Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
ON A LONG CRUISE
FLEET OF TORPEDO BOATS BOUND
FOR THE PHILIPPINES.
Most Remarkable Feat Ever Under
taken by Vessels Of This
Glass,

A fleet Of United States torpedo boats Is
about to be subjected to an unusually Sc
we're test. Five of these frail little war
ships will soon start from Hampton Roads
on cruise to the Philippines, journey
more than half around the world. Never
before has there been an expedition by tor
pedo boats which in the distance to be COW
cred and the difficulties to be encountered
compares with the prospective voyage of
these ''wasps of warfare flying the flag of
the United States.
The torpedo boats selected for this "en-
durance test" are the Bailey, Barney, Bid
die, Porter and Dupont, all members of
what is known as the reserve fotilla" Of
the navy. The largest of the five Is Bailey,
which was built at Morris Heights n. Y,
and Is 2O5 feet in length, nineteen feet
beam, nearly seven feet draft and has a
displacement of $50 tons. Her triple ex-
pansion engines are capable Of developing
5, 600 horse power and sending her through
the water at speed of thirty-five miles per
hour.
The Barney and Biddle are sister ships.
both built at Bath, Me, and are 157 feet In
length, eighteen feet breadth and It's tons
displacement. These vessels have, in pro-
portion to their size, quite as powerful en-
gines as the Bailey and each has a record of
thirty-two miles per hour The Porter and
Dupont, built by the Herreshoffs, are each
ITO feet in length, eighteen feet beam, and
are as speedy the other twin craft,
which, though smaller, are of more recent
construction. The Dupont came into espe-
cial prominence during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war, when she steamed $4,000 miles
without a single halt for repairs.
The long journey to the orient will be not
only a severe test Of the torpedo boats, but
in slightly less degree trial of the health
and strength Of the officers and men aboard
these small war vessels. Service on a tor
pedo boat Is the SeyereSt eXactiOn which is
&c.,
son not only young officers but young men
for the crew are selected for these vessels.
Not Much Fun Aboard.
On board torpedo boat the officers and
men suffer alike and the most serious phase
of the work is the difficulty of sleeping
on a vessel which, If she maintains any
speed. quivers in a most discomforting
manner, and in any event is so small that
in heavy sea she is tossing about very much
like a chip. To the laymen who catch a
glimpse of the crowded quarters of tor
pedo boat it appears well-nigh incredible
that such number of men can be accom-
modated during a long ocean voyage in
such "a limited space, but the officers and
jackies who will take the five torpedo boats
to the coast of Asia are almost without
exception, old hands at the business and
know how to make the best OF bad situa-
ton.
The question of coal supply is one of the
problems which confront the naval officers
who have in hand the planning of this pro-
tracted voyage, but it is argued that with
their steaming radius of more than 5000
miles there Is no danger in sending the lit
tie fellows across the Atlantic and the In
dian ocean and UP the Pacific.
The proposal to send the torpedo boats
to the orient is the result of the success
which last winter attended the sending to
the far east of a fotilla of torpedo boat
destroyers. These were the Decatur, Dale,
aiDh nd
stroyers are considerable larger and
stancher than the torpedo boats, but even
the voyage of those vessels was a nine
days wonder to naval circles, and the
more daring project now proposed will
doubtless arouse even more widespread in
tereSt.