The morning news., 1897-02-10
THE BLOCKADE OF CHARLESTON.
some of the Things That Are to Be
Expected of Bunce's Fleet.
From the New York Heral

FROM the New York Herald.
or course, a real blockade in time Of
peace is an absurdity There will be no
interference with commerce But the
nake-beiieve" blockade that is contem-
plated can be maintained with valuable
experiences to all the ships taking part in
1t. Whether it is wise to risk the flower
OF our navy on such a stormy coast in a
mock blockade is a question open TO dis
cussion, but that officers and men will find
plenty of practical training in this duty
can hardly be doubted
No man-of-Ear Will be authorized or
permitted to fire upon other vessels en-
tering or leaving port. and probably many
OF the conditions of real blockade duty
will be equally forbidden. 1t would not
be safe. for instance for the warships to
"douse their glims." and TO cruise along
frequented coast with no lights allow
or aloft. If any craft-from a passenger
steamer 70 a tramp freighter-should
IIdsn INTO one of our vessels that might
pc snpping along, white, silent and light
less, IKE sheeted ghost in the dark,
Uncle Sam would have to foot the bill
But ali the routine Of the blockade
6iouhu-to use "A paradOXlcai term to de-
az Hsldly as though the distant shore
was really hostile territory and every
craft sighted was an enemy.
r or instance. there will, doubtless. be
constant movement at night. No ship. in
these days of torpedo boats, could afford
70 lie at anchor within striking distance
~ d5 q lYe. WIN oniy part OF thelr iires
spread the blockaders will hold ceaseless
Vigil at night They will have means Of
communicating with each other without
revealing their location too easily TO an
enemy. The watch on deck will be pre-
pared to spring to their guns and the
guns themselves viii be available at
moment notice. Searchlights will be
hldden from view, but on the first warn
ing OF an enemy approach the far reach
ing ana delicate pencil of light that
hashes from the reflector will be sent
as the rays from several ships converge
together, there will be an effect like the
tiing of several knights of chivalry to-
Ward common center in tournament,
IN carrying out a scheme of war eVolu-
tlons IN peace a good deal is left to the
umpire, and-if the experience of foreign
nations may be accepted-a good deal more
to the imagination. Rules are made. and
the naval participants in the game are
required to accomplish certain results on.
ADMIT that they have been Outwttel.
Thus, II one of the blockade runners is
Sighted within certain distance and is
hred upon-with blank cartridges of course
for a certain length of time. the um.
pre- declares that vessel to be sunk or
captured. But if she slips into or out of
the narDor and escapes discovery until
she IS beyond the range of the heavier
rapid nre guns, the blockade runner has
gained her point and she is credited with
an entrance or an escape.
But 1t is not only possible blockade rum
nefs that the fleet must watch Against
the stealthy and deadly torpedo boat the
battleships take every precaution. At any
moment, out of the black depths to the
westward, where the mist-shrouded baVs
and channels reach the sea- a swarm of
mdilS nant sea devils may make a sudden
rush for the blockading ships. Perhaps
jet OF name may belch from the hVine
craft as the forced draught drives the
burning gases fhFnHph NJ
out the tunnels. Then a once the dark and
silent fleet wakes to life and action
Weird beams of light circle around them
over the surface, the battle lanterns glow
IN the recesses alongside the guns fires
are spread under all boilers and the
whole ship is alive with alert and eager
men watching for their foe.
When the. searchlights beam falls upon
a torpedo boat or blockade runner the
sides of the battleship or cruiser break in
20 name. The deeper voice of the 6-inch
and perhaps S-inch guns comes like the
ground swell of aAstorm. while the rat
tie of the rapid firers fills in the intervals
between the roar of the heavier pieces as
light waves break on the surface
But woe be to the big ship that fails
70 slght IN time the hornets swarm as
it dashes at her. If torpedo boat sue
ceeds in arriving within a certain dis
tance--usually. 400 yards-of a battleship
or cruiser without having been detected,
she flashes red light, and the umpire
rules the blockader out of action as hav-
ing been torpedoed.
believe" blockade. The true histories of
these affairs are never written, it is an
arduous and even dangerous duty. The
young men who command the torpedo
craft get all the kicks and few of the
ha'pence; but they have their compen-
sations.
While the French fleet in the Medit-
erranean was blockading a few vessels
in Collie Juan a few years ago, the tor
pedo boats made dash for the armored
ships during a fierce mistral that caused
sea seemingly too heavy for such small
craft Next day the young lieutenants
told endless stories of the ridiculous
ease with which they had stolen upon
the big vessels and reported their pres
lights under the very noses of their SUI
periors.
But did the aforesaid young lieutenants
get official credit for their daring and
their skill?
Il hear you were blown up by three
torpedo boats in succession" said that
evening to the captain of one of the larg-
est vessels.
"Jamais! Jamais de la view he cried
in great excitement and wrath, springing
10 his feet And then, remembering the
way the youngsters had painted the road
stead red the night before, he added
naively, And if 1 had been never would
I admit it,"
Sure enough, the official report of the
events of that memorable night were
never made public, because il was de-
cided that 1t would not be wise to let
the sailors believe that they could be
torpedoed.
1t remains to be seen what will be the
experience of our blockaders off Charles
ton.
SUICIDE nv HIS WIFIc,S SIDF