The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-25

neNe an engdBement Dct"cen W hf'"
ern battleships would not last over
twenty minutes. and hat by that time
one or both would be sunk; and i FUR
ther believe, when one OF the ships
went down, 1t would carry every man
on board. Even IL they could get out
of the vessel, there are no boats, as i
understand 1t. I understand that in
stripping the fleet at Key West, every
boat was sent ashore. They may have
left some little RATS that lie close on
the deck. Even IL they did. few II any
would escape when a big ironclad sank.
1t seems to me that the smokestack. Is
a most vulnerable point on a modern
war vessel. In order to get great
draught these smokestacks extend !
into the air. They would surely be
struck. and / should think that would
nlI these vessels with gas and smoke.
I don't believe anybody knows or can
imagine the horrors Of a fight tive
two modern battleships. / don't think
II was demonstrated during the Chi
nese-Japanese war. I think 1t would
be worse than anybody has ever mag
med regarding hell"
Another naval officer. Engineer David
p. Jones. stationed at Chicago, is also
quoted as saving that he does not be-
lieve an engagement between two mod
ern hattleships will last more than
twenty mute One Of them will be
sunk within that time. land I do not
believe" he adds, that one Will be a
United States ship. 1t must be remem-
bered hat the gunner of the United
states ships are the best shooters in
the world. They always have been.
That is the reason we won in the war
of 1912. ] am not one of those who
say the Spaniards can't fight. i say
they can fight, and will fight like tigers.
In battle they will do brave, rash. a
niicent things. But their officers lack
the cool judgment Of the American Of
fcers. There is a time to shoot m
shoot effectively. That is the time to
fire. Our people are rapid leaders and
deliberate firers. Therein lies u
strength. The shot that strikes the
opposing vessel i'm a vital spot Is the
one that tells. The Spaniards are brave
men and cool fighters, but their officers
have never seemed to be able to keep
their heads cool during actions at sea.
Our officers have always been superior
In this resnect to those of any other
nation, excepting England. our people
always fire on the drop Of the wave.
Just as the cowboy always brings his
gun down when he fires, instead OF lift
ing in from his side to aim
What the naval officers of the world
are especially concerned to know Is the
place that the torpedo will make for
itself In sea fighting of the future. The
torpedo as II exists to-day is a modern
instrument of destruction. 1t is de-
signed to explode against the hull OF
a ship below the water line. where the
armor is not thick enough to resist II,
and to blow a hole in it. Such a hole
will cause the ship to go to the bottom
like a broken kettle. No battle has been
fought in which the torpedo has played
any CONSPICUOUS part. 1t is launched
from big ships and little. in special
tubes. and with appliances for the safe
ty of those who handle 1t. IL Is directi-
"
BILE in one form and i'm another 1T directs
itself. II II misses it's mark 1t passes
the enemy and may become a source of
danger to friendly ships beyond. If
discharged from one of the small tor
pedo boats the service involves peril to
those engaged In the attack. Tor these
boats are small and could be almost
blown out of the water by a shot from
a l2-inch rifle. The Brooklyn Eagle
thinks that in a battle I'm which the
ships were at long range the torpedo
boat would stand a good nance 81
elimination. since it could be crippled
IL not destroyed at a distance of g
mile. whereas IL could hardly get with
i'm effective range.s save at night or in &
mist. or under cover of projecting land
unless 1t came within a quarter of
mile of the object Of it's attack. Ant
again, the high explosives contained IN
the torpedoes might be set off bH 8
shell from the enemy and the boa
would her become elf-~destructive.
NE announcement is made tina