cruisers ana privateers captured many
thousands of British vessels and cargoes.
but these captures IT. I opera e ho mGre 70 sm pro-
the British people than TO create such dis
tress or alarm as would put an end to hos
~tilities. English line-of-battle ships. in
stead of scattering to convoy merchant
vessels, hunted and destroyed the French
vessels of war at the battle of the Nile, at
meantime, in spite of her losses of mer-
chant ships and their cargoes, england
continued to grow rich by her Sommercei
Napoleon's communications by water.
With her wealth she subsidized his enc
mics. and it is undoubtedly true that the
two great factors in the downfall of the
great conqueror were the numerous battle
ships of England, With their hardy crews
of An~glo-Saxons. and the enormous weaitn
of the greatest sea power of the world.
.aThe history of our civil war furnishes a
more recent and familiar proof of my state
ment. The cruise of the Alabama and her
sister ships were uncommonly successful.
Semmes rivaled the exploits or Jean Bart
and Du Guay.Trouin: History VIII rank
seas. His success delighted the confeder-
ates, but it did not benefit their cause.
Many. indeed. were the complaints made
against President Lincoln because he sent
SO few ships to search for the confederate
cruisers. but he was too wise to listen TO
were not to be thus diverted from their
purpose. They blockaded the ports of the
Confederacy. they penetrated its rivers, cut
off it's interior communications, and thus
it was that the navy rendered services to
the cause of the Union which the pubic
has never yet July appreciated. In the
meantime, in spite of depredations, Amer
lean hourished. Merchants in
sured against war risks, and individual
losses were borne by communities. Com
cided nothing. II would have been effectual
even If the confederates had possessed ten
times as many cruisers, unsupported as
they were by line-of-battle ships. If our
government In the future is TO have naval
strength enough to the peace
dictated by its sense Of right and justice
IL must have more battle ships, and must
build a reasonable number of torpedo boats.
For the defense of ports torpedo boats
are perhaps more effective according to
cost than any other class of vessels. The
knowledge of their existence alone will
NOr
within bombarding distance. The value of
this boat is recognized by all naval powers,
and they are being built abroad In great
numbers. Their usefulness was emphasized
last summer during the English maneuverS
under war conditions. where service tor
pedoeS with collapSible heads were used.
In these maneuvers one of the contending
squadrons was without these boats, but
was furnished with battle ships and a num-
Der of fast cruisers and gun vessels; the
other had twenty-four torpedo boats sta
toned at six OF the ports TO be defended.
During the progress of the maneuverS
seven days. frequent attacks. were made
oy these boats in groups, and the official
decisions Of the umpires recognized that
they had destroyed one battle ship and six
cruisers. The vessels decided 10 have been
destroyed were actually struck by torpedoes
with dummy heads, and no other claims
were allowed. During this period eighteen
torpedo boats were deemed TO have been
destroyed By the enemy. a rough calcula-
ton OF the difference in expenditure Will
give the value of the battle ship, which
OF the six cruisers. which carried 1860 men.
as $780, O0, an aggregate OF 1850 men, and a
total value of 50. 10000, while the value OF
eighteen torpedo boats was about 81 .so0, coo,
difference in losses being. In money, $780,
900. and in men, 1880. Torpedo boats, how
ever. cannot be relied upon alone. They
must be accompanied by battle ships, as
the enemy will be certain to come with bat
tie ships and torpedo boats also"
Attention is called TO the fact that al
though the government is annually expend-
ing a large subsidy for vessels such as the
Paris and New York 10 secure their use
In time OF war. 1t has not a gun 10 put on
Britain could speedily arm her merchant
marine on the great lakes and do US eno--
nous damage. while X we had a reserve
supplv OF guns We could dominate these