Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-29

A4bAl4AeA - dN meet tI
ships and cruisers. the results are
bound to be disastrous for the large
ships"
In a special article that appeared in
the Forum in 1899, bearing on the op-
erations of the American torpedo
boats. under command of Capt. kim
| ball. in the Spanish war. the follow
ing pertinent references were made
to their utility:
AS has been stated, we have built
few torpedo boats. We are building
a few more. apparently not for serv-
ice. but for the purpose Of giving con-
tracts and practice to our boatbuild-
ers. since the boats are of all shapes
and sizes. and the few completed ones
are not being used 10 develop a tor
pedo boat service. or, in fact, for any
purpose whatever. But really we have
good excuse. We were very much
frightened by three Spanish torpedo
boat craft, but when Spanish lack of
enterprise prevented their use against
Us, and. moreover. the Spanish took a
couple of them out in daylight, in
face OF the fire of Il strong feet, TO
certain destruction, and even then
iiidht ID dAltlnpl tsl uilil[C bItlI ICsil
power of attack. we were so relieved
that our JOY took the form of assur
ing ourselves that we had not been
scared at all; that torpedo boats were
useless; that we would never use ours
again, and that there were no good
torpedo boats in the world.
Our normal composure will be re-
gained after a time; and then we shall
be in a condition to accept the we'll
known fact that three fairly good.
fairly weIl-handled torpedo boats can.
on a moonless night, force the best
battlcship in the world off her block
aiding station, or put her hOrs de COM
bat. We may even appreciate the fact
that submarine torpedo boats furnish
more insurance towards war losses
per dollar expended i'm insurance than
any other form of defense at present
known.
This proposition might be highly
absurd if it included any idea that we
should take the lead in developing II
new kind of war material: but it does
not. France is already providing her
self with submarine boats; and it
would seem possible that we might a I
once copy her instead of waiting until
all the.rest of the world had adopted
the idea. especially as we have already
gone through our usual preliminary
process of rejecting this war device
a device developed in our own country
by private enterprise, and one of the
greatest value to Il country situated
like our own in regard TO the necessi-
ties of coast defense.
Fifteen years ago Il private citizen
of this country led the world in sue
ccssful submarine boat designing and
experience. 1t was clear that prac-
ticable submarine boats would be of
the greatest economical use; since an
inexpensive boat, with Il small crew
could move up To a battleship, by day
or by night, in face of her fire and
searchlights. and could force her to
leave her blockading station or could
sink her. In other words, in the pres
ence of defensive submarine torpedo
boats, blockades could not exist. nor
could bombardments be attempted. 1T
was also clear that the development
of submarine torpedo boats presented
fewer difficulties than did that of sur
face torpedo boats. 1t was clear. too,
that we had il in our powe.- to take
advantage of the great change in ma
val methods that must follow the APP
pearance of submarine boats-to lead
the world. in fact, to our economical
advantage. instead of following, and
paying the cost of cur slowness.
The submarine boat idea was FUN
bled with a bit. and then practically
dropped. Just as was the magazine
gun idea third of century ago. In
the case of the gun, we proved its
utility in the war of the rebellion; and
then. instead of developing it. we
dropped ii altogether. and delightedly
adopted an absolute single loader.
In the case of the submarine boat,
as | have said, we dallied with the
idea. brought into play our everett
fective way of how not to do it. by
exercising the seesaw between the
legislative and executive branches of
the government, and then practically
dropped the matter. Meanwhile, France,
approaching what the submarine
meant to her, and failing to get good
results along her experimental lines
of development. seized on the general
principles of the American design. de-
claring in her leading technical jour
nal that j; was the first submarine
boat constructed on rational data. and
applied its principles, so far as they
were publicly known, To the submarine
fiotilla she was then constructing.
The more valuable and practie-
able features of the American design
are stilI held in this country. and il
will be amusing TO observe whether
we utilize them or not. Ii win be in
teresting 10 note whether we accept
the device that can be most economi-
cally strengthen our weak defenses
and give Us most war insurance at
least cost. or whether. being stiH join |
ed 10 our idols of Indifference. we let
ii alone"
Uniformity in construction If all !
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