The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-17


InAeyenS@1fsy Ct sks general gesals
sf TIE sxnr~Eelsay hattie be1EesZ the
naYsss ~ TIE rnsfss Sta-es aE9 spaaa,
sssge sss so<rs interesting pgea4szs In
naval warfare rhtea VIII rs sosre1
wssa the vexxe5s sngsgss stall kaEs
sssssx.1 10 1orx fer rhe necessary re-
p&asx. Aasker.Esss hare differed very
nssSch sx 10 TIE potter Ct sys1lssag s1eE
irxsnesse hasfas4hap& - skese os modern
times sx.d arzsng them with saeh nsozs~
ssroas Eans, These wsso have protested
axxinss sa2ants1tug. ~ they call II.
vast SUMS G. nonsy r3oa IsT.atkans.
hare been ossr-eoasdent III tie de-
ssrgcsiysnezs 81 ;ovpe1osx. Another OBJ
seefton made was tina. the great guns
would snsict Tremendous damage upon
the warxhgcs IL has essa been al
legged that the stratr ard srscsfCn e
frequent Use woal1 destroy the guns
themselves.
These objections have corne chiefly
sroEn members q congress who ofgose
approximations for increase of the ia
w, bat even European critics navs
xr&vely warned gs tha. our vessels
were armed oas q 81 rroporslon 80
their weight aad bssfid. and that every
general action resulting wcai9 he most
certainly disastrous.
We have not yet hal the theories
fully ssssed. bat the experiences CT cur
ships Ia the Philippines has proved
that Our ssips have far less 10 fear
than was supposed. Both 81 Manila
and a. Aasanzas il has been 9e<nG.a-
ssratsd that the heaviest charges can
be fired By fail batteries without in.2-
~ 20 the shIps.
Another experiment 20 be triad was
Tie Use O. torpezioes and torpedo de-
stroyefs. We are better supplied than
the sranlards with torpedo boats. be-
cause ours are os the latest make. tat
We have not devoted 50 much attention
20 building torpedo 6eziroyers Us they
have Before the close of The
war. both Of these sgxiiiaEies may be
tested. but shers IL not so much ap-
prehension .gom torpeaoes ~ seA as
there once was. Although we have not
constructed torpedo destroyers Il has
always been Our design 10 50 equip Cur
navy that the danger from terpe<;ees
shall be greatly rnsnimized. = naval ex-
pert who recently discussed the torpedo
branch Of the service rather intimate9
that their effectiveness Is yet practical
~ an unknown quantity. He thus sum-
raarixes what has been done with them
Sc far:
There has never beer hitherto any Ia
stance us the destruction or serious sn~
;afy es ship by the discharge 81 a toF~
pesto tn ste daytime. II - also stated by
expert authority that 10 moving vessel
has ever besa hit by mobile torpedo.
Tweaty~o1s years age the Shah Hired
torpedo al the Peruvian ship Huasear at
SEA 81 the daylight, but the torpedo missed
- mark. Four years aga. IN she battle
eT sae yAsa. chinese torpedo beats fired
avc torp%ios& az tao Japanese ships
Tsree og these tcrpes3aes geTe discharged
II afsy yards range. bat bath slaips we're
ua4nsurtS. IBsEillfuiaess e she gGnnsrs
alaY largely account fer tass showing
bat the sorpssspes we're 81 tAa approved
Vhitezsea a pattern 7n3 presumably near
y as fagussd shte -15ss in ese sn9ay.
The CRY SAios 1Sye been Rnnk Sv
toFp&a1ss seve b.a&e u0 at aschar In the
Hsghs tine. TWO torpedo guoboatS sunk
The BsaRge EHea5ada. just seven years
ago In CsIdeFa bay, by tas dssc aarge as
ave torr~stass, a. :he close range Of fran,
10 10 twenty yards. one tosreao xuasost