The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-12-02
AMERICA SAID TO BE LACKING IN
TORPEDO DEVELOPMENT.
INVENTORS ARE VERY BUSY
Every Encouragement Now Given to
Produce the Most Effective
4 Models.

Washington, Nov. pa new type
of naval torpedo was tried under SER
vice conditions last week in Noyac
bay, Long Island. 1t was a failure,
and served to emphasize a truth that |
is being pressed home with greater
conviction every day, to-wit: That
the United States navy is away behind
the navies of other great nations in
the important features of torpedo de.
velopment, torpedo equipment and tor
pedo warfare.
Owing to a blunder on the part OF
officials who were responsible for the
naval policy of this country, torpe-
does as a part of the outfit of Ameri-
can warships were dropped in 1901.
For three years thereafter they were
considered as obsolete, and no pro-
vision was made for them in the e
b~attleships and armored cruisers that
were designed and laid down in that
period.
In direct contrast with this omis-
sion was che course of other naval
powers. The torpedo was recognized
by them as one of the most effective
features of offensive warfare, and ex-
periments to develop greater efficiency
in their use were made while u
navy was idle.
Awakening in America.
Last year there was an awakening
among the s%trategists who map out
our country's naval program. 1t sud-
denly dawned on them that they were
being left in the rear In a very i'm
portant feature of naval warfare. The
torpedo was restored to favor again.
N1'here was a great scramble to get
the battleships and cruisers back to
the navy yards to be fitted with tor
pedo tubes, and the plans for those
still under construction were altered
so as to provide this equipment. 1t
was realized however, that in those
three years of idleness considerable
ground had been lost, and now it is
admitted by practically all u navy
men that we are deficient, not only
in torpedo equipment, but in the hand
ling of them.
Everything possible is being done
to Offset this seriour error. Several
bright officers have been detailed to
devote their entire attention to the
study of t%orpedoes, and to acquaint
themselves with the latest develop
ment in construction and operation.
Every encouragement is given to
American inventors to produce some.
thing new and good in this line OF
ordnance.
Naval officers are cheerfully as
signed to attend tests of improved tor
pedoes. When the trial took place
last week in Noyac bay the navy de-
partment was represented by it's *
perts.
Where the Blame Lies.
The abandonment Of torpedoes was
determined upon by the board of con-
struction-that body which for years
has been a source of strife and conten-
ton and against which are charged
some of the biggest blunders that
have been committed in the service
It's members declared that one Of the
lessons taught by the Spanish wal
was that %torpedoes are a menace to
the ships that carry them.
Under the changed condition OF
things torpedoes will be carried by
three types of American warshlps
battleships, armored cruisers and TOT
pedo boats. The latter are built FOL
the primary purpose of attacking with
this particular implement of warfare
Torpedoes on the larger ships are
merely an incident of the genera
equipment. For years members of thu
board of construction struggled
among themselves to determine
whether torpedo tubes should b
> above water or submerged. The con
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