The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-14
THE SUBMARINE FIGHTERS
Great Value Is Attached 10 Them by
Naval Experts.
ARE EXCELLENT FOR IlARBoR DsFENsc
But Captain sipshec Believes that They
Can Never Replace the Sastloships.
Moral Influence Is Tremendous.
Especial 10 The rost.A


Washington. August l3.-lt Mas thought
in the coming naval eyolations that 'he su.
periority OF American slhmaIiac hoats over
the French type would bc Demonstrated,
hut from present Appearances, oN.ng to the
recent accilout ON the Holland wn,ch pre-
vents her from taking part the maucuy.
crs. such test will not take place. Naval
officers who believe In the snbn0rnc Loaf
vas a Formidable naval wtaroh a.e 4 eItly
interested IN the result Of III sham natts
last week or Hycrcs ON the Frcnoh Med
terranean coast when the submarine boats
zede aud GSmLotc were sent out from the
horhor TO attack the fleet representing the
enemy. Travelling at distance Of ten fest
below the surface. they reach d the Heet
and "torpedoed' three battlcships. the
crews OF which were unaware OF the pres.
ence OF the submarines until the torpedo
Ing" was done.
This feat, In the opinion OF naval experts
fsvoring submarines, dcmonstSptes .he IN
portance of considering them us va.uaJie
adjuncts to the sea power tf any natl II.
France, the tirst countrj 10 mamtail lu.s
stand. leads the navies or the wor.u In III
number OF her submarine boats, Nj De
Lnnnesan, who was minister ol marine IN
the Waldeck Rousseau cabinet. regards the
submarine boat as more iormidable IN
Strumeut of combat than the TORPEDO boat,
Before reslgning office nc insisted that hoth
from the military aud economic point W
view the French naval forces should cont
prise two kinds of submarine boats, small
size destined for defensive action within a
limited distance OF the shore and a large
size capable OF carrying offensive operations
even as far as the enemys coasts. lie
congratulated the French navy MS being
the only one possessing n considerable mum
Der OF submarine craft. England, ever on
the alert against her hereditary enemy
across the channel. was not slow in reckon.
ing with such condition ana has now Il
small number of submarines In commits
sion, with ten additional ones In process
OF construction. all Of the American type.
Such distinguished men In the American
navy as Admiral Dewey. Captain VAIN
| right and Captain Sigsbee mighty approve
Of submarine boats for hnrbor dcfen'e In
discussing this subject today, Captain Sigs
bee, who MS chief intelligence officer OF
| the navy, and member OF the board "
| construction is well Informed In such mat
| favor of submarine hdnts. lie was disposed
| to dismiss the accident on the holland as
| of little consequence, arguing that too much
| Significance was given to the presence OF
| gasoline on such boats as a source Of con
| slant menace to the snfety OF the crews
| There is certain percentage Of dungc,
| In all engines of war;. argued the cap
/ tain and antagonism TO submarines base,
/ solely on the use OF gasoline IN the engines
| is too trivial an argument to Ice discussed
| Vessels of this character In my oplnio,
!
! fcction, but they have progressed sufh
cicnty to make them exceedingly danguruu.
! to an enemy Assuredly they have pnssc,
| the experimental stage. Naturally the sub
| marine boat Of. say i've years hence, vii
| greatly excel the one ~ today, but II mus
| be considered that the lattcr represents thu
hest type We are acquainted with at pres
| ent There may lie better boats invented
but they nre ON paper, and we can onl.
deal with those In practical shape"
That the effectiveness OF submarine bont
would ever reduce the number OF battle
ships in the navy was ridlculed by Captail
Sigsbee.
First aud always. battleships," he con
tinued They have the greatest offcnsiv
power MS we'll as the greatest dcfensiv
power. Nevertheless. submarines could re
lieve the larger vessels In great measir
as harbor defenses, for their influence ON ,a
enemy contemplating attack OH q port pr
trollcd by submarines Is tremendous. Th
moral effect Of the knowing that thcye
real danger TINT cnu come at YOU at mn
time which you can moi hight effectively
immense. and such IL tho fenr inspired b
the presence Of submarine boats"
Admiral Dewey determined his ntt'tul
on the question In 1900. wncn he sal
the house committee on navnl affairs, !
speaking Of submarine boats, III they In
had two submarine honts IN Manila ] con-
never have held II with my squadron III
moral effect to my mind Is Infinitely ~
pcrior To mines or torpndoNs or pnythin
| of tho kind With two of these I'm Ga
weston all the nnvles OF the world coul
not blockade that place"