The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1897-08-07
DEFENSE AGAINST ToRpEooss
A Froh.ena that Mat Ne solved Ia
thu Next Naval War.

The recent alarm or the seets N
Cretan waters Last Greek torpedo boats
should attack them, and the elaborats
defensive measures adopted N Suda
Bay give certain Interest to torpedo
boat attack and defense generRlly--t0
the latter especially.
A ship l. most exposed 10 danger
when lying IN q harbcr, and Il b then
that defensive precautions become OF
the greatest urgency. The SEA 10 a
big place, and q fiotilla Of hoats hunt
ing benily for q feet IN the open are
only likely to encounter II by N ruah-
ing right Into them. Then, the prob,
ability b that the lookout cruisers
and destroyers win drive them on Or
sink them before they get their chance
to run the gauntlet Of IRE from the
large battleships. There - but one
quarter from which they have any
ehanee OF successful attaek-frOm
ahead, because. though their speed
may be 200 yards minute. the battle
ships are probably doing 500 yards In
the same time. and an attack from
astern would mean being under ere
for possibly ten minutes. The assump-
ton s that NO boat could survive being
under TIRE for over two minutes. Ap-
prOarhiEg from ahead, the contestants
nearing each other at the combined
speed Of LOO yards 9 minute, there
Is q strong appearance Of the boats
being able to get within two cables
and IRE her tOrpedoes before she has
been much more than q minute under
IRE. Yet this Is appearance only.
have seen a good many end attacks IN
maneuvers. and the big ship has al
ways had time to turn and present
her DOW or stern to the boat. No
torpedO.st would fire at a ship end on;
the chances Of hitting the target are
very slight: while given q hit at all
no modern warShip 50 hit d likely to
be sunk or absolutely disabled by the
explosion The boat Is. in fine. COM
pelIe.l to make a detour. In doing
which she win probably be sunk.
In the next naval war very few
ships are likely to be "bagged" At sea
by torpedo boats. and the boats are
not likely to last long II they attempt
the task. For they cannot long keep
the sea; they must have shelters to
ny to In the daytime. and the number
Of these shelters being limited they are
easily watched by catchers and de-
stroyers able to sink the boats at
leisure as they return IN the dawn.
Yet all this does not mean that feet
attacks win not be attempted, and now
again a daring man Is bound to get
home; In any case the possibility OF
such attack IN bound to be a terrible
menace to a feet; hence there Is reason
to believe that-the one boat lying Idle
in harbor might be q worse enemy
than three eareertng about IN search
of sOTething to sink, paradoxtcal
though Il may at first sight seem.
The terrible part that torpedo craft
might r,ay after q great feet action
amid the big Eonclads rolling help
lessly disabled on the swell hardly
enters into the scope Of this paper.
II sufhces to say that as each side
viii probably have a large cruiser and
torpedo force with 1t, one Of these
will mare to annihlate the other be-
fore much can he done, and the victor
may then be too enfeebIed to act
When q feet lies IN harboF many
of tie conditions are changed; the
boats know where to ind the Ahips.
there Is no more blind seeking and
there VIII be very little Of the hap
hazard In the attack. II l. true that
in certain big barbors, strongly for
titled. protected by booms full Of dead
ly distractions. a feet win be safe
enough. but most harbors are not %
protected; then. defensive measures
have to be seriously adopted. and woe
betide the feet II they fail. The
simplest Of all defenses Is for the feet
to pHt boldly out to sea--Pall Mall
Gazette.