Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-23
LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED
Naval Experts Gan Go No Farther Along
Some Lines.
ExiEencies of War Are Likely to De-
vclOp Some Surprises-Use of
Submarine Boats.

from the engineering News.
memorable naval battle In Hampton
Roads, on March 8, 1862, practically revo-
lutionized the building of warships through
out the world; for though the French ship
La Gloire had been launched two years
previously. with four and half inches of
rolled iron plates on heavy wood backing
the struggle between the Monitor and the
Merrimac was the first actual combat be-
tween armcred ships. The previous de-
struction Of wooden warships by the con-
federate ironclad proved TO the world that
the Icing boosted wooden walls were
that class. and England, France and other
nations at once began that struggle be-
tween armor plate and guns that mas
resulted In the present wonderful Develop
ment and power of ships of war. Many
failures marked the path of this advance;
and while there has only been one actual
naval battle between fleets Of modern war
vessels, that of the Japan-Chinese war, is
IT not possible that he limit has about
been reached in the building and armament
OF these terrible engines of war? The dis
placement of these ships has reached 14.UJO
tons and more; Is inches Of a high quality
of solid steel armor protect the vital parts:
guns of 13-fnch caliber throw projectiles
with muZzle velocity of 1000 feet per
second; high explosives are employed in
siisliS anu tOTpeQOeS, ana engines OF 1O,OW
morse power give these heavy hullS speed
OF IL knots or more. Guns and ammunition
are now so heavy that machinery must he
employed for handling them, and electric
power and electric light find place in the
equipment along with many minor applica-
items of the latest development of the
science of war. Even with all the advance
in the treatment of materials and the re-
sultant cheapening of the product, the cost
of these ships is now enormous. as is shown
Dy the fact that within the last thirty DAYS
three great nations have appropriated $24O,-
100000 to be expended upon their navies.
To Meet the Emergency.
The exigencies of the civil war produced
the Monitor and the Merrimac, and I'M
doubtedly fastened, If they did not compel
the changes in the building and arming of
warships which have taken place within the
last thirty odd years. 1t would be
strange coincidence If somewhat similar
emergency should now bring about an
American development of another type of
vessel that would destroy these same great
battle ships, and stop the expenditure of
money upon them from mere commercial
considerations. The advent of thorough
ly manageable submarine torpedo boat fit
ted for operating in comparatively deep
water and capable of effectively delivering
torpedoes or dynamite projectiles. will set
tie the question of battle ship attack upon
the ports of a country. The certainty of
destruction would be so great that no ma
ton could afford to invest five or six mil
lions in an armored battle ship that may
be sunk by vessel costing so little that a
fleet of a hundred of them could probably
be built for the price of one battle ship.
The idea itself is as old as the days Of
James | of England; and late experiments
by France. Spain and Germany have been
failures. But we again have faith in the
same American inventive genius that
caused such an upturning of methods. fol-
lowing the events of 1852; and late trials
with the Holland submarine torpedo boat
would seem to warrant this presumption.
The inventor of today has great advan-
taSes over his predecessors, in improved
methods of construction, compressed air,
storage batter $ and gasoline fuel for sur
face work and while the problem is many
sided and difficult, it is by no means i'm
possible of solution. and an urgent demand
for the services of such vessel would
mean its ultimate successful development
Revolution I'm Naval Warfare.
What revolution in naval warfare such
craft would bring about. 1t would prac-
tically abolish three Of the most advanced
types of warships, the battle ships, the tor
pedo BOAT and the torpedo boat destroyer.
The first of these brought out the second
as a means Of attack upon the battle ships
of the enemy; and the third was introduced
as defense measure against the second
The fast, lightly armored cruiser would
probably be left, as a commerce defender,
but against this type Of ship the torpedo is
practically useless. hence there would he
practically no further use for torpedo
boats. 1t Is difficult to see what measure
of defense could be advised against such an
unseen submarine, but powerful enemy;
and to find and attack this underwater
craft with another vessel Of the same type
would be practically impossible and add an
additional element of terror to a warfare
that is terrible enough as 1t is. The F.ol-
land boat is intended not only for attack
upon the hull of ship by automobile tor
pedoeS, but she Is fitted to hurl dynamite
projectiles both above and from below the
surface. She has thus three separate
means of attack. and successful hit by
any one of these projectiles would mean
the certain sinking of the vessel attacked.
The great value Of submarine boats as 4
means of defense would be their cheapness
and rapidity of construction, and the abili-
ty to thus attack IN a swarm. with the
chance of escape for the enemy cores
pondingly small. But If battle ships cam
not attack a fortified port cruisers GER
tainly could not, and submarine torpedoes
or short-range dynamite projectiles would
modern high-power guns. This assumption
would con1ine naval battles between heavy
ships to the high seas, and from a political
point of view the result of such battle
would be valueess; and the submarine boat
might even be so developed as to enter into
a combat of that nature by being carried
to the vicinity of the scene of combat on
the battle ship. So 1t may again be said
that the man who invents and builds
workable submarine torpedo boat will as
surely drive the battle ships and their de-
pendents from the naval lists of the world
the advent of armor-clads and rified
guns made useless the ships of Nelson's