New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
IN THE THICK OF BATTLE
THE RISKS ATTENDING A MODERN
NAVAL ENGAGEMENT.
SUPERIOR MARKsMANsHIP-DEATH FROM
MACHrNE-GUN FIRE AND SHELLS.

SUPERIOR MARKsMANsHIP-DEATH FROM
MAcHINE-GUN FIRE AND SHELLS
Park Benjamin in The Independent.
The Secretary Of the Navy recently sent a
message to the men OF the fleet, encouraging
them to emulate the example Of Admiral Farra-
gut since which time several journals have re-
ferrci TO FarragutS famous ascent of the rig
ging of the Hartford during the passage OF the
forts at Mobile n proceeding which might
with advantage he copied by the commanders
Of our present ships. The truth is that for any
ono to expose himself OH an open deck in an ac-
ton between battle-ships or cruisers Is almost
certain destruction. and in all vessels in which
the plating Of the superstructurc IL not SUM-
Gent to keep out mach gun pro1ectiles the
loss OF life will probably be greater than has
ever happened befor, In naval conflicts. Some
vessels. though by no means all. are provided
with amor; but IT is not true as Is generally
supposed that the armor IL there primarily to
shield men. Its function Is To protect the guns
the motive power and sufficient Of the compart-
ments into which the ship is divided To Keep her
afloat. even If all The others are injured
pRoIEcrILEs FROM MACHINE GUNS.
In our last war the forts at Mobile and New
Orleans used grape and canister shot WIN
much effect against our attacking neetS, Dut
this was at very close range. At long range
shells and the flying splinters Of wooden yes
sells were the principal agents or Whoiesar ue-
structIon. But now the huge shells VIII begin
To como on board from the hlgh-powef guns
when the cortending vessels are nearly three
miles apart. The largest guns. twelve ana
thirteen inch calibro. can be loaded ana hrrd
almosi once every three minutes. At a little
less than two miles distance the I'VE ana SIX
inch rapd-firc guns Will begin TO pour IN theIr
projectilcs. and these weapons can be loaded
and fired at the rate of from seven TO hrteeh
aimed shots yer minute. Then come the SIX
FOUNDER guns. delivering forty shots per MN
ute the one-pounders. throwing shot per min
Ute. the machine one Founders maxim Nordch-
fcldO. TWO hundred shots p"r minute. ana SO on
up TO the Gatlings. fed automatically by cleo.
tric motors ana projecting bullets at the rate or
three thousand per minute. a man miSht ota'c
a storm Of grape and bullets with chance or
escape: but the battle Of the Yalu River showed
that under the quick-hre hail or the japanese
ships the slaughter on the Chinese ships was
So frightful that the Chinese with all their stolid
contempt for death could hardly be kept at
their posts So fierce was the storm OF steel
around the attacked vessels that the sea was
literally dashed into foam by It.
or course. there IL no place on board war
ship In action which is ever reasonably saf"
The marines stationed in the military tops are
likely to be quickly swept out by quick-hre
hnil and the conl-psssers down In the bunhcrs
or the engineers In the tangle Of steam ma
chnery in as imminent danger of death
through injuries to the boilers and the scaldlng
OF escaping steam
THE CAPTAINS PERIL
or all on board. the man who stands IN the
greatest peril is the captain. In the battle
ships and cruisers his position IS In cylindri-
cal box Of steel placed jus, under the bridge.
well forward which IL called the coming
tower Tho armo- 81 IL is thick enough Ordi-
narily TO resist the penetration OF heavy pro
jcctilcs. II contains the speaking tubes ana
clcctr! al wires whereby he communicates with
the guns engines and helm. and sometimes APP
paratus whereby he Is enabled 70 fire ih" guns
himself after they nre laid upon the enemy.
His field ~ vision is limited - what ne can
SEQ through q little horizontal slit on about the
level Of his eye In point OF frightful reSpon-
s.hiilty no situation in the world can compare
with that which is occupied by The man who
stands In that tower and directs the inovrul.nt
Of his ship. After the conflict once begins tho
din about him viii be something informal Upon
him the Are ~ the enemy VIII bs concentrated.
and upon the exterior Of that steel drum IN
with he IL shut up Their" VIII DO a continuous
hail II iron and steel shells VIII burst every
where around Il. ani 70 that babel VIII be added
the roar ~ the force blast under the engines;
the tremendous reports ~ the heavy guns ana
the din OF the quick fire and machine guns In
chorus In such circumstances as this aided
hy such know ledge AS he can get by looking out
through tho llttlc pccphole IN front - him as
VOL "a the smoke VIII let him the captain must
control the tremendous forces under his com
inand. and his decisions are matters of seconds
Nobody now believes that Il captain VINO NnIs
his vision through the sits Of the tower cut OF
L. SMOKE VIII stay thus shut up II ~ eN-
trcm.ly doubtful II Il will be physically pos
s.ble for him 10 remain there after the shells
begin to hammer its sides and burst against
u: and. IN any event. the Intense anxiety
70 see nnd know clearly what the enemy is
doing will incvitaby lead him u take his
chances I'm the open. Connng-tower or no
coming tower. his duty Is - place himself a.
whatever point he can manage his ship 10 the
best ADVANTAGE and this ne will certainly Do
Lord Charles Bcrcsford. with grim humor has
suggested that the captains safest place Is not
IN but behind his coming tower because then
he has two thicknesses of steel between himself
and the enemy. don't You see?" but while con-
ning-tow armor may resist penetration, II Is
los no means certain that the whole structure
Will not be swept away by the first heavy pro-
jcctllc which Squarely mis- H.
80 PLACE FOR THE ADMIRAL
Al for the admiral. there ia nowadays no rig
ging FOR him To- ascend ana he would be prompt
" blown out of IL If In re were. In fact. after
a fleet engagement has hegdn there is no place
for him at all He has no business In the con-
ming tower. no business at the guns. He can
not very consistently go below. and he cannot
stay on deck. Il has been proposed 10 build
separate armorcd tower for him. or to take
him off the flagship and put him on small,
swift vessel that he could choose his posi-
ton and conveniently give his orders by signals.
Tho difficulty with this would be that the enemy
would concentrate his fire on that tower or
ship. with the certainty OF sinking the latter
and rendering the former uninha bitable. The
problem. therefore. is still unsolved.
Against the effect Of a torpedo If IT gets TO the
hull there is no safeguard. The heaviest bat
tl"-ship Is Just vulnerable as the lightest gun
boat Tho best that can be hoped IS that the
destruction will be- limited to a Few compart-
ments. 50 that those remaining intact Will be
sufficient 70 keep the ship anOat. But this only
puts off the ovil hour. AZ the vessel becomes
water-loggcd. her speed falls or and her
mannuvrng capacity Is reduced that the
enemy may then pick his position Of advantage
and shattcr her with his guns or administer
coup d. grace with another torpedo.
Altogether. the prospects OF ones coming out
OF naval engagement unhurt are far from
bright. Even the wounded stand poorer
chance than the case In the old wooden
ships How the surgeons are to get at them
with the vessel divided into n honeycomb OF
compartments with no direct interconnection
where they can be conveyed directly from the
guns without travcrsing doors and passages IN
tricate and many. IL difficult TO understand
Those who happen to be stationed in the battle
ships directly over the torpedo or handling
rooms may perhaps be lowered at once to sur
geons there placed but what Is 10 become Of
the rest i'm more distant positions ia not clear.
THE VALUE OF DISCIPLINE