Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-01
OUR TORPEDO FLEET.
FIRST MANoEUyREs OBJ THESE
SMALL CRAFT.
NEWPORT THE OPENING STATION.
Before the journey of the Torpedo
aonts Is over Tour of Inland
Waters VIII Have Been Made-They
Are the Fighting Craft of Future.

(CorrespOndenCe OF the DlsyatShJ
NEWPORT. r. l., July d.-Ne"porters
and summer visitors have mad the plea
sure OF gazing upon the manoeuyres Of
the first torpedo fleet ever gathered III
United sta ,es waters. During the ci'h
war we used to hear about torpeeo-Doats'
but they were only makesh'fts. 4"e
torpedo-boats OF to-day are really the
first Of the kind that have had genuine
right TO the name.
Since the accession to Office Of Iheo-
do.a Roosevelt tho torpedo-foat has
been given the closest attention, ioF
the Assistant Secretary Of the Navy was
not at all slow to recognize the lmpor-
lance of the little craft. He has taken
any amount of trouble to bring ABOUT
the beginning OF what Will be the most
notable cruise OF our own harnesses
which ever took place In tho Uni'eo
States. The drills and experiments which
have taken place here have been but
preliminary practice In reality, Tor theIe
Is before the toFpedo-boats a i've months
cruise which will lead them as far In
land as navigable waters VIII permit.
The naval authorities have become
firmly convinced that in Older 70 keep
I'D with the times our government must
devote the strictest attention to the ior-
pedo- boat. European naval experts nave
had no hesitation IN announcing that tina
nation whose torpedo fleet WAS the most
powerful would gain supremacy upon the
seas. We have always been r4thcr
slow In the matter OF warfare wnen
there was no war and seem 20 nave
generally lost sight Of the truth OF inc
adage that IL is well IN time OF peace 10
prepare for war.
Now. however. we seem 10 have
Weakened. and an aieitness is apparcm
which indicates that at last the civilians.
who always control the navy IN rcallty'
have discovered that what naval oincers
have been Gsspairinsly ADVOCATING lor
wears As true The fact that among
those who have watched the manoeuvring
Of the torpedo-boats have been naval
experts of Great Britain, France. Russia,
Germany. and several other maritime
nations Is proof positive that European
countries, alarmed by the achievements
OF the craft that made up The feet have
determined TO find out In what parucu-
lar feature lies the point which unqnes-
tienably gives us superiority.
While. primarily. tho object OF the
cruise Is to drill the men who make up
the vessels complement IN the duties
which 10 most OF them are very unfami-
liar. In reality the purpose Is 10 dis
cover any defects which may exist. II
being trut0fully argued that 1t is better
these should DO discovered IN time OF
mace than I'm time Of war. The torpedo
boat Is fraii In construction, and has DELI
cate machinery. The recent experience
OF the Dupont Is an apt indication OF the
truth OF this assertion. IL is an abso-
lutte certainly that breakduwns will oc-
cur. but every one OF those WIZ 1e
lesson 10 which prompt heed Will be
given. In this way the serious defects
of the torpedo-boat will be remeiied.
and after the present cruise. IL IL more
than likely that our torpedo fleet viii he
the most powerful thar floats.
The feet would have been az New
Orleans by this time II II had not hap
pentd that Asslstsii. Secretary Rcose'
welt, under whose personal supervision II
has been acting. had not oeen tSs ,,a
sick. causing postponemtnt OF 0ti's
for time. Now. however, with the
Dupont In good condition, the neet VIII
proceed ON It's southern journey without
any great delay. Ii Is the present Ia
tention 10 proceed down the Atlantic
coast 20 the Gulf OF Mexico. ana thence
10 New orleans. From this latter point
the fleet will ascend The Mississippi as
far as St. Louis. anyway. Perhaps, y
will proceed further up the river pN'
that Will depend upon the depth OF ths
water which - always an uncertain
quantity In the Mississippi. II u quh'
likely the boats will steam some as
tnEcs up the Ohio. but as these detal'
vii be governed by clrcumstanges, nc
positive statement can trntnt1iiy p'
made
Most OF the officers and nearly ever,