The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-07-04
i hibo0oux 5cutulri.
FLEET GOLFERS
Tho Problem Of Supplying Battleships
with Coal In War Times.

1ne Ffobfen OF Supplying Battleships
with Coal In War Times.
A few years ago, to the establishment
OF many people, Admiral Sir Michael
Culme>Seymour demonstrated the pos
sibility, provided the conditions Of
weather and sea be not especially unfa-
vorable, of coaling battleships in mid
Atlantic. Trouble, anxiety and a certain
amount CT risk are involved, but ali
these disadvantages might be notably
lessenec II Instead Of employing ordinary
tramp coillers Ct small tonnage we boilt
a class OF fleet ccliiers' specially de-
signed for the service Of therayy ii var
time, and il attached to tsyrl We aain-
tai1led 4 corps Of officers ard men al
specialists III the arts and mystery Of
coa.i..g ships.
The features desirable im srch g vessel
are great coal carrying capacity, high
speed, q well protected Stern, { ,4o,lor-
ately heavy gun mounted as a stern
cha@er aid all the latest and icss anpli-
anccs to facilitate rapid coaiinc from
her. No navy IS yet possesses vessel Of
the sart. Her value and usefulness
would. nevertheless, be e.crraoas. Fer
III ncst seas q greater proportion Of
moderate than rough weather IS en-
coulltereG. II many seas there ere is
lands or rocks the lee afforded BY which
might be utilized far eoaling purposes il
only ~ec!iiers happened to be rron tie
spGt, and II It We're Il standing rule IL
any squadron to which fleet colliGrs"
Were ATTACHED tlrat ships should iii up
with coal II every possible opportunity,
even ii ~ the mCIlcHt they did not ac-
tually need it, tic ability Of I vessels
to operate effectively at long distances
from their X -lfar bases would be enor-
mcUs.y frrtAoroe.
IS fer the fleet collier herself,
WHOM cruising with a feet she would
have no difficulty i'll keeping up with it,
and eculd therefore be protected by it,
ana when detached her sreed-22 or 80
kncts-WoEld enable her to outstrip all
but tic very fastest CT the cncnv's
crulse IS. Fer a-nlored stern would
shioll her from the shells even Of them,
and her heavy stern chaser would enable
iler to lctlIG at least as SDcQ as n4lTlT
be sent after her by her fee. She might
be bUllr to carry S, coo CT 10, coo tons Of
coal ii addition to supplies fer herself
Ii opportunity offered, she might dis
charge her cargo at Some temporary
base and return hcme fer mere. She
would be Eeither an impeachment Eor al
anxiety to any fleet to which she might
be attacked. but rather 6 source Of com
fort ard security, and ii the event Ct d
fatal accident occurring to che OF the
Other vessels i'll company she could re-
ceive the homeless crew, and even wait
abcCt i'll the vicinity CT tic catastrophe
fer Il time without delaying her ccnscrti
for al instant. So many advantages, in
decd, would result, especially III war
tire, from the employment Ct vessels
of this nature that it is astonishing tl.a5
nothing Of the kind has up to the pres
ent been constructed. It IS nct too much
to say that the rlcst serious r~reocaupa-
tion of the modern admiral during &c
tive operations is the question cf coal
supplies. -Nineteenth Century.