Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-08-21
"scoUTs" FOR BRITISH NAVY.
New Type of Warship to be Added
to King Edwards Fleet.


to King Edwards Fleet.
Another type of warship is about
to be added to the fighting squad
rons of the empire. Its particular
function is revealed by it's name
the Scout. Every year the speciali-
cation of war duties IL the navy in
creases. This remark applies equal
IL to officers and men and to the
material they control. In the old
days all officers received the same
trt.ining; they were all sea-dogs, and
they sailed in line-of-battle ships,
frigates and sloops. Now navigation
gunnery, the torpedo, engineering,
electricity, wireless telegraphy-or
signalling claim careful-and to
some extent exclusive, study by
those who go down to the great
waters in the Kings ships. Is it
realized how this tendency is adding
to the long array of ships, with dill
ferent powers and different duties,
which are included in his Majesty )
fleet? We have now battleships OF
various types, coast-defense ships
(old), armored cruisers, protected
cruisers. unprotected cruisers (old),
sloops, gunboats, torpedo gunboats,
torpedo boats, torpedo ram, torpedo
boat destroyers, submarines, dis
patch vessels, etc.
! There is also a fast-growing list
of auxiliary ships-colliers, hospit-
ais, repairing vessels, torpedo depot
ships and distilling ships-all spe-
cifically fitted for the peculiar work
expected from each kind. The last
new craft is child of the White
head torpedo, weapon which when
first introduced had a speed of ~
knots, could travel 1000 yards, had
charge of 81 pounds of gun-cotton
and was uncertain and unreliable.
In quarter of a century it has
been gradually developed into a de-
pendable weapon, which travels
1000 yards after discharge at
speed of 80 knots, with a burden of
200 pounds of gun-cotton. The gyro-
scope guides this awe-inspirine
mother of so many special crafts
with accuracy. Until the latest de.
velopment came the destroyer was
the baby of the family of torpedo
ships, but it was too frail for work
in open seas away from a base. AS
the Earl of Selborne has explained:
! When destroyers were first design
ed it was not contemplated that
they would be frequently used other
wise than as working from a fixed
base. Experience, however, has
shown that vessels with greater sea-
keeping powers are required for serv-
ice with fleets. and accordingly the
board has decided both materially
to strengthen the type of future de-
stroyers and also to create a new
class altogether, to which the name
Scout has been given. 1t is propos.
ed not to initiate a design for this
new class at the admiralty. but tn
invite the private ship-builders of
the country to give the navy the
benefit of their creative ingenuity
by submitting designs ii fulfil Ger.
tain stated conditions"
1t is now announced that from the
Clyde, and probably also from the
Yarrow and Thornycroft shipyards
designs and tenders have been suh'
mitted for these new boats The
necessity for a sitter class of +or
pedo vessel was revealed by the in.
vestigations of an admiralty commit.
tee which was appointed after tba
disaster to the Cobra. The now
scouts are to be much longer and
stronger than any "destroyers" hitb.
erto built, vessels which will he
able to remain at sea in ordinary
weather for more protracted ne.
RODS than either "destroyers" or
torpedo boats. It was at first fear.
eo that the increase in the size ana
strength would lead to a great f.I1
iEs on In speed, but there is reaeo,
70 believe, from the opinions of
Skilled engineers, that the "scouts,
VIII have a reliable rate apnroscb
ing 80 Knots an hour. In tha as,i
mates for the present wear onIr
5Zs,4S5 has been taken nv tba a.
miralty for the four craft of +h;s
type included in the program =.
construction. but at Glaszlow :, :.
stated that the construction of tan -
now contemplated.-London TEL
graph. ieie