The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-03

hand. While this was going on below some
OF the men forward crawled up through the
fore hatch and by waving towels and hand
kerchiefs caused the Chiians to cease FIR
ing. The flag was then hauled down, UNI
known to the officers and without their con-
sent. 1t was gallant fight, bitter one,
and 1t is no discredit to the Chilians en-
gagged that In the admir!ng plaudtts of the
world the vanQuished were the victors.
Dangerous Service.
Doubtless the most dangerous serv-
ice in connection with war, either by
land or sea, is that of being required
to go out to do duty on a modern tor
pedo boat. OF course. the men who
serve as gunners on the great battle
ships and who accupy the circular gal
leries on the military masts must face
dangers equal to almost any other
But those who go down into the sea
in one of those little devils Of torpedo
boats ought to bid farewell to the land
! they leave behind them, for the chances
are that, if they come into service, the
name of every one of them will be
Dennis. But, to enter upon the dis
charge of such duties is to respond to
the most dangerous call of ones coun-
try; and death, under such conditions,
must be everlastingly heroic. A writer
on the subject says:
torpedo boats are in greater danger of
destruction than any craft on the sea
During night attacks there will be less
danger than In the day. but during all of
their hostile movements their only hope
guns of the battle ships selected as their
prey: tiny torpedo boat may wipe a
$5,c0o. GOO warship off the sea and send 500
men to the bottom, but the likelihood that
any one on board the former will live to
brag Of the destruction is very scant. To
make bold dart benetah the sun would be
would expect death. Their most valuable
work, of course, will be done at night. With
all lights out or below deck with noiseless
machinery, with smokeless fuel and with
bodies PAINTED the color of the sea- they
will venture closer and closer to their giant
prey continuing to launch automobiles un-
til assured that at least one has taken
effect. The giant searchlights of the adver-
saries would discover one of these little
sneaks mile away. Should she be dis
covered at this distance she would have
about minute and a half to do her deadly
work. Within this space CT time she would
be in sure reach of ra2d-frer. and
With the knowledge that she was wounded
and done for. she would prababiy continue
under rainstorm OF projectiles, hoping to
remain above water until assured that her
adversary would follow her to destruction
1t is estimated that from 60 to so per cent
of the torpedo boats attacking cruisers and
battle-ships in the next great naval war
will 60 to the bottom.
The great ram Katahdin has been COM
pared to bee, for 1t Is said that she will
Immediately lose her own life after insert
of more adverse comment, doubtless than
has been hurled against any other ship in
the navy, and many officers prophesy that
she will surely go down with her prey.
This Is expected to occur as a result of
inability to back out after inserting her
ram. or Of MASKING her own bow. Furth ar-
more. she could readily be torpedoed 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 60 down. The Katahdin has
practically no defense whatever, only four
little six-pounders of the rapid fire type
effective only against torpedo boats
! In actual battle the crew of the dyna-
mite cruiser Vesuvius would embark
their hostile errang with many chances to
one against safe return. She carries an
enormous supply of dynamite, and Span
ish projectile correctly aimed would ex-
plode this, leaving no trace of the vessel
or its crew above water. She will either
hurl dreadful death at her enemies or SUI
fer more severe destruction herself-per-
haps both. Should rapid movement be
made against Havana she would pyecede
our fleet. exploding all of the mines and
hostile craft in reach. Her repairs have
been made in Washington with this pur-
pose in view. Her three 15-inch guns, as
now fixed will distribute explosive shells
hundred feet apart. and the fuses will be
regulated so as to explode only after the
bottom of the channel has been reached
Every hidden Spanish torpedo within fifty
feet of each explosion will be destroyed,
and at each simultaneous discharge of the
three guns she will clear a safe channel
warships can safely follow. This kind of
blowing would cost Uncle Sam about $780,
600 mile. Meanwhile the Vesuvius would
be protected, as far possible against
the guns of Moro Castle and other Cuban
shore batteries by the accompanying fleet.