The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-17
EAGER FOR VENGEANCE.
Kester. Chief Engineer of the Torpedo
Fleet Talks.

Port Tampa. Fla. April 1G.-At Key
West the situation remains practically
unchanged, AS far as position of ships
and disposition of officers and men are
concerned. Eagerness for action grows
more patent hourly. so that each shot
aimed at old hull or dancing target is
freighted with Il wish it had a Spanish
destination. Even the coal passers Ia
sturdy lot with muscles like arInor plate)
dscr,:s the chances of action, and with
wild whoOps give vent to their desires
for vengeance on the 'murderers of the
poor fellows down below in the Maine
Yet the wisdom of careful provision and
provision is recognized by the thought
ful commanders who will have posts of
equal danger and greater responsibility.
1t is at night the scene is most war-like
for while there is no booming of guns
there is Il constant interchange of sig
mails over ten miles or more of oceau.
and now and again a search light shows
Il torpedo boat, ugly as a devil fish, and
far more dangerous than any creature
Hugo could imagine stealing quietly
along from ship to ship on its way to
open sea- and Il patrol reaching mayhap
to within sight of the big guns at the
vidado, Habana. On the naval docks.
the hustle ends only with darkness, and
while we are told everything is in readi-
ness and has been for II week. the thou
sand and one duties left over or par
tally sighted call for constant activity
The Associated Press correspondent
was talking with Hester recently-Kes-
ter. Chief Engineer of the torpedo fleet,
and probably us well posted there
us any man in the service. He has had
thirty months torpedo boat duty, and the
world cannot show an equal record. To
the query. Isn't it Il pity we haven't
more torpedo boat destroyers:" the
bronzed keen eyed young officer re-
Piled:
.'Oh yes. | suppose SO. But after all
they may not be so dangerous in real
war as many are inclined to suppose.
You see they have never been thorough
ly tried as destroyers. As for me, given
a destroyer after a torpedo boat, and
would rather be on the smaller craft
Isn't that a queer choice"
I'm tell YOU why | would make it.
The destroyer running thirty knots
gets after the torpedo boat running
twenty-five. Did you ever see either
under full Roadway? | tell you the de-
stroyer carries perfect wall of water
ahead SO does the smaller craft, but
the destroyer's big gun is forward, while
the torpedo boat has her's-only a lii
tie one to be sure--aft where there is no
wall of water and where the motion is
much less perceptible. The men on the
destroyer might be up to his neck III
water when he fired. If he hit the little
& - In. oil Iaxy nnn
but the little fellow has bigger target,
a chance for steadier aim, and if he
cant see the hull of the puTsuer he can
see the big bone he carries in his teeth
If one of the one-pound shots from the
torpedo boat hit fair it would make Il
hole clear into the boiler room of the
destroyer, and would probably do heap
of damage
At Port Tampa there is no little ex-
element over the prospective arrival
of seven regiments of troops. The dock
facilities here are certainly admirable.
The ship canal is nearly u mile long, Is
224 feet wide at the bottom. with Il
minimum depth of "A feet. AT present
the only boats available for transport
ing troops are the Florida, Olivette ana
Mascotte. all OF the Plant Line. But
the port is readily accessible. both from
Atlantic ports and from the Gulf.
TO RAISE FUNDS FOR WAR.
Washington, ID. c., April 16.-The Re
publican members of the Ways and
Means committee of the House have
practically completed the preparation Of
the revenue measure which will be pass
ed to raise revenue sufficient to prose
cute the war. The members propose that
the present generation shall bear IN
burdens Of the war and proceeding upon
that theory they have prepared a bill
that will raise between S100,000000 or
SlD.0oo.0o0 additional revenue per an
| mum. The bill will provide for an adj
| dltonal tax of one dollar per barrel upon
beer On manufactured tobacco and
snutf the internal revenue tax will he
Increased from six to twelve cents The
increase on cigars and cigarettes has
not been absolutely fixed, but it pre-
bably Will be one dollar on all classes