The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-12
THE RAM IN NArAL WARFARE.
It's Uses and Drawbacks ana some sag
gertions from the Atlnnta's Exprrinncn.

NStNAouN hFuEN INC - EApNEtNnCoA
WASHINGTON. Aug. lot was a rather note
worthy coincidence that only q few days before
Commander Harrineton's lecture, this week. at
the War College, on the ram in SEA fighting, q
practical lesson upon the subject should have
been furnished by the A~tlanta's mishap That
cruiser. as VIII be remembered, finding II diff
cult to sink with her guns the floating hulk
Golden Rule, which she desired t. destroy, as IA
peril TO navigation. broke the schooner in two
by ramming her, but damaged her own engine.
in doing so. This fact was naturally
uppermust in the minds Of those who Joined In
discussire the lecture; and one point, made by
q Capt Taylor al the outset. seemed TO gain gen
cral assent, namely, that there was a good deal
| Of risk in a large vessels ramming a smaller
one. An instance cited from experience in bat
tie was that in which the ram went under and
actually lifted the small craft, lowering the
bows OF the "ammiag ship and making her un-
manageable. 10 that she was captured,
The injury to the Atlanta hns thus been
sons: and ~. besides the specially built ram
katahdin. :" many of our vessels are fitted with
ram bows, II becomes "A matter of great impor-
lance to understand when and how to use. and TO
refrain from using them. MIR. w. Laird Cloves,
who has mace II special study of the subject,
found. in making ~ n list OF eases of ramning
ia modern times. mat he had seventy-four such
cases since the beginning OF our civil war. The
effect on the SHIPS attacked was in 81 cases,
nothing; III Is. slight dc1naye; in ,, serious dam
! nge: in ., disabling. while IL were sunk.
Perhaps might say. therefore. that in 20 cases
ont OF the 80 the attack was S'iccrssful. On the
Other hand, in 80 cases the ramming vessel
suffered no injury at all: in II instances, only
slight damage; in ., serious dana ge; while
one vessel only was sunk: and oae other was dis
cases. out OF 10, of serious injury to the ramming
vessel. which is. a very god showing. Mr..
those of "efr"ctnal collisiOn;'' that in 2Gof these
the %ramming ship received no damage worth
met yluulnS; in seven cases abOnt rs much as
her aIvrrsary, and in seven others more than
her adversary. In no instance did both rammed
and hammer sink.
Commando Harrington has a high apprecia-
tiOn Of the Valu" of the ram. On the other hand
Mr.. Gloves thinks IL oserratcd: and lie points
out that OF MS fifteen cases of sinking OF dis
aiding the vessel ramined, eleven w"cv those OF
being under steam in narrow waters, while in
two she was unnansgeablc. and in two at an
Choir. and in none, was under steam with sea
room. Take in addition the dangers 10 the ram
from the hre ~ torIr-t IS and guns. and these
are mis- conclusions:
one is that, II two ships have sea room and he fully
Employ ;San 10 Try To- escape The ram and fhat. under
thrsn conditions, ms practically hopeless todrram Of
III" "p"tal"n having been reformed. although il has
Iet . W ,.',I t u Hi n. tie he fa ,nr rd" lncr :. Sr"sa. 1n D"mr
noG.fatal injuries. Another Is that the .ishs
made nj SEA or In nerrow waters.
But, after all. Mr.. Clowes's statistics do not
initiate against any use Oi the ram. but ONLY
tend 10 show ~ proper sphere, IL 9TH, lords,
showing when the ram should and should not
be employed. The practical questions are, Tor
uN. INV 49, iIl ~ uN'Ns hiTNs IA ia " N'AfIA f,
and, secondly; in i!"et actions. In both Of these
eases the unlimited sea room may be want
once held that FOR coast defence OF tits
country the best, surest, and most deadly
upon in a sudden emergency must be the nava:
ram" Hrs conclusion was based upOu many in
stG IT, whiia me- GI%5 e nanny a. OF esrflgi s
saying that hereafter war ships would constantly
52of AT fIE Tinnins a abb battle Iot by r'm mn and
the main source Of victory" Admiral Ammen.
who y the great advocate Of such vessels IN THU
the ,kntahdin, OF course is confident OF their
lighting abilities.
There are really two forms OF the ram To be
considered. one OF Them being the vessel special.
ly constructed for the purpose, like the Katsh.
din, and the other the armed prov affixed TO
the war ship designed for service with her guns
and, torpedoes also. 10 both, however, would
adequate protection OF the buoyanoy and
quality. This declaration is, in fact. ap.
somewhat vague statement, being made as n
reason for her miShap that her engines were in
buOyancy and motive power brings into the case
the question Of armOr disposed with such curves
Commander HarringtOn's view is that in q ram
proper there is an I'D 'antage in giving the least
dimes, strength of spur, and preservation NJ
b~noyanCy and machinery in action. Mr., Cloves
vessel is AS good as the large one, adding, now
ever, that only vessels that, can be sacrificed
tuNHl W bt utllD~ThltlN tmplONtu rs rams. AS ,
has been seen, his opinion Is rather adverse To
this form OF warfare, whereas the other author
itles quoted strongly favor il.
Perhaps one result OF the accident to the At
lanta may be II RETAINING hereafter from tho
free use of rammiag for the purpose Of destroy
ing worthless though perilOus derelicts. IL is
the shortest, simplest, and, when no injury Is
suffered by the ramming vessel, the least expen-
sive method of getting rid OF them. But II the
stacking war ship has her machinery injured
IT. may prove much c~ostlier than the use
OF a torpedo or of a charge OF dynamite
fired by an electric wire. The case OF the
Atlanta, however, is perhaps exceptional.
the San Francisco having despatched a derelict
very handiiy by the use OF her ram. The con-
illusions OF those who entered into the discus
sion at the Naval War College may neyerthe-
less lead TO a closer study OF the conditions I'M
der which 1t is worth while TO run the risk OF
ramming for such minor purposes. Meanwhile.
has occurred 10 throw doubt on the
of the katahdin. which Is advancing
toward completion, and which may take Occa-
sion 10 try her ram on derelict hulks, for the
sake OF practice and OF testing its efficiency.