The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-03
The Frisate and Her
Relation to Battleships.

This latter celebrated and favorite class
of ship stood next in order Of power above
the corvette. with which it might almost be
said to have blended: for although in the
frigate class there were two. or at the most
three, rates that predominated vastly In
numbers over all the rest, yet the name
covered many differing degrees of force.
The distinguishing feature of the frigate
was that it carried one complete row Of
guns upon Il covered ~deck-upon q deck:
! that is, which had another deck over it.
The frigate was essentially. though not
exclusively. the appendage of a fleet of line
of-battleships. Wars are decided not by
destroying nor by raids. however
! veXatious, but by fleets and armies, by
great organized masses; that is. by crush
Ing, not by haraSSment. But ships of the
line. to perform their function, must keep
together. both when cruising and when oil
the field of battle, in order to put forth
their strength in combination. The innum-
cradle detached services that must be dis
charged for every great organized force
need for a fleet to be done by vessels OF
Inferior strength. yet SO strong that they
cannot be intercepted or driven off lightly
by every whipper-snapper of an armed
ship that comes along. Moreover. a fact
not always realized, s~peed-speed to hasten
on a mission, to overtake a foe or to es.
cape pursuit-depends upon size and masts
that can carry sail and hold way amid
heavy seas. Hence the frigate. not the
lighter sloop. was indicated for the momen-
tous duties upon which depended the intel
ligence and the communications of the feet.
Such leading considerations are needed to
be stated and to be kept in mind. for they
affect the warfare Of the last decade of the
century quite as really as they did that of
the first, and Il paper would ;n6eed be in
complete which confined itself to indicating
points of difference, Of progress, so-called.
and failed to recognize those essential and
permanent conditions which time will never
remove. Frigates and sloops have disap-
peared in name and form. in motive power
and in armament. Their essential functions
remain. and will remain while war lasts.
The truth OF this statement will be evil
dent from a brief mention of the duties
frigates actually used to perform. While
attending the fleet, not merely a part of
it, the frigates were thrown out far in adj
vance and on each side. as cavalry on and
scours the country toward or through
which the army advances. The distance
to which they would be thus detached
would sometimes amount to 100 or 200 miles.
and the absence of days. rejoining being
assured by the assignment of a rendezvous
or by an adequate knowledge OF the Ad-
miral's intended movements. 1t will be
recognized that when thus alone ~frigates
might meet equal or superior forces, to re-
eASs
and speed were needed. An extreme and
particular case of such service was the
watching of an enemy's port by one or
more frigates. when they had to keep close
to the entrance. although a fleet might be
within. Again. frigates were placed in
certain central positions. rendezvous known
only to the superior officers, where they
criused steadily, having Information as to
the Whereabouts of the feet or Instructions
for expected vessels. They were there
ceEters of intelligence, round which the
movements of the whole body revolved.
When the feet was actually in touch
with a hostile fleet. in pursuit or when ex-
pecting battle. the frisates were placed be-
tween their own force and the enemy;
nearer. however. to the latter, as the es-
sertial point was to keep knowledge of his
whereabouts and probable intentions. Such
a position was at times extremely exposed.
The frigates had to avoid equally capture
and being Driven and shaken OH: they must
keep close. yet not be caught. When en-