Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28

Repeated drills and endless patience alone
can accomplish this end; and when tina,
much is accomplished the fleet is a unit
only In the matter Of movement. The eff
cheney OF gun fire and general hardness
must follow as other steps, while the ais
position Of the fleet to the best advantage
Is something resting with the commander
in-chief and the ready Interpretation of
ms captains. Proficient Individually. eacn
snip then becomes merged in the greater or
ganizatfon of the fleet. She then becomes
part OF regiment, so to speak, and moves
with force that is dangerous alike to
Ir1end or Zoe. She must keep certain
distance from her thanking or leading fell
lows She must be able 10 form in single
line ahead or abreast to move IN column
ahead or obliquely. and to double on her.
seif without interference 10 the formation
or her neighboring ships. II will he re-
membered that the British battle ship Vic
tor1a was sunk in this way and through a
mlscalculation of distance.
Must BE Handled Like Cavalry.
As body, the fleet must be able to
charge like squadron of cavalry; and the
difficulty can be realized partly when it
Is remembered that the horses in this case
are masses of from 1900 to 1000
tons. moving at the rate of quite fifteen
knots an hour. A mere touch from such a
cra1t would mean destruction or appalling
injury. This proficiency is not all on deck
and at the wheel; for down in the engine
room, away from the sight of the passing
water, rests the great responsibility of
timing the stroke of those mighty engines
and gauging their turns and resultant
speed to a nicely that means everything
to the successful maintenance of position
and the unity of swing of the moving ship
Before the engineers watchful eye thun-
ders that ponderous engine. and, by his
Quickened senses of sight and sound, he
knows just how the ship is moving, and
knows well-nigh to a foot the speed she
is making Resides 10 Knows how his
coal will carry him, and upon his judgment
rests the radius of the vessels effective
ness and her safe return to port.
Other Important Features.
Particular attention will be paid to the
various auxiliary engines that add to the
working efficiency of the guns. the han
ding of the heavy ammunition, and the
steering arrangements, and a comparative
analysis will result. At present the Iowa
has electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic
mechanisms for this purpose, and the ques-
ton to solve is which will be best in
future. The one susceptible Of easiest re-
pair and. at the same time. of least Gam
ger in time of breakage, Is the one to COM
mend itself for future use.
There will be target practice and torpedo
pr actice, and under the stimulating pres,
cree of the assistant secretary good uea
of emulation is expected, and there Is PROM
Use of some very successful scores.
There will be the usual drills OF pre-
pairing for action, passing ammunition and
preparing to abandon ship, and nothing
will be left untried that Will In any way
prove the relative efficiency Of the ships. in
dividually or collectively. go.
Proficiency in fleet or squadron tactics is
the highest art of naval warfare and In A
conflict between even fleets Of equal pow
err the palm of success will rest with him
whom practice has made more nearly per-
feet.
In these evolutions We are following the
Df vie
next year perhaps we may begin the solu-
ton Of some of those stretegical problems
that permit of the affiliations of every
craft from the battle ship down to the tor
pedo boat
In the present departure we are taking
one big stride in the right direction, and
the result is bound to be one of inestfmabie
value to the designers Of our ships, as well
as to the officers and men who are to make
the most of them in the defense or peace
fu! maintenance of the dignity of old glory.