Arizona republican., 1901-12-02

While it is well for the government
 to continue it's programme of building
 up a great navy of bat AT THE tleships, it is neverthe- BOTTOM OF less possible that within THE SEA. a few years the battle
 ship will be a helpless monster when attacked by the subma- rine torpedo boat. The great progress made in the construction of boats for operation under water makes it inter esting to speculate as to what would be the outcome of another situation similar to that which confronted the American navy at Santiago. Admiral Cerveras s fleet was in the harbor. bot tied up like a rat in a trap. Had Samp- son possessed such a boat as the Fulton, it is probable that he could have sent it into the harbor and blown up the Spanish ships. one after an- other, without any danger 10 the attacking force. The performance of the Fulton in New York waters few days ago, brief mention of which was made in The Republicans dispatches, has caused the world to wonder whether it is facing another revolution in naval warfare more radical than that which was ushered in by Fries sons ironclad Monitor. The New York Commercial Advertiser. commenting upon the trial of the Fulton. says:
 The experiment made with the sub marine torpedo boat Fulton on Satur- day night must have been exceedingly ;fx-in hn,- hui Si men in her, including Rear-Admiral John Lowe, the Fulton lay all Satur- day night on the bottom of Peconic bay, undisturbed by the gale raging above. The time of Submergence was fifteen hours, but the significance of the test is in the fact that if there had been food enough for the men the boat might have remained for week under water in perfect safety. In fact, the time of submergence is limited only by the food supply. Such are the state ments which appear in this mornings papers. and which the lay mind will be disposed to accept, subject to the cor rection of experts. who may possibly put a less optimistic interpretation upon them. There is no dispute, how ever, as to the facts, which prove clearly that the Holland submarine boat has made distinct advance to- ward that efficiency a weapon of naval warfare which is claimed by the inventor. The test was made to prove that the air supply in boats of this type is sufficient to enable the crews to remain in comfort under water for a practically indefinite period.
 It will be interesting to note the verdict of experts as to what remains to be done before a boat like the Full ton can be regarded as deadly in naval warfare. The Fulton can sink herself, find her way about presumably at any depth and rise to the surface: but what is her efficiency against an enemy's battleship armed with searchlights? How near must she be to the surface to find out the point of attack and dis charge her torpedoes safely? There is no answer yet to these questions be- yond the assurances of those whose opinions are interested, but enough has been done to warrant expectation of improvements in the boat that may change the whole character of naval ! warfare. Very rough weather may, as a naval officer remarked after the test, | supply conditions during which the most powerful searchlight might be 1 unable to detect the approach of such | a boat in time to sink it, and in such | cases We may already possess a sub marine weapon that could turn a whole l fleet of battleships into junk in a few | minutes.
 At all events the submarine torpedo | boat is now recognized permanent addition to the navies Of the world. and | in the near future invention will be at | high pressure to secure the most ser | type. It is gratifying to know | that the test made on Saturday is de- l clared to have surpassed all previous | records in some respects. The French | and the British naval authorities are fully awake to the advantages which | an efficient submarine torpedo boat | could give, and already speculations l are being made as to the effect of the possession of fleet of these craft in supplying the deficiencies in other yes sels of a great navy. That the current estimates as to the relative value of battleships, cruisers and torpedo boat | destroyers may need to be revised is quite probable, and in doing so the new submarine boat may be the chief factor.
 In the meantime theorists and calcu- ators like M Bloch may indulge in forecasts as to the effect of such new weapons upon the develop ment. or rather the effacement of naval warfare between civilized na- -ions. They have reduced land war fare to a nullity already, and if the leadliness of the submarine boat be at all what it's promoters declare. there 1 will be abundant material for recasting the destinies of nations in the light of I new discovery as potent in it's way IS the magazine rifle behind entrench- nents.