The suburban citizen., 1902-05-24

bottom Of Peconic Bay and remained
there for fifteen hours A heavy storm
ragged on the surface, but tie boat iay
in peace and her crew smoked tAeir
pipes, sang songs and enjoyed life as
only naval seamen know how TO 60
when on frolic
1t seems incredible to old marllne-
spike sailors, but the fact is that, with
its ability to dive quickly and to run
beneath the surface, the submarine
boat is probably the safest warship in
commission
The effectiveness Of the submarine
in attacking an enemy Is still matter
in dispute. but progress has been made
there as well as in other directions. 1t
is observed and may be admitted that
crew would not be able to serve the
boat well for more than two days at a
stretch. But to illustrate what can be
done with one we may imagine an er.
amy attempting to blockade New York
Harbor. If q station for submarines
were provided inside of Sandy Hook,
with a pier for the boats and barracks
on shore for the men, it would be n
simple matter for the submarines to 80
cruising by turns on any day OF night,
and range all over the water from Bar
negat to Shinnecock-to patrol the sea
for fifty miles off shore. That is to say
it has been definitely proved that our
submarines are capable of preventing
an effective blockade of any harhor
AS auXilaries to forts they are admira-
BILE. For the defense Of our coalng
and repair stations at Cavite, Guam
st. Thomas, Key West. etc, they are
as now made at once cheap and effec-
tive. Said Admiral Dewey recently
while talking of submarines
with two submarines in Galveston
the navies Of the world could not block
ade the place" Referring to Manila
he added FROM what saw my own
belief is that l could not with my
squadron, if the enemy had had two
of those boats with determined Ameri-
cans on board, have held that bay.
We would have had to be under way,
and would never have known when the
blow was going to strike. 1t would
have worn us out. The human frame
would not have stood it. They would
have come out dark nights and we
could not have seen them until they
were close to us, and my experience
is that you aim very badly in those
conditions. You could not train your
guns on them"
In order to employ submarines in for
eign waters it has been proposed to
build transports especially fitted to
carry them in company with an aggres'
slve squadron. Although our present
boats weigh 120 tons each, it is possible
to construct such a ship with derrick
that would LAUGH them overheard in
quiet waters. For service against a
bottled squadron like that of Cervera
something great might be accom-
plished. In narrow waters like those
of the British Channel the submarine
would quickly sweep away all ordi'
nary commerce. No one but a block
ade runner would dare cross water
patrolled by them.
All talk about the submarines replac'
ing other warship. is as idle as that OF
their ability TO compel nations to sub
stitute arbitration for war But they
have upquestlonably added to the dan
gers of naval war, and they have com.
PEELED naval officers to consider new
tactics TO take the place of the old
style of blockading harbor In short,
the submarine torpedo boat has at last,
in spite of praiseworthy prejudice
against its manner Of warfare achieved
an undisputed position as an efficient
weapon of coast defense, and has com.
PEELED the naval officers of the world to
give 1t serious consideration.-Collier'S
Weekly.