The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-08
TORPEDOEs IN WARFARE.
From The Chicaeo Times-Herald

FROM the chicago ItmeS-Elerald.
What would be the value of the torpedo
in time Of war is a question much dis
cussed by naval experts nowadays, espec-
tally since the departure of the Spanish
torpedo fotia from the Canaries. Exact
ly what the fotilia would be able to do Is
a problem. II must not be forgotten.
however, that the United States has TWEEN
ty-one torpedo boats built and building.
and this does not include the score or more
of yachts and tugs recently purchased
which are 10 be converted into such craft.
The torpedo has never had fair test.
As the ironclad dates from the late war,
SO does the torpedo. The latter was de-
vised by the South, which found itself
with long coast line with important har-
bors without adequate protection. In des-
peration they resorted to the sinking of
submarine mines and the use of the spar
torpedo. But as then employed II was
| crude and no one thought of fitting ships
with torpedo tubes.
Since then millions have been spent IN
| the development of the torpedo, and count
| less experiments have been made. Yet
| there has been no effective test, and their
! status has not been definitely established.
| During the battle of Yalu the Chinese were
I unable to make use of theirs with any ef-
| fectiveness, but this was, il Is said, due TO
the fact that the japanese kept at least
mile away from the enemy and pounded
The Chinese with their long-range guns.
Even the destruction of the Chilean iron
clad Rlanco Encalado by Whitehead tor
! pedo was not significant for no precaution
was taken by her commander and as was
the case with the Maine at Havana, the
vessel was at anchor and unprepared. Had
her torpedo nets been spread and men
been at the guns 1t might have been off
ferent
Lieut.. Shieman of the British navy, an
expert, says on this point;
''The occurrence of a great naval war
between two powers each properly pro-
vided with the most perfect system OF
! submarine offense and defense obtainable,
is necessary before any definite and salts
factory settlement can be given of all the
numerous vexed questions which now
| exist as to the most effective method or
application Of the various component
parts which together make up the whole
art Of torpedo warfare
Yet of course there are theories. II
seems to be generally agreed that the tor
pedo is useful for harbor defense In
smooth water but is comparatively worth
less at sea. II Is this that has suggested
that the Spanish torpedo fiotilla should
be intercepted on its way to Havana. The
TORPEDO Vessels are sHldil anu NOT HsdNily
armored and could easily be destroyed by
small guns.
The theory generally held by American
naval constructors is that the torpedo
Is not valuable for offense. They believe
that lookout cruisers and destroyers would
drive them off and sink them before they
could get near enough. The sea is big
and a torpedo hotilla would not be apt
to find fleet much before the battleships
within from 400 to 600 yards of the ship in
order to be effective. Then with both tor
pedo boat and battleship at fun speed
would mean that while the torpedo was
speeding at the rate Of 700 yards a min
ute the battleship could travel 800 yards
o minute. and during the two minutes
Of grace this would allow the torpedo
boat would not be able 10 survive the
fire Of the eviathan.
This is the theory, and 1t is also compIl-
Gated by the fact that the torpedo would
attack the big ship from the side and not
from the stem or bow, for that would
lessen the chance of hitting her, and no
ship thus hit would be likely 70 be sunk
Eveu If the big ship was not able to de-
stTov her opponent. she could easily turn
sfld present her bow on in the two minutes
OF grace.
torpedo hotilla would also be handi-
capped during fight In the open ocean be-
cause they cannot long keep 10 the open
sea and must frequently seek harbors for
coal These shelters would be limited, and
they could easily be watched by cruisers
or destroyers and the torpedoes picked eff
one by one.
After a great fleet action the torpedo
might play an Important part in that there
would be opportunity for them 10 destroy
many great ironclads as they houndered
helplessly on the swell.
For harbor defense the torpedo would be
more valuable, as then torpedoes would not
be seeking for the big ships. but would
calmly await their approach. But some of
the boats would suffer in the conflict, and
only when harbor was fortified strongly
with the craft would the defense be a.
fectiye.
The Maine incident makes especially in
teresting one of the tests OF the torpedo
boat made by the navy department. on
Nov p, 1896 a sham battle took place be-
tween the Maine and the Gushing. The
latter Is boat forty times less the size
Of the Maine and manned by a crew but
one-eighteth as large. Two tests were
made end In each the Gushing was sue
cessful At the first the Gushing was dis
covered only when within twenty seconds
Of torpedoing distance, and before the