Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-03
DRILLING A FLEET.
The Way in Which the English Navy
is Trained ard the Need of II.


Is Trained ard the Need of 1t.
Naval Correspondence London Times.
The drilling of fleet is Il fascinating
spectacle. suggesting as nothing else can
the subordination OF great force to the
control of a single will. ~ few gayly
colored Gags futter to the main truck Of
the flagship, remain for two or three min
vtes. and are suddenly hauled down.
Instantly the huge ships begin to turn.
to sweep around IN great curves and to
Iearrange themselves in new forma-
ton. Or scattered cruisers nearly hull
down on the horizon respond to sum-
mons. and In half an hour come Dying
back to the fleet take up their appointed
stations and conform to its movements.
The ease with which the 14,oOO-ton battle
ships swing round to their helms. the
speed with which they take up their new
stations. the quick response and the
regularity of movements are extraordi-
nariiy Impressive. For shore going
parallel to this fleet one must Imagine
twenty-one cavalry regiments mancuvering
at canteT, each individually responsive to
orders rapidly trausmissible over long dis
tances. But on shore ii would be impossi-
bic except from u balloon or commanding
btl, to take in the movements at glance.
Al sea can follow the evolution of each
Ea.p. A mistake. loss gain of dis
tance. superftuods or an inadequate turn
IL Immediately seen. and such signals as
"Retaiiation badly executed" or ely ITEM
ncstra keep station quickly fly from the
flagship TO be read by the whole fleet.
Cnquestionably an admiral Yields a
power for which general cannot hope
A public rebuke Is a thing to be avoided
and even II this is not forthcoming any
small lapse viii be noted by a hundred
pairs of eager eyes. Moreover. a COM
paratively small mistake may involve dis
lrV wi h.
out real harm, but the contact of two of
these great ships moving at ten knots
may mean the loss of one or both. The
dTin of fleet is an cmneltly serious I'M
dertakng. and the accuracy of this drill
Is the measure of the muneuvering power
OF the whole aSsemblage of ships. All
turns. therefore. upon the capacity of the
captains and their training. Merely to
Keep station in cruising formation, follow
ing In the wake of q leader is by no means
easy Attention never for a moment re-
Taxed and the Judgment which comes only
win long experience are alike required
Helm and speed need perpetual alterations
and the requisite changes must be care
fully estimated. OF the ship will continu-
ouSly oscillate to starboard or port, In ad-
vance or astern of her station. In evolu-
tons. however. many more qualities must
Dc brought Into play. The theorist talks
gHbly of turning circles" and affects to
believe that the handling of ship can be
reduced to mere geometry. The turning
circles of each ship are of course recorded
In every chart house. but variety of other
conditions arise The evolutionary quail
ties of other ships must be observed. Wind
tide. speed, or even the crossing of the
wake of another vessel materially affects
the turning circle. Here is no mere ques-
ton of referring TO the signal book and
giving certain definite words of command
All the conditions constantly vary; judg-
ment Is needed at every moment; the edu-
cation of the eye in estimating distances
and exact knowledge of the capabilities of
theorist WILL in fact. find himself hope
less'y incompetent. and the efficient hand
ling of ship implies qualities which 1t is
not given to every one to acquire. 1t is an
art rather than science, and its possess
sion largely determines the fighting capa-
bilities of navy.