The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-08

In naval circles IN gsns al the opinion
was largely held iEas s-afce mixas
go as FAR as 20 make her declaration az
wSr BY wholesale destruction Of bat
tieshfps and cruisers lying i. port anc ln-
warned Of the torpedo disaster thai wss
impending Bct as the general Tear OF
The TORPEDO boat grew and took the form
OF experimenting attack on ships at an
c1c- in open ports and roas5sseads. w"
methods OF relief suggested themselves
first. and less 9r-nlys the idea advances
o. so prosectinx hare-crS against Ts2-o8-
war that torpedo boats could not enter
them: and second bar more ARMY, grew
the idea that something special ought 20
BE- done 20 prevent an stscFnyS tcrocso
boats from putting 10 sea at all
The resui, was that while plans for pro
tecti.x our home ports were considered.
rev class Of vessels called 3 torpedo gun
boat was produced IN 1855. Ire Rattle
snake. GraSshcpper, Ssncssy ard Spider. or
the English navy. were launched These
were vessels OF Is tens. M feet long. m
tended % steam nineteen knots. WITH coal
Supply enough 10 carry them :. taa miles AZ
ten knots Their gun Armament was one
finch gun and six S-pos,-dsrs. aid hey
had two torpedo tubes. These vessels were
no, considered wholly satisfactory after
trial, and In lsss& improved RaitiF snakes
were produced In vessels Of the sharp
shooter type. They were rather ARG
er and intended 10 be faster than their fore
runners. and me armament was modified
in ,ha direction OF fewer and heavier guns
ard increased torpedo power. They were
OF % toas displacement and were again ioi-
lowed M In 1898 by eleven ships or the
Jason class of SIC toas. with the same gun
ard torpedo armament as their predsces-
sors and without any nominal increase OF
speed.
The last developments IN this direction
are the Eve ships of the Dryai class. which
have increased in displacement 70 l.e10 tons
with an increase ia coat capacity and artna-
magt. but without an increase or speed,
and with a reduction in torpedo power.
The main object OF these vessels Is 20 III
the role of an .n-shore squadron in a mod
ern blockade. with special relation 20 the
sealing UP OF torpedo boats 10 put 10 sea.
Public opinion became alive 10 the Gues-
ton and the admiralty consented 10 the
construction of nine or ten boats called ter
pedo catchers, Of greater size than usual.
In 1884
was taken. when orders were given for the
construction of forty-two vessels OF an en-
tirely new class, named torpedo boat de-
stroyers. These vessels, OF which the
Havoc was the earliest complete example,
were from lsc TO 30 feet long. and displac-
ed from - 20 Il. toGs- 1lSy 5tSatiieu OK
the rate OF q 10 g knots an hour. carried
80 10 70 tons of coal. an armament. general
~, of one 12-ponnder and five 6-pounders,
with a crew of forty-two to fifty men. and
they had TWO or three torpedo tubes or
this class the Havock was the first which,
on the measured mile. ran 2e-ss knots, and
for three hours over - knots an hour. and
her total cost was f3i. pa. She carried 90
tons OF coal. estimated to take her AGO
miles. or knots. On the Sd or February.
1894. the second of this class. the Hornet,
was tried. and she ran the speed up TO 3
knots.
II is admitted by all naval authorities
who have d!spassionately studied the situ-
alton. that the torpedo boat destroyer VIII
practically be the battieship OF the future.
The whole theory of the battleship is an
idle dream. The destroyer is the real bat
tleship. Theorists may Idly dispute the
fact If they will, but that will cot change
ii. We may. If we desire to look forward
10 q positive future, accept the truth OF
what / have stated. II Is not in egotisrn
that write, 1t Is merely a strong desire
to lay before the world what is plainly TO
me a self-evident truth.
p H. COLOMBO,
Vice Admiral, Royal Navy.