Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-03
Captain Mahnn on Battleships.
(ChicagO ChrOnIcIe.)

In Princeton, ~ j., Captain Mahan, or
the United States navy, improved the OPP
portunity offered him as Washingtons-
Birthday orator to defend the modern bat
tleshp. He declared that the greatest
precautions were taken against accident.
He even went so far as TO say that amy
man that crosses the ocean in passenger
steamer undertakes I'm week greater risk
from collision than any seaman on board
a ship of war does from explosion in the
course of a year."
The Captain also cautioned his hearers
against "the disposition shown in many
quarters to condemn the modern battle
ship. even as fighting ship" He declared
that this was a "frightful mistake" He
said ii would not do to conclude that. be-
cause a torpedo-boat could sink Mttle-
ship, therefore IT could do so readily at
any time. He gave his hearers TO under
stand that the battleship was by no means
at the mercy of the torpedo-boat, and
that it was a tremendous war engine.
He summed up his estimate OF the bat
tleship in these words: 1T is the product
of gradual evolution, directed by expe-
Renee and controlled I'm its development
by the best thought of many experts, con-
structors. and seamen, all in constant
communication at all times with the best
thoughts Of the naval world throughout
the civilized world. In short, | think /
may say without necessary offence that
the disposition to condemn the battleship
offhand as a fighting machine, whether
the assumption be that the Maine per-
ished from internal causes or from exter-
nal, can proceed only from ignorance OF
the facts of battleship construction In
general, and consequent mistaken infer
ences as TO the results of future naval
battles"
Other naval officers entertain a less
favorable opinion of these marine mon
sters. One, whose name, of course, could
not be given, was recently quoted by Mr..
Burdett to the effect that he did not be-
lieve in them. He did not question their
immense capacity for destruction so long
as they were afioat and workable. On
the contrary. he seemed TO regard that
very capacity as against them, thinking
Ii not improbable that a battle between
two fleets OF such ships might result in
the survival OF only one ship.
But, admitting all that Captain Mahan
says-admitting that the battleship is a
product of evolution and OF the best
thought and the ripest experience-it does
not follow that this huge and admittedly
top-heavy structure is the ultimate pro-
duct OF evolution-the marine fighting ma
chine Of the immediate future In the con-
struction Of which many more millions
should be expended. Other forms OF bat
tleship which in their time were the best
product Of evolution have had to be dis
carded successfully for more advanced
forms. and the present huge floating
masses OF steel may have 10 follow at a
very early day
In view Of what Is known OF the ter
rible destructiyeness OF the torpedo and
of the progress which has recently been
made In submarine navigation, II will be
well to await early developments before
putting more millions into battleships
II II is true, as claimed that two boats
have been constructed almost simulta-
neously by different inventors working in
dependently. neither knowing anything
about the methods OF the other, which
are capable OF carrying a crew for hours
beneath the surface OF the water, we
may be sure that the torpedo will soOn
render the battleship a useless war en-
CINE. The submarine boat. II practicable
at all. can use the torpedo with the
greatest precision and the most deadly
effect. and without exposure 10 harm from
a hostile battleship.
We shall soon know whether these sub
marine boats can do what their inventors
claim for them. IL they can, we may be
sure that they will soon be made TO do
much more and will work revolution In
naval warfare. II Is impossible now to