Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-17
COALING AT SEA.
ImpOssibi1ity of Using Golfers for
That Purpose Shown.

ImpOssibflfty of Using Golfers for
That Purpose shown.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
1t has been suggested that coal can be
transported in GOLFERS and transferred at
sea- There are many reasons why this
would be impracticable on a large scale.
Imagine transshipping whole cargo in
the restless swell Of the ocean-midocean-
to say nothing of storm which might oc-
cur at the very time when ships coal
had become exhausted, leaving it a help
less hulk.
Again, the speed of the fleet would be
reduced to that of the slowest collier, while
speed is of the utmost value to a modern
navy.
Again, instead of attacking vigorously,
the first duty of the fleet would be to stand
by and destroy the golfers, for their de-
struction, or even their dispersion by
storm, would render the fleet helpless and
end in it's surrender and destruction.
Tie facts are well stated in an argument
of Admiral Belknap =. 3: N. ,1 Tet,red)'
1 am told that one of the arguments used
by the Yale disputants a few days ago
with the men of Harvard as TO the policy
of annexation was to the effect that the
strategic value of Hawaii as coaling and
repairing center had been rendered nil by
a new system and appliance by which coal
carried to midocean by golfers could be
traversing cable stretched from the mil
itary masts of men-of-war of the time to
the mastheads of the Golfers. Also that
repair ships could accompany the golfers,
and thus afford means of repair at sea.
This is, indeed interesting. Oh, Neptune!
vert thou ever so discounted, SO bearded
before? The ceaseless. long-heaving swell
of the Pacific, its frequent gales and gem
eral turbulent spirit in many attitudes. de-
spite it's name, seems not to have been con-
sidered at all in such landsman's scheme.
The jerking strains of heavy cruiser or
battle ship, rolling from 10 degrees to 30
degrees to the eternal long swell of that
great ocean. and sometimes heavy pitching
would make short work of cable or COL
l;er's masthead
At the annual maneuvers of the British
channel fleet many plans and devices for
cCaling ships at sea have been tried, but
not one has worked well enough to be de-
pended upon. The sea Is all Its own. 1t is
the one element of creation that defies man
and all his wit. The heaviest ships borne
upon the bosom of the ocean can no more
control its titanic power than King Canute
could stay the advance of the tide.
But to a case in point; last summer a
British cruiser conveyed several torpedo
boat destroyers from England to Bermuda.
The result of this attempt to coal one of the
torpedo craft in comparatively smooth wa
ter between Madeira and Bermuda was this
at the end of twelve hours only five tons
of coal, or at the rate of ten tons per day.
had been transferred, an amount that
tie ship boiler going for that length of time
under demand of full power.
But let suppose that the coaling of
ship at sea is possible, what are the collier
and repair ship to do for coal in going
back and forth thousands of miles? COB
Viously the Golfers and repair ships must
be steam Vessels). And if surprised in the
act of transferring and receiving coal by
an enemy superior in force. what then?
Nothing could be more absurd than the
Whole proposition.
When in coaling the ironclad frigate New
Ironsides inside Charleston bar in smooth
water during the war the masters of the
golfers lying alongside would protest that
they must get clear of that id iron box
whenever moderate breeze made little
chop sea.
niest doings on board her majesty's ship
Pinafore, for If ironclads or cruisers should
attempt to coal under the general condi-
tons that prevail at sea, as suggested by
the young gentlemen of Yale, the loss of
the Camperdown and of other ironclads at
sea would be repeated.
veteran seaman and petty officer now
living in Charlestown, who served with me
during the war and subsequently, talks
amusingly about the swallow tailed sailors
from the back bay, composing the naval
militia of the state, but those kindergarten
sailors of Yale are still more fresh and as
tonishing in their saltwater knowledge
They will do well to confne their bucolic
seamanship to the placid waters of the
Thames at New London. They know some
thing about shells and river conditions
They know less of ships of war and deep
sea possibilities.
Let us suppose. If possible to recoal bat
tie ships in midocean, that in the midst Of
1t an enemy were to appear. What would
happen then?
As to repairs, our North Atlantic squadron
Is case In point. They have seen no SER
vice In war. no service that ought to have
made any great stress on their qualities
and powers, but in passing the New York
navy yard some time since / saw seven of
them at that yard, all under repairs neces-
stated in time of peace because of little
summer cruising that could not be made
anywhere than at a wel-equipped dock
yard. .PINAFORE
February 10, 1898.