New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17

has been the subject Of more adverse comment,
doubtless. than has been hurled against any
other ship in the Navy and many officers proph-
esy that she will surely go down with her prey.
This il expected to occur as result Of inability
to back out after inserting her ram. or Of mash
ing her own bow. Furthermore she could read
lily be torpcdoed by her adversary within a
distance of six hundred yards. After one bold
stroke her career would probably be ended. and
all on board would go to the bottom: The full
complement except the captain. would be shell
tered inside during an assault. and there would
be little chance of escape They would have
less to do in fight than any crew in our Navy,
yet they would he faced with the most terrible
death which might he pictured in the imagina-
ton. imprisoned they would be beneath tho
surface Of the water The katahdin has prac-
ticaly no Fence Whatever. Only four little u
FOUNDERS of the rapid-hre type. effective only
against torpedo boats.
In actual battle the crew Of the dynamite
cruiser Veauvius would embark on their hostile
GRAND with many chances TO one against a
safe return. She carries an enormous supply
Of dynamite. and spanish projectic correctly
aimed would explode this. leaving no trace OK
The vessel or its crew above water She VIII
either hur dreadful death at her enemies Or
suffer more severe destruction herself-perhaps
b tn. Should a rapid moyemen mt be made against
Havana she would preCede our 1ect. exploding
all If the mines and hostile craft in reach. Her
repairs have been made in Washington with
this purpose in view Her three 1o-inch guns
rs now fixed will distribute explosive shells
L hundred feet apart. and the fuses Will bs
regulated 50 as 10 explode only after the bot
com Of the channel has been reached Every
hidden Spanish torpedo within fifty feet u
each explosion will be destroyed. and at each
simultaneous discharge Of the three guns she
viii clear safe channel three hundred feet
aiI" AMI hundred feet long over which our
warships can safely follow This kind n
ploughing would cost Uncl" Sam about SoO.VD
IA mile Mranwhil" the Vesuvius would be pro-
tccted as far as possible. against the guns Of
MORO Castle and the other Cuban shore bat
teri.s by tn" accompanying feet These three
terrible guns Of the Nesuvius. Furthermore,
could drop lW-pound charge Of n-cotton
into fort two aud a half miles away. and
cause widespread destruction. 1t could also
drop 800 pound charge similarly from dis
lance Of a mile. Such work. however, would
have 10 be undertaken under great risk Should
the N"suvius avoid hostile projectiles !; would
cause in one stroke NOR" sudden and wholesale
slaughter than any ship in the Navy. being the
quickest ieath-deaIinS machine atioat
DEATH ~ THE HOLLAND BOAT.
The crew ~ the Holland submarine boat.
should that fish Of steel ID. brought into service
against spain. would embark upon a warllke
mission with little pr no hope Of returning
Thos, who would volunteer To man her would
b" five II the bravest men in the Navy willing
20 sacrifice their lives without murmur. Thd
little craft would prey only upon the largest u
nghting vessels II would 90 out under orders
- sink pur At any risk Taking the broad mill
tary view. her loss would simply mean that two
Yankees had exchanged their lives for five hun
irei spanish souls that several thousand DOL
lars II our money had taken several millions
u SPANS - the bottom with H. The Holland
boats probable errand would 5" an attack upon
one -: the Spanish cruisers or the great battle
ship PclayD. In the assault. her conning-towcr
would remain above water until her commander
had become assured that the enemy had her
range She would then extngush her fires ana
prepare for the final strokr-prObably her nrst
and last She would dive launch a torpedo
from her bow tube swim under her prey ana
then launch another from her stern Nhilr'
escaping ,hr would doubtless be put - sleep
b. either IN" guns II IA" sinking vessel pr those
~ surrounding vessels. eager for revenge