Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-26
Defense Against rorpedoes.

Fan Mall Gazette: The recent alarm Of
tne meets in Cretan waters lest Greek tor
pedo boats should attack them, and the
elaborate defensive measures adopted in
suda Bay give certain interest to torpedo
boat attack and defense generally-to the
latter especially.
A ship is most exposed to danger when
lying in a harbor, and Il is the that de-
Ienslve precautions become of the great
est urgency. The sea is a big place, and a
notilla OF boats hunting blindly for a fleet
In the open are only likely TO encounter IL
by its rushing right into them. Then, the
probability is that the lookout cruisers
and destroyers will drive them off or sink
them before they get their chance to run
the gauntlet of fire from the large battle
ships. THERE'S but one quarter from which
they have any chanc of successful attack
from ahead. because, though their speed
may be 200 yards a minute, the battleships
are probably doing 600 yards in the same
time, and an attack from the stern would
mean being under fire for possibly ten
minutes, The assumption Is that no boat
could survive being under fire for over
two minutes, Approaching from ahead,
the combatants nearing each other at the
combined speed of 1900 yards a minute,
NiNit 10 bhk dppchl diiN VI Nht 'NeN
being able to get within two cables and fire
her torpedoes before she has been much
more thar a minute under fire. Yet this is
appearance only. I hav seen "A good many
end attacks in maneuvers, and the big
ship has always had time to turn and pre-
sent her bow or stern to the boat No tor
pedoist would fire at a ship end-on; the
chance of hitting the target are very
sight; while given n hit at all. no modern
warship so hit is likely to be sunk or alb
solutely disabled by the explosion. The
boat is, in fine, compelled 10 max n de-
tour, in doing when 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 If they attempt the task. For they
cannot long keep the sea; they must have
shelters TO fly 10 in the day time, and the
number OF these shelters being limited
they are easily watched by catchers and
destroyers able TO sink the boats at leisure
as they return in the dawn. Yet all this
does not mean that fleet attacks Will not
be attempted, and now and again a daring
man is bound TO get home: in any case
the possibility of such attack is bound to
he a terrible menace TO 4 fleet; hence there
Is 4 reason to believe that the one boat
lying idle in harbor might be a worse en-
envy than three oareering about in search
OF something to sink, p~aradoNical though
it may at first sight seem.
The terrible part that torpedo craft
might. play after a great fleet action amid
the big ironc,ads rolling helplessly dis
abled on the swell hardly enters into the
scope of this paper. II suiiices to say that
as Zach Side Will probably nave a large
cruiser and torpedo force with IL, one of
these will have to annihilate the other be-
fore much can be done and flR victor NAV
then be too enfeebled TO act.
When a fleet lies in harbor many of the
conditions are changed; the boats know
where to find tho ships, there is no more
blind seeking and there will he very little
of the haphazard in the attack. 1t is true
that in certain big harbors, strongly forti-
fed, protected by booms full OF deadly
instructions, a fleet will be safe enough.
but most harbors are not so protected:
then defensive measures have TO be SER
iously adopted, and woe bptide the fleet
If they fan. The simplest Of all defenses
Is for the fleet 10 put boldly out to sea.
- -a#--