New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-01


force-the army. whose defence is perforce
purely passive one. The sister services do not
cash. emphasized Captain Hubbe. but work
harmoniously together" He proved his position
thus:
with harbor defences defying the hostile fleet
and affording on the other hand safe refuge
for our own IN case Of defeat or disaster from
storm or the necessity % coang, our naval COM
manders can be free to carry out the practices
OF their gallant predecessors OF the Paul Jones
school and with their squadrons carry the war
into the enemys country instead Of frttering
away their strength in vain endeavor 70 cover
and defend our enormous coast line OF over four
thousand miles extent.
NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.
In conversation Captain Hubbell remarked
10 The Tribune reporter bow easy IL would be
for hostile fleet to make feint against New
York Harbor and suddenly slip away In the
night and strike deadly combined blow
against Boston without let or hindrance. But
In his paper he went on TO show by what proc
ess public sentiment aroused TO the neces-
sity for navy. Here he said 1T is most
excellent thing that the reconstruction of our
Navy has become such popular measure
The people throughout the land through the
medium Of the illustrated and daily newspapers,
see pictures Of our splendid new ships, and
take individual pride in them; while State and
civic pride are aroused by having namesake
take the water In the guse OF battle-ship or
cruiser. Then the baptismal silver service is
soon forthcoming. The moral effect of this re-
acts on our lawgyers. They see that the peo-
pie like a navy, want navy, and so they are
giving them a navy"
He might have added a touch here about the
romance Of the sea appealing 10 the pride OF
nation whose ancestors very largely came
from the ocean and how marine supremacy
had charm even for the rankest landlubber,
but he did not He let the fact stand where
II would do the most good. and turned TO con-
slider the other side Of the picture, saying:
Concrete and earthern parapets, with ugly guns
and mortars slowed away on desoate sand
splits and out-of-the-way hills, do not inspire
popular enthusiasm or call for silver service
There is poetry about the business Inc
painstaking and plodding instruction under
gone by the artillery soldier is unknown II Is
humdrum and labOrious, though requiring IN
teiligence Of the first order, 10 serve sucn pat
ter!es. National Guard or milltamen VIII nave
none Of the business voluntarily. There Is no
FUN nor display ii the service. 1t VIII require
energetic persistent representation and plead
ing from leading journalists and statesmen ana
other wise to arouse the community from
their fatuous torpor, and TO restore 70 me
American samson his strength before the
cry is heard, The Phistnes be upon thee
The striking figure met with silence on
the part Of the listening Revolutionary de-
scendants. The picture this stern son OF a
fighting race had drawn was not pleasant to
look upon. Then ne turned, however. TO one
OF the harmless pastines OF the Nation IN
development OF patriotic emulation.
SENTIMENT WOULD COUNT LITTLE.
An American flag on every schoolhouse.'
he remarked rs a pretty concet. and the drill
ing OF battalions Of little boys with wooden
guns a wholesome exercise. But when inva-
sion comes one 12-inch gun behind a 10-foot
parapet, with a trained gun detachment to
IL, is worth more than 100000 schoolooys
singing My Country. It's Of Thee" Captain
Hubbell was not 10 be understood here as max
ing light OF a wholesome discipline FOR the
youth Of this country. The manner in which
he utilized it showed that. for he continued:
mo enemy is to be appalled, by our numbers
or intelligence. China despiaed the profession
Of arms and unduly exalted the lterati The
huge and helpless giant fell an easy prey TO the
quick, skilfu thrusts Of her numerically in
significant neighbor. Japan, who honOred the
soldier caste. 1t cannot be gainsaid, the
speaker sad solemny. in closing, though 1t
may he lamented that no nation can be tac-
tor Of any significance in the affairs OF the
civilized world. pose a frst-class Power,
unless she can back her arguments with or
ganzed physical force
The torpedo service 10 which Captain Hubbell
referred has its headquarters on staten Island.
between Quarantine and Fort Wadsworth. AT
twenty-four hours notice a string of torpedoes
could be rim across the NarrOws from this station
to Fort Lafayette. rendering the passage almost
mpregnable In case the powerful mortar bat
teries at Sandy Hook We're passed TINS line OF
torpedoes would constitute the last line or de-
fence between the enemy ard the harbor. The
torpedo storerO0m s situated under the fortified
tons and sheltered from the enemy's shells ny a
high embankment Of earth II IS brick build
! ing rooted with iron. and in il are hundreds OF
torped0es ready to be filled and put IN position at
a few hours notice The torpedoes are really
! submarine mines and consist or spherical steel
shells with fuse and contact knob on the top
for the purpose % exploding the shell as soon as
vessel touches it. Outside the storeroom are
stacked the anchors. which are simply heavy
iron weights. Each shell contains about one
hundred and fifty pounds Of dynamite or nitro
glycerine. and when in position would ride about
five feet below the surface Of the water.
THE OPERATING ROOM ON SHORE.
On each shell is an electrical attachment from
which wires run the whole length Of the string Of
mines allowing the explosion Of any particular
one or all TO be cOntro ID from shore. Exactly
where the operating room is to be situated Is
known only To the engineers. but It would be In
, some well-protected place probably under the
| forthcations The room could be fitted up in a
short time To the switchboard in it would run
! the wires from the mines. A few batteries and
! switches are all that would be necessary 10 COM
! pete the installation The operation OF planting
| the mines is simple. though somewhat dangerous.
| 4 steam tender or tug goes out with a dozen or
! more of the big steel shells filed with the dan
| gerous explosive, and carefully lowers them with
| their heavy anchors into the water. TIE tor
| pedoes buoyant and the i=ngth OF their
anchor chains is adiusted as to keep the shell
| any required distance from the surface. These
/ mines could be worked either from Fort Wads-
J worth or Fort Lafayette, In case Of an accident
! to either end of the line. When the mines are all
! in place the channel is OF course. impossible un-
| til the line of torpedOes can be broken y hostile
/ feet would try this in various ways. one or the
ways is by counter mining. which Is throwing
| bombs ahead to explode the torpedoes by the
conclusion Of the bursting bombs. Another
method is by what is called sweeping. This Is
| always done at night and consists IN sweeping
! and dragging the torpedoes from their mornings
! by means of a long rope Dangerous as Is such
work there would be no lack OF volunteers Will
| ing to try It. Under cover OF the darkness tor
! pedo-boat sneaks out from among the enemy S
vessels and ca refully makes It's way through the
| deadly string Of mines When the torpedoes are
reached long rope loop is thrown out from the
80