The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-01
TORPEDO BOAT FLEET
The Porter. the Pick of the Lot, a
Remark able Craft i'm Her Glass.

tDIS TIcT SluSS.
The United States torpedo Hotilla has
become within few weeks a formidable
part of the navy. Had the war with
Spain opened during the winter, the
enemy would have had an immense adj
vantage because of her strong fleet Of
torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers
ready for immediate service.
Now that all our finished torpedo
boats are in commission, several more
are almost ready to 60 to sea, three have
been purchased abroad and number of
fast yachts have been converted into
torpedo boat destroyers, American naval
officers say we have little to fear from
Spanish torpedo boats.
Everything considered, the American
torpedo fleet is today superior to the
Spanish, il the war is to be conducted in
American waters only.
The torpedo boat is limited in its
range OF action. While the new torpedo
boats are seagoing craft, their usefulness
i'll the open sea is small
Only an officer of great daring would
volunteer to take the finest torpedo boat
on the seas across the Atlantic unaccom.
panied by cruiser or seagoing battle
ship.
Even when in company with large
ves'es t redo craft have lolghimes in
the open sea. None but those of the
largest type have sufficient coal capacity
for a journey across the Atlantic, and a
few days Of rough weather would prob
ably leave even those in midocean with
out lump Of coal in their bunkers.
Torpedo boats which must be taken
across the ocean are colied at sea at
intervals from seag )ing vessels accom-
panying them.
The accidents to Il new torpedo boat
somers, purchased in England by the
United States Government, illustrate the
instability of torpedo craft.
Several times she has put ont tosea, in
company with the new cruiser Topeka,
only to be forced to turn back to port,
She has run into deck, injuring h r
steering gear and indenting her sides.
torpedo boat is mere cookie she'll
Her steel skin is small fraction of an
inch in thickness. and only by heavy
steel ! racing is it made to withstand
ordinary pressure.
A +. W days ago the Spanish torpedo boat
desir yer Audaz in English waters was
stru * athwartships by heavy swell,
turning her bow around double, like a
sheet Of tin.
The thin shell is necessary to give the
lightness required for % and 30 knot
speed. The smallest OF rapid-fir guns
will penetrate this thin steel
| lhl, i
ventured across the Atlantic. Half a
dozen torpedo boats steamed from Eng
land to Brazil during the recent Brazilian
civil war, i'll company with several
armed merchantmen, but Marshal
Peixoto found the little craft in Door
conduction for service when they we're
locked at Rio de Janeiro.
/. 1t was weeks before the danger to the
boats could be repaired, but when they
were again fit for service thev proved the
strongest part of Peixotos fleet.
Naval men all over the world are
watching with interest the progress of
the Spanish torpedo fleet now at Cape
Verde Islands. Opinion is divided as to
whether he fleet put in at the islands
tor strategic reasons, or because the
commander believed that it would be
ioolhardy to attempt to 60 any further.
Should the Spanish torpedo fleet con-
tinue on its way to American shores. it
is not believed here that it would be
formidable fighting force, now that our
coast line is projected by high-power
and rapid-fire guns, submarine mine
fields, and small boats equipped as tor
pedo-boat destroyers, and our SQUADRON
at Havana is protected by torpedo boats
and torpedo. boat destroyers, as well as
by searchlights and heavy batteries Of
rApid-iire guns.
In fact, naval men believe that it
would be suicidal for the Spanish tor
pedo fleet to attempt to put in at any
Cuban or American port.
The fleet must have coal, and it would
be next to impossible for 1t to secure coal
on this side Of the Atlantic
SPANS torpedo fleet out in the At
lantlc is in the same position as the man
VINO sWlms away from shore until his
strength is gone and then signals to
shore for help.
Down in Cuban waters, in Rear Ad-
mlral SIMPSONS fleet, are half dozen
torpedo boats ready for immediate ser.
wee. Foremost among them is the
Porter, one of the finest examples of
torpedo boat construction in the world,
She was the first high-speed vessel Of
her class to be added to the navy. She
was launched on Sept. Q, 1896, and early
last year was sent out on her trial trip.
The contract called for speed or ~
Knots to be maintained in repeated