The times., 1897-04-18
MODERN NAVAL BATTLES
A Clear Idea of What viii Hap
pen i'm the Next War.
SCENES ON THE FIGHTING SHIPS
An Interesting Comparison Between
the Old Methods of Sea Warfare
and Those Which Prevail Under
Modern Conditions-5ink or Swim
With the Ship.

We are indebted to a naval officer OF
high rank for the following:
one can conjecture only as to the rise
and progress of a contest between two
modern battleships. A scientist has fIg-
ured on the result on the crew of one of
these ships were it 70 lire all its guns CON
tinuously He says that IN five minutes
the auricGlar apparatus Of a,i hands would
be permanently affected, and in twenty
minutes every man would De IN a sJateO
UnconscioIsness However, it would be
out OF the question to have all the guns
going simultaneously, and il would be
rare event, indeed, when a ship could be
so surrounded by enemies as to require
such fire; yet with s4ch nung as might
be expected in an ordinary engagement
the conclusion would be a severe trial to
the crew Even with the old style 32s
and Gas between decks OF a lIye-Oak snip
was not pleasant place for ones ears
when target or salute firing was IN prog
ress, and ordinarily one raised oneself
gently on the ball OF the feet as the gunner
pulled the lanyard The cOncussion is
felt more acUteIy on the water than on the
land.
however, the probability IS big ships
crew would stand the cOncussion as well
could the crew of a monitor type vessel,
or OF Merrimac, this being an inteImedi-
ate between the monitor ana the modern
arnOred warship. The interesting prot
lem that war in the Mediterranean woald
soiyeis " hetbeT the uiotiern ships ire battle
worthy. They do not seem 10 he weather
worthy and, taking the einstances on record,
the proof So far is against their battle ca
pacity. They cannot stand IaIiInhng, for
one thing. Recall the CampeTdOwn and
Victoria instance at AIgiers, in 1893;
also, the English Channel incident, about
the same time, OF two German battleships
steaming four knots, when one ported
helm little when StarbOard should have
been the move, and humping IubDerIy into
its cOnsort, down went said ConsOrt TO the
bottom Of the sea. Now a general engage
ment between big fleets OF Europe would
ten whether the navies are to be recon-
structed-and if arrangements were made
by which one side should bring n midway
the combat a dOuble-turTeted monitor
great would be the additional knowledge
gained.
JACK Tar has always had decided adj
vantage over his brother warriOrOf the land
forces in the important matter OF facility
for making regulations for courage, and
doubtless to this advantage is largely due
the fact that wars have usually given the
sailor the highest niche in the temple II
fame. One seldom reads of a man-Of-war's
crew, however, badly defeated in an en-
gagemeat, having fought other than hero
icaily. A man-of-war may have avoided an
issue with palpably superior force, but
once compelled to engage, the tight is
fought as desperately as though the odds
were even; nOr in such erner rgeucy does this
persistence in combat lessen because an
enemy is on the flank as well rs in front
A man-Of-war having cleared for action
and begun firing cannot in the nature Of
the surroundings retreat other than as a
whole. II there be two or more ships op-
posed the weaker force must stand up TO
the work as ole Jack Tar, or at worst MAIN
tain a running ii cht as one, and finally sue
cumb or escape as one. There is no such
episode as cry of part Of the crew, I'VE
are rIankcd,' followed by spread Of denOr-
alization aud panic throughout the snip and
rush to the rear of every man for himself
and the devil take the hindcrm1st
There s no room for such demoraliza-
tion. Then men know they are confined
to the CircumscTibed area vit hin the ships
lines and have no rear" except the ship
itself shall be worked thereto by the usual
methods known TO navigatOrs, which cam
not be put into effect without the officer
of the deck giving the necessary orders
TO make the maneuver. Up until recently
warships were sailing vessels frigate
was a three-naster with a round dozen
square sails spankeT. jibs, and the usual
number OF staysails ard Studding sails,
of which there might be counted a dozen
square and lesser sails in use in the aver
age sea fight. II the crew became demOr-
allied they would not be in condition
to work these sails, not even were they
to get orders from the quarterback.
They would likely, in case OF panic, cease
firing. but except the commanding officer
should so will il there could be no sur
render for his position on the quarter
deck would prevent the hauling down of
the colors, and without this customary
signal CT surrender the enemy would pour
in brOadsides.
This was the oId-fashiOned way when
there was romance on the sea, and young
sters sought the navy filled with Marryat's
novels, and the more or less slortfied
stories of notable naval engagements by
historians of the type which permit patrt-
ots, ardor full swing over thelessimpOrtant
feature of Difference 10 actual facts. The
enemy who had the best OF you was not con-
siderate enough toinquire why you stopped
firing. On thefcontTary, he was usuallyill-
to IL tch a a
cation of weakening on your part,and would
cheer Justify, regardless Of your feelings,
and redouble his energy OF broadside wholly
without a thought Of the arms, eyes, and
hands his round shot and grape mightknOCk
off your crew, nor the SpllHterS from the
live oak their bodies might receive. That
was the time of romance, tar and bilge-
water; the da vs. when seaIa0nship was re-
quired IN the handling of rnan-of-war; and
this latter so greatly that a fine seamanin
command meant decided advantaSe-the
sailing qualities and metal being equal
over the ship which was not so well com
manded. One will recall the lines in the
old-time Navy song, The Constitution
and the Guerriere, in which Commodore
Hull is represented thus:
To the weather gauge. boys, ,gether,
And to make his men fight better
Gave them gunpOwder
Mixed with brandy, o.
Much as modern Navy officers would Ike
to witness n enagemenJ between the latest
outcome of the naval constructions, 1T Is
not improbable that a large percentage OF
them would, il the choice OF the two styles
were presented, prefer TO see one OF the