The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-02-19
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1904.
TORPEDO BOATS VALUABLE.

eAt the beginning of the Spanish
American war Spain counted much
upon her fleet of torpedo boats and
torpedo boat des rogers The igno-
minious failure of these very modern
adjuncts Of naval warfare to make
good was cited by naval writer's as a
proof that however dangerous such
vessels might appear on paper, their
practical value had been overestimat-
ed II was, so tney said, case where
the Imagination Of the scientist had
led him to believe that the destroyers
would work a revolution IA sea fight
ing methods, when in reality the cir
cumstances under which they could
be eftectually used were so rare that
they would count for but very little
in actual service, and the aspect Of
naval battle would be scarcely chaned.
But the fault lay not in the imple-
ments Of warfare, but in the unhtness
of their users to handle them. The
vigilance and quick shooting of our
seamen made The destroyers danger
Gus only to the slower Spaniards who
operated them. The first move OF the
japanese in the present war is some
indication of the value Of des'royers
when employed by a people who COM
bine scientific knowledge with me.
chanical skin in execution. quality
Of cool daring and quickness in
thought and action. The torpedo boat,
slinking silently and unseen through
the gloom. 10 launch a sudden hidden
bolt of death upon The batileship and
dash away again IN the confusion
readily LENDS itself TO the peculiar
genius OF the alert and elusive Jap.
with his faculty OF bringing an his
nervous energy and aulacty to bear
in o quick ana unexpected stroke
Ponderous Russia has 20 10 with the
cleverest Of gymnasts; she IS guessing
at the moves Of the quickest of Jug
glers, fencing with the mas ers OF tao.
tical swordsmansbia
The Boxer troubles brought to the
worlds attention tho efficiency Of the
Japanese soldier-an efficiency for
which he will find ample occupation
against the oyerwheiming land forces
of Russia but Il has been lef TO the
japanese seaman to demonstrate the
efficiency of the destroyer and give
new emphasis to the change that may
be expected in the naval engagements
ot the future A change of manner
and me hod and object which more
sharply marks the difference between
sea.hghts OF Nelson's days and Dew
ey's than the employment Of steam.
armor plates and high-power guns
coull do; which calls for a new kind
OF daring In the fighters. and which.
II you please. gives TO naval warfare
a new quality OF romantic and spec
tacular interest all It's own The days
of ne point-blank broadside. the
grapnling-iron and the cutlass combat
on the slippery deck are gone long
since. and the open. longrange hght
between modern steel letiaihans may
lack something Of the thrilling melo-
drama Of those old bloody struggles;
but with the employment of The tor
pedo boat the play is performed ia a
silent. darkened theatre an with a
relentless and desperate intent that
casts over il a mis- Of the weird and
terrible which hte struggles of the
elder days did not possess Men IN
the torpedo boats face death and Deal
death IN the dark. slap fate in The
face aad wait for answer hln folded
and are ever aware Of the oppressive
companionship of he Unknown