The Forrest City times., 1895-10-11
DRILLING A FLEET.
A Few Flags Guide the Many Rapid Evolu
 tions.


 tions.
 The drilling of feet is a fascinat- ing spectacle, suggesting as nothing else can the subordination of great force to the control of a single will. few gayly-colored flags futter to the main truck of the flagship, remain for two or three minutes, and are sud- denly hauled down. Instantly the huge ships begin to turn, to sweep around in great curves, and to rear range themselves in a new formation. Or scattered cruisers, nearly hull down on the horizon, respond to summons, and in half an hour come flying back to the fleet, take up their appointed stations, and conform to it's movements The ease with which the fourteen-thousand- ton battle-ships swing round to their helms, the speed with which they take up their new sta- tions, the quick response. and the regu- larity of movement are extraordinarily impressive. For a shore-going paral- Tel to this fleet, one must imagine twenty-one cavalry regiments ma- neuvering at a canter, each individual ly responsive to orders rapidly trans missable over long distances. But on shore it would be impossible, except from balloon or a commanding hill, to take Tn the movements at glance At sea, one can follow the evolution of each ship. A mistake loss or gain of distance, a superf1uous or an in- adequate turn, is immediately seen, and such signals as Retaliation badly executed" or "Clytemnestra keep sta- tion" quickly fly from the flagship to be read by the whole fleet.
 Unquestionably an admiral wields power for which general can not hope. A public rebuke is thing to be avoided, and even if this is not forthcoming any small lapse will be noted by one hundred pairs of eager eyes. Moreover,a a comparatively small mistake may involve disaster We may club our cavalry without real harm, but the contact of two of these great ships moving at ten knots may mean the loss of one or both. The drill of a fleet is an eminently serious undertaking, and the accuracy of this drill is the measure of the maneuver- ing 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, following in the wake of leader, is by no means easy. Attention never for moment relaxed and the judgment which comes only with long experience are alike re- quired. Helm and speed need perpetual | alterations, and the requisite changes must be carefully estimated, or the ship will continuously oscillate to starboard or port, in advance or astern of her station. In evolutions, how ever, many more qualities must be brought into play. The theorist talks glibly of turning circles" and affects to believe that the handling of d 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 qualities 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 question of referring to the sig nal book and giving certain definite words of command. All the conditions constantly vary; judgment is needed at every moment: the education of the eye in estimating distances and exact knowledge of the capabilities of the ship are alike called for. The mere theorist will, in fact, find himself hope lessly incompetent, and the efficient handling of a ship implies qualities which it is not given to everyone to | acquire. 1t is an art rather than science, and its possession largely de- termines the fighting capabilities of of navy.-London Times