Connecticut western news., 1899-03-23
THE BEST LAID PLANS"
An American Torpedo Boat Kept Tn
 England During the War.

An American Torpedo Boat Kept In
 England During the War.
 Lieutenant Henry La Motte, under the racy title "How We Helped Uncle Sam Prepare For War" tells in St Nicholas how he and the American naval attache. Lieutenant Niblack, la bored last March and April to get to America in time to use the German tor pedo boat which had been christened the Somers: After all preparations had been made 1 hastened to Hamburg, hoping to catch the Somers somewhere in the North sea canal, but on my ar rival at Hamburg I found that she had passed through the canal early that morning and was now on the North sea on her way to England. It was not un- til more than week later, when l sailed into the port of Weymouth. Eng land, on board the United States steam CT Topeka, that succeeded in getting her signal flags aboard her. Captain Knapp told me that from the mouth of the Elbe to Weymouth he had had very rough trip. but he had made it in three days, averaging 12 knots an hour. which was as much as any torpedo boat of her size could have made under sim liar circumstances
 When he arrived in Weymouth, he caused an inspection to be made, which showed that the Somers had not leaked drop, in spite of her rough handling, and, considering the weather she was out in, he believed her to be . very comfortable boat
 At Weymouth an English crew was put aboard the Somers, and Captain Poust and the Germans were paid of and sent home.
 The Englishmen were evidently afraid of her, for every time they put to sea in her they declared that she was leak ing. Twice she was put back into port on account of these reports. and each time little or nothing was found to be tho matter. The third attempt to get her to sea in company with the Topeka succeeded in getting her as far as Fall mouth. where we put in because the Somers had made signal that she was sinking. This report was found to be as groundless as the two previous ones There was, however. 8 very slight leak about the submerged torpedo tube, and her crew. now thoroughly demoralized. absolutely refused to go to sea unless she was drydocked and inspected by an agent of Lloyd's
 It being utterly impossible to engage a new crew for her at Falmouth, Cap tain Knapp was obliged to yield to their demands and arranged to have her dry docked
 As she was being put into the docks whether by accident or design cannot be proved-her sailing master ran her, head on, into stone pier, which caused such serious damage as without doubt to require her. to remain in drydock for repairs at least ten days
 This was on April 19, and as we were sure that war would be declared in a few days at the furthest we were obliged to sail away in the Topeka without her. The day after war was declared the English captain of the port called upon the officer in command of the Somers and told him that Great Britain. under her proclamation of neutrality, must request him to go to sea in 24 hours, and If he were unable to do 80 the English government would be obliged to detain the Somers in port during the continuance of the war. And so, after all our trouble and ex- pense, one of our torpedo boats was Left in Falmouth harbor. of no more use to us in our war with Spain than if she had remained No 420 at the Schichau works in Elbing.