The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03
TRIUMPH OF T VESUVIUS.
THE VALUE OF THE DYNAMITE
CRUISER HAS BEEN PROVED.

Naval Omoera who Formerly Doubted New
AmonE laer Strongest Advertisement OF
Her Emciency Given at santIago-Next she
Will Threw Guncotton at EHAVnnA's Moro.
WASHINGTON, July 2.-Some Of those who
have not believed In the value Of the dynamite
cruiser Vesuvius as an instrument of naval war.
faro arc now among her strongest advocates
since hor wonderfully effective work against the
defenoes Of Santiago in the last two weeks.
Admiral Sampson reported that tho ship had
thrown charges Of guncotton ashore with the
most satisfactory results and that her value In
operating against Notifications has been OF the
highest character.
For years, ever since the completion of the
vessel, In fact, the navy has been divided as to
her usefulness in war time, and until some prao-
teal experiments could DO made 1t was argued
that 1t would be foolish to build moro ships
Of her type. She was one Of the early ships COM
pleted for the navy and tho fastest in the ser
vice for many years, but she was always ro-
garded as a failure except by q few officers
who had tested her and had the amplest conf
dence that she would do everything she was do
signed for.
Her one great defect is her inability to turn
rapidly, but this is owing to her extreme length
and narrow beam. 1t is difficult for her to turn
In q radius of less than 400 yards, although pro-
vided with twin screws. Naval officers have
pointed out that another defect is the fact that
her three tubes are stationary and can be
trained only by tho rudder. To train them there
fore is sometimes a difficult matter in heavy
seaway. Down Off the Cuban coast. though.
the reports show that she has had apparently
little trouble in hitting her targets and backing
out of range in short order.
No opportunity has been afforded until the
present, her advocates say, to prove tho real
efficiency OF the ship. and the trials that have
taken place heretofore were of such q nature as
to prove nothing except the accuracy Of her
fire. Several years ago an extended series Of
trials was conducted off Port Royal and elaoo-
rate reports we're made to the Navy Depart
ment, and the conclusion reached was that the
Vesuvius was not of much value to the navy.
Now all officers are willing to admit that she is
a wonderfully efficient boat for certain classes
of work and that her tubes have done more de-
s%truction to the outer harbor Of Santiago than
a bombardment by the entire fleet could have
accomplished in a day. While 1t is an expen-
sivo process Of inflicting destruction, the ex-
perts agree that it really costs far less than
firing many broadsidcs OF heavy shells against
Notifications.
The tubes Of the Vesuvius are of Is inches
calibrc. but she has never yet fired the full
charge they are capable of throwing. Sub
calibre charges OF 3, &, and 10 inch projectiles.
CONTAINING lTUh &OO " OOO pUuLluS VI gun
cotton, were used in the attacks on Santiago's
defences, and 1t is not regarded as probable that
higher charges will be hereafter used by the
ship.
1t is regarded now as practically settled that
the Vesuvius will play as important a part in
completing the destruction of MORO Castle at
Havana as she has done in knocking down large
sections Of the defences at Santiago. Her range
OF effectiveness is 4 from one mile to one mile and
n half for smaller charges. and confidence is ex-
pressed by the torpedo experts here that she
will be able to run up at night close under
Moro and let go her projectiles and back away
before being caught by the fire of rapid firing
machine guns.
Capt. Sigsbee is one of the strongest believers
in the Vesuvius in the navy next to Lieutenant
Commander Seaton Schroeder, who commanded
her for several years. One Of tho first mes
saRes sent to the Navy Department after the
Maine disaster was n request that the Vesu-
vius be at once ordered to Havana. II there
was to be any trouble with Spain 1t was thought
the Vesuvius could do moro effective work by
tossing several projectiles Of guncotton into
the city than larger vessels could in a lombard
ment. The Vesuvius was at once prepared for
service and has been in commission since the
war began.