The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-14
DISASTERS TO WARSHIPs.
England Has Suffered More Than
Any other Nation.

Any other Nation.
From the New York Tribune.
That war vessels are not exempt
from King Neptunes anger any more
than are the rank and file Of the mer-
chant marine is proved by the large
number of disasters that have over
taken them at comparatively short in
tervals. But even these mishaps do
not deter naval powers from expanding
millions to build ships, for peace must
be preserved in spite of the cost and
if peace is broken then 1T must be re-
stored regardless of the cost Of per-
sonnet and expenditures of material.
However, the frequency OF disasters re-
Gently to torpedo boats has caused dis
cussion among naval experts as to the
advisability of continuing TO add these
mosquito-like boats to the fighting
squadrons.
The torpedo boat is a complicated,
densely packed box of machinery, built
as light as possible In order to obtain
the highest possible speed. The hull
is of steel not more than quarter OF
an inch thick. and while the frames
are so constructed as to make the hull
fairly rigid the frequency OF accident,
especially in the British navy, proves
that they have faults which have not
yet been possible to avoid. There is
only this thin sheeting of steel be-
tween the crew and death at all times,
the risks being increased by the amaz-
ing pace at which these craft cut their
way through the water.
One of the most serious catastrophes
TO this class of war weapons occurred
on Sept is. when the torpedo boat de-
stroyer Cobra foundered at sea, and OF
the seventy-nine persons on board only
twelve were saved. The accident has
been variously ascribed to a collision
with a submerged wreck. a whale and
a hidden shoal But the most reason
able proposition is that she was doubled
up like a hinge by an explosion en1
plunged TO the bottom stern first. The
court Of 1nquirys verdict is that she
simply collapsed because she was
structutally weak" The fact remains
that she was wiped off the naval list
from battle with only an ordinary
storm. Only few weeks later. on Oct.
10. the English torpedo boat destroyer
Vrlture buekled up in heavy seas
while on her way from Portsmouth to
Portland, and barely escaped founder
ing. She, however, reached Ports
mouth a couple Of days later, when II
was found that several of her plates
were broken in. Verdict-"Structura
ly weak"
britannia rules the waves" has been
a maxim hallowed by time. II not by
record Of accidents: for England has
been less exempt from loss OF her ships
by the elements than any other nation
very likely I'm the percentage as well
as in the number itself. In the eight
eenth century she was especially un.
fortunate In October, 1870. fourteen
OF her warshIps Zone of the H-guh
class two OF the 64-gun class, one Of
"A guns and the others ranging from
IA 10 81 guns each) were caught and
destroyed in q terrible tempest IN the
West Indies. IL was the greatest dis
aster that England had ever expert
enced IN her naval fleets. an entire
feet being struok OF her naval list AZ
zone fell swoop'
There were several vessels lost 20
The English navy before the nineteenth
century began. one OF the worst losses
being that Of the gs-gun frigafe Ar
dent, which was blown 10 on Corsica
ln April 1924. and al hands fahout i've
hundfsdl we're Lost. Among the most
important disasters 20 the British navy
81 different times finoe fhen have been
enc following
Tho Queen Charlotte. q friFafe N tl1
guns. wee dofir0yed By nrc IN Leg
horn on March NJ 800 ana Of me crew
~ 800 fla we're l0ai
Zhe inYinelbls. 3 fflgats u "a guns,