Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-11-08
DRILLING A FLEET.
A Few Flags Guido the Many kapid Evolu-
tinna.

Few rags Guido the Many itapia Evoiu'
lions.
The drilling OF feet is farcinat
ing spectacle, suggesting as nothing
else can the subordination OF great
force to the control OF single will.
A few gayly-colored flags fiutter tc
the main truck OF the flagship, remain
for two or three minutes. aud 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 a
summons, and in half an hour come
flying back to the fleet, take up their
appointed stations, and conform to Its
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 shore-going paral
lei to this feet, one must imagine
twenty.one cavalry regiments ma
neuvering at canter, each individual
ly responsive to orders rapidly trans
missable over long distances. But OK
shore it would be impossible, excep
from balloon or a commanding hill
to take in the movements at glance
At sea, one can follow the evolution o
each ship. A mistake, loss or gair
of distance, superfuous or an in
adequate turn, is Immediately seen
and such signals as Retaliation badly
executed" or "Clytemnestra keep sta
ton" quickly fly from the flagship t.
be read by the whole fleet.
PROFESSIONALLY an admiral Yields I
power for which a general can no
hope. A public rebuke is a thing t.
be avoided, and even If this is no
forthcoming any small lapse will b.
noted by one hundred pairs of cage
eyes. Moreover,a comparatively small
mistake may involve disaster. w
may club our cavalry withou
real harm, but the contact of two 0
these great ships moving at ten knot
may mean the loss of one or both. TIL
drill Of a fleet is an eminently seriou
undertaking, and the accuracy of thi
drill is the measure of the maneuver
ing power of the whole assemblage o
ships. All turns, there fore, upon tn
capacity of the captains and thei
training. Merely to keep station Il
cruising formation, following in TIL
wake of leader, is by no means easy
Attention never for moment relaxe
and the judgment which comes onl
with long experience are alike re
quired. Helm and speed need perpetual
alterations, and the requisite change
must be carefully estimated, or tn
ship will continuously oscillate t
starboard or port, in advance or aster
of her station. In evolutions, how
ever, many more qualities must b
brought into play. The theorist talk
glibly of turning circles" and affect
to believe that the handling of
ship can be reduced to mer
geometry. The turning circles {
each ship are, of course, recorde
in every chart house, but
variety of other conditions arise. TIL
evolutionary qualities of other ship
must be observed. Wind, tide, speet
or even the crossing of the wax
of another vessel materially affect
the turning circle. Here is no mer
question of referring to the sil
nal book and giving certain definit
words of command. All the condition
constantly vary; judgment is needle
at every moment; the education of til
} eye in estimating distances and exat
knowledge of the capabilities of til
ship are alike called for The mei
} theorist will, in fact, find himself hop
lessly incompetent, and the efficier
handling of ship implies qualitit
!. which it is not given to everyone I
acquire. 1t is an art rather than
science, and its possession largely d.
, termines the fighting capabilities
of n nayy.-London Times.